Staff Week of RWTH Aachen University at WUT

Photo by Piotr Szczepański.

Day 1 

The first day of the visit began with the official welcome address by Prof. Mariusz Malinowski, Vice-Rector for Research at WUT, and Grzegorz Robak, Director of the Centre for International Cooperation. This part of the meeting provided also an opportunity to introduce the Staff Week's program and organisation.

Next, the participants took part in a campus tour led by Izabela Koptoń-Ryniec, from the Warsaw University of Technology Museum. The guests had the opportunity to learn about the university’s history, infrastructure, and the most important figures associated with WUT.

The next part of the program focused on the internationalisation of the university. Olga Świderska from the Centre for International Cooperation, International Students Office presented the support for international students – from the recruitment to graduation. This was followed by presentations from Piotr Szczepański and Karol Maśluszczak, both from the Centre for International Cooperation, who discussed activities promoting Warsaw University of Technology on the international stage. The guests asked many questions about the topics addressed in the presentations.

After a break, Grzegorz Robak, Director of the Centre for International Cooperation and Core Officer of ENHANCE+ at WUT, gave a general presentation about WUT and, together with Greg Ganczewski, ENHANCE+ Project Manager at the Development Projects Centre, presented WUT activities within the ENHANCE Alliance.

The first day allowed participants to become familiar with the university’s structure and created space for initial discussions and exchange of experiences. 

Photo by Piotr Szczepański.

Day 2

The second day of the visit began with a presentation by Katarzyna Dyrka and Marzena Pobojewska from the Centre for International Cooperation on the activities and achievements of the WUT Welcome Point.

The next meeting focused on Erasmus+ programmes and project cooperation, during which Agnieszka Bursztyńska, Joanna Gołębiowska, and Aleksandra Sułecka presented their experiences in implementing international partnerships and agreements.

Next, Roch Grabowski and Elżbieta Baranowska-Pytko from the Project Support Centre (COP) presented support schemes for research projects at WUT.

In the afternoon, the participants met with representatives of the Foreign Language Centre (SJO) – Lucyna Skwarko, Director of SJO, and Dorota Chromińska, SJO Representative for cooperation with ENHANCE and ENHANCE language tandems coordinator within ENHANCE Alliance. They presented the role of language education and the development of intercultural competences in an international academic environment.

The second day provided an opportunity to learn about best practices in internationalisation and the engagement of both students and staff. 

Photo by Piotr Szczepański.

DAY 3

Wednesday was dedicated to student activities, the Career Office, data management related to university rankings, and the activities of the Politechnika Warszawska Library.

The day began with a meeting with three student scientific clubs from WUT. The Scientific Club of Chemical and Process Engineering "Venturi" was presented by Jan Ciołkowski and Izabela Kaźmierczak. The Student Scientific Association of Aviation Measurement and Control Systems was presented by its founder, Jan Mikołajczyk. BIMgo Student Scientific Club from the Faculty of Civil Engineering was presented by Grzegorz Czernyszow.

This was followed by a visit to the Main Library of the Warsaw University of Technology. The meeting was led by Michał Szeworski, Magdalena Galus, Marta Mazur, and Tomasz Firus, who presented modern solutions supporting library, research, and educational activities. Participants also had the opportunity to visit areas of the WUT Library that are not always accessible and take part in an escape room activity.

In the afternoon, Aleksandra Wycisk-Ficek and Małgorzata Płaszczyca from the Strategic Analysis Department presented WUT’s activities related to university rankings, databases, and information management strategy.

The next item on the agenda was a presentation by the Career Office, delivered by Julita Mucha, Ewa Kluczek-Woźniak, Karolina Majtas, and Dorota Anna Sierpień. The meeting focused on initiatives supporting the professional development of students and graduates of the Warsaw University of Technology. 

Photo by Piotr Szczepański.

DAY 4

The fourth day of the Staff Week was dedicated to the research infrastructure facilities at the Warsaw University of Technology and to job shadowing activities.

The day began with laboratory visits in a “Walk & Talk” format. Participants first visited the laboratories of the Wydział Mechaniczny Energetyki i Lotnictwa Politechniki Warszawskiej, where they were welcomed by Prof. Artur Rusowicz, Dean of the Faculty. They then had the opportunity to explore the faculty’s modern research equipment: Mateusz Sochacki, presented the flight simulators available at the faculty, while Bartłomiej Goliszek, showed the hangar where, among other projects, unmanned drones are being developed and constructed.

Next, the group moved to the Wydział Elektroniki i Technik Informacyjnych Politechniki Warszawskiej, where they were welcomed by Prof. Ewa Niewiadomska-Szynkiewicz, Vice-Dean for Research, Prof. Henryk Rybiński, and Grzegorz Mańko. The participants then visited several facilities: Prof. Jan Żera introduced the anechoic chamber, Daniel Giełdowski, presented the robotics laboratory, and Krzysztof Zarzycki, PhD showcased the automation laboratory.

In the afternoon, as part of the job shadowing programme, participants visited selected units of the Warsaw University of Technology (Erasmus+ Office, Career Office, Technical Department, International Students Office, Welcome Point, and the Faculty of Architecture), gaining insight into workplace organisation and the daily responsibilities of staff members. These meetings enabled direct exchanges of experience and discussions on solutions implemented at both universities. 

Photo by Piotr Szczepański.

DAY 5

The final day of the Staff Week program was dedicated to cultural international activities at WUT and a summary of the entire visit.

Magdalena Nałęcz from the Centre for International Cooperation, International Students Office, presented the structure and best practices of organising national days at WUT. She also conducted a quiz with prizes for the participants.

Dorota Chromińska from the Foreign Language Centre, and Katarzyna Zambrzycka-Papuda, PhD, from the Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences, ENHANCE Task Force Ukraine Lead, presented activities supporting the Ukrainian community funded mostly by NAWA - Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej.

This was followed by a closing session attended by participants from RWTH Aachen University and led by Grzegorz Robak, Director of the International Relations Centre, and Dorota Chromińska. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange reflections and discuss experiences from the entire week. 

Photo by Piotr Szczepański.