The Lubusz Voivodeship is investing in the development of medical professionals. On Monday, March 23, an agreement was signed at the Rector’s Office of University of Zielona Góra concerning the transfer of a subsidy of PLN 900,000 from regional authorities to support salaries of university staff teaching students at Collegium Medicum UZ. The funds will be used to finance additional employment of academic teachers, non-academic staff, and specialists who provide educational services in training future medical professionals.
Today, Collegium Medicum UZ is the largest unit within the university’s structure, employing around 250 staff members. This includes those teaching students in the medical program, which for over a decade has been the most popular and competitive option in the university’s admissions offer.
“It is clear how much importance regional authorities attach to the development of medical fields. I am very pleased that we can count on such significant financial support for the salaries of staff educating students in medical programs. I also hope this will help retain graduates of Collegium Medicum UZ in the region and strengthen local healthcare institutions,” explains Prof. Wojciech Strzyżewski, Rector of the University of Zielona Góra.
It is worth recalling that since 2015, the Lubusz Voivodeship had annually supported the salaries of academic teachers in medical fields with an amount of PLN 3 million. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, these funds were redirected to various activities in hospitals managed by the regional government.“We decided to return to the tradition of co-financing academic staff salaries. To start with, this is PLN 900,000—this is what we can afford this year. It is very important for us. We have seen how well these funds supported the medical program in previous years. This is a young faculty, yet in a short time it has achieved results where our graduates passed the medical exam at one of the highest levels in the country. This is thanks to the academic staff we are supporting—staff that has not only grown in number but also strengthened scientifically. At the University Hospital in Zielona Góra, more and more PhDs and habilitated doctors are working. These funds greatly benefit our region,” adds Sebastian Ciemnoczołowski, Marshal of the Lubusz Voivodeship.
The meeting was also attended by the Lubusz Voivode, Marek Cebula, who took a broader view of healthcare funding:
“Let us remember that after 2023, funds from the National Recovery Plan were launched, and we are implementing historic projects for the people of Lubusz. Investments in healthcare and hospitals currently amount to around one billion złoty. This is funding that will support the education of young people in medical studies. It is very important for us to create conditions that encourage young doctors to remain in the Lubusz region so that we can ensure excellent healthcare and services,” he said.
Between 2015 and 2026, subsidies from the Lubusz Voivodeship for the University of Zielona Góra exceeded PLN 20 million.
