Robotics, programming, automation and the economy of the future were the main topics of workshops held on Wednesday, 16 September, at the University of Zielona Góra. The workshops were attended by 35 students from vocational and technical schools in Poland and Ukraine, studying, among other subjects, mechanics, mechatronics, electrical engineering, automation, information technology, programming and economics.
The practical workshops and consultations at UZ were one of the elements of a several-day Polish-Ukrainian educational project carried out in our region. “The main objective of the project is to prepare young people to function in an economy and society increasingly shaped by automation. Participants develop technical, programming, economic, social and communication competences,” explains Dr Eng. Marcin Chciuk from the Institute of Mechanical Engineering at UZ. “Participants work in international Polish-Ukrainian teams. The design team is responsible for designing, assembling and testing the mechanical components of the robotic arm; the programming team develops control algorithms and safety procedures; while the economics team analyses the impact of robotisation on the labour market and the economy. A separate team is responsible for promotion, documenting the course of the project and its evaluation,” adds Dr Eng. Marcin Chciuk.
One of the most important outcomes of the initiative is the development and construction of three functional robotic arm prototypes, together with technical documentation and control software. The young participants also analyse the economic and social consequences of robotisation, preparing a bilingual presentation entitled “The Economy of the Future: People, Robots and Taxes.” The Polish-Ukrainian workshops thus demonstrate that robotics and new technologies can be not only a subject of study, but also a platform for cooperation, integration and the joint development of solutions for the future.
As the project coordinators emphasise, practical workshops for young people from Poland and Ukraine have been held regularly at the University of Zielona Góra. They began with the “Drone Academy – Polish-Ukrainian Creative Workshops”, during which young participants learned about technologies related to unmanned aerial vehicles, their construction and operation. Participants also had the opportunity to experience the practical dimension of modern engineering – from design and manufacturing technologies to the control and application of professional unmanned systems. This year's project continues and further develops this model of practical education.
The project is implemented by the “Harmonia” Association in cooperation with educational partners from Poland and Ukraine as part of the Polish-Ukrainian Council of Youth Exchange (Project No. UKR/2026/W/0009). As the project leader and organiser, the “Harmonia” Association is responsible for coordinating project activities, cooperation between the partners and organising youth mobility. The outcomes of the initiative will be disseminated by the “Harmonia” Association and the educational partners from Poland and Ukraine so that the solutions developed through the project can also be used by other schools, teachers and organisations implementing youth cooperation projects.
