The University of Zielona Góra is set to cooperate with the Kostrzyn–Słubice Special Economic Zone S.A. The partnership agreement was signed on Tuesday, 4 November. The main objectives of the agreement include making use of the University’s academic potential and achievements, as well as the experience of the Special Economic Zone. As a result, the cooperation will help create conditions for continuously improving the quality of education at UZ and tailoring the University’s educational offer to labour market needs.
The greatest focus within the partnership will be placed on study programmes offered at the UZ Institute of Management and Quality Sciences. “This is an extremely important economic entity operating in our region. We have already been cooperating for some time, and now the moment has come to formalise this partnership. Our cooperation will concern, above all, activities carried out with students. There will also be initiatives at the intersection of science and business. An institution as important as our University must closely collaborate with the K - S SSE S.A .,” said Prof. Wojciech Strzyżewski, Rector of the University of Zielona Góra.
Representatives of the K - S SSE S.A. also see mutual benefits resulting from the cooperation. “The Zone shares knowledge about what it does, the idea behind our operations, and the importance of our support for investors. On the other hand, we reach young people who will also benefit from this. We want to broaden their horizons. We plan to organise interactive lectures featuring key market players. We have already begun talks with investors from Japan, and we will coordinate such meetings in the form of videoconferences,” commented Tomasz Pisarek, President of the Management Board of the Kostrzyn–Słubice Special Economic Zone S.A.
Both parties have declared cooperation in the field of education—particularly through consulting curricular content, selected practical modules in first- and second-cycle degree programmes, and postgraduate studies at UZ. “Young people will be able to experience practical knowledge first-hand, at a very concrete and high level. They will benefit from the achievements and experience accumulated over the years by all entities operating in the K - S SSE S.A. Students will participate in workshop cycles and learn how business operations are organised on an international level. Practical experience is extremely important alongside academic knowledge. This is a tremendous value for both students and teaching staff,” added Dr hab. Waldemar Sługocki, Prof. UZ, from the UZ Institute of Economics and Finance.
Researchers from the UZ Institute of Management and Quality Sciences also express strong expectations toward the partnership. “We greatly value cooperation with business in the context of education and research. The first objective is to gather information about business expectations regarding the teaching process. We want to understand what knowledge and competencies should be included in our programmes so that our graduates are attractive candidates for employers and investors. I also expect extensive cooperation in delivering joint lectures. Specialists from the K - S SSE S.A. can conduct such sessions for our students to better prepare them for their future careers. The second key aspect concerns research—conducting studies and identifying the competencies and knowledge of our graduates,” explained Dr hab. Sebastian Saniuk, Prof. UZ, Director of the UZ Institute of Management and Quality Sciences.
The overarching aim of the agreement is to respond to labour market needs in the region and meet investor expectations. According to the agreement, cooperation will include reporting the demand for training specific groups of employees in order to enhance their professional qualifications.
