The debate "Relacje w komunikacji: sieci kultury" was the highlight of this year's Forum. During the debate representatives of more than a dozen Polish universities, cultural institutions, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the National Centre for Culture, the Students' Parliament of the Republic of Poland and the student community met to jointly identify the key challenges and potential of student culture in Poland and develop recommendations for the development of academic culture in Poland. During the first part of the meeting, representatives of institutions associated with the Nationwide Student Culture Forum presented the results of a nationwide survey on the condition and challenges of student culture institutions. They also listened to inspiring presentations on the role of culture in counteracting dropout, the impact of cultural participation on the mental well-being of students as well as creative initiatives promoting science through art and culture.
The discussion, moderated by UMCS Rector, Prof. Radosław Dobrowolski, provided an insight into student culture from the perspective of both the university and the academic city. The discussion focused on how universities can incorporate culture into their development strategies, how to support students in their creative endeavours and how to build lasting partnerships between the academic and urban communities.
The motto of the 3rd Student Culture Forum includes two extremely important terms: relationality, relationships – building good relationships implicitly and networking, which is obviously synergistically linked to these relationships. Only good and constructive cooperation, building such a space, connections, mutual ideas and their implementation in various academic centres, can bring collective success for all of us – with these words the Rector of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University opened the debate.
UniLodz was represented by five people during the Forum:
- Zuzanna Kolbus – a student of Italian Philology, Vice-Chair of the University of Lodz Students' Government Council, Chair of the ItaliAMO Student Science Club;
- Leon Kuc – a student of Law and a representative of the Creative Activity Club – a student organization of the University of Lodz
- Magdalena Szczepańska – a specialist cooperating with organisations at the University of Lodz
- Jolanta Sławińska-Ryszka – the Vice-Head of the University of Lodz Centre for Organising Cultural Events and Conferences
Leon Kuc reports:
The attendance at the 3rd Student Culture Forum was a fascinating experience. The Academic Culture and Media Centre Chatka Żaka at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin is an incredible place, both in terms of its technical capabilities and the energy of the community it brings together. The trip allowed me to better understand the potential of Polish student culture and the community that creates it. The debate captured the impact of culture on students and society at large and diagnosed problems within the student community (and, more broadly, the academic community), which can be therapeutically impacted by culture, such as the well-being of students and doctoral candidates and the dropout phenomenon. In addition to the diagnosis, the discussion also explored proposed changes that could provide a valid response to the problems. The debate was also encouraging, generating a number of proposals for change that not only address the problems but also demonstrate the strength of the academic community, which not only identifies problems but also proposes sensible solutions. I hope that the systemic solutions developed during the debate will provide a comprehensive positive impact on the situation, and that the new experiences I have gained will allow me to positively influence our community.
Zuzanna Kolbus, the debate participant, adds:
The 3rd Student Culture Forum in Lublin once again became a space for the exchange of best practices, full of insightful observations and inspiring thoughts. The content presented during this year's event not only reinforces my belief that student culture is important and necessary but also demonstrates that its development can impact students' career development, well-being and the desire to actively contribute to the academic community.
My participation in the 3rd Student Culture Forum was a meeting with passionate people who believe in the power of culture and the potential of the student community. It's amazing how much we can achieve by sharing experiences and best practices. I'm returning with a sense of immense inspiration, a head full of ideas and a conviction that our activities at the University of Lodz can have a real impact on the quality of students' lives. This meeting reinforced my belief that we should build spaces where young people can develop their talents, relax, and create something valuable together – concludes Magdalena Szczepańska.
Conclusions and recommendations from the debate will be compiled in a document that will be submitted to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the ]Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP), the Conference of Rectors of Polish Universities (KRUP) and supporting institutions (NCK, NAWA).
Source materials from the debate: The Academic Culture and Media Centre Chatka Żaka at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin,
Edit: Jolanta Sławińska-Ryszka, Centre for Organising Cultural Events and Conferences, University of Lodz
Photos: The Academic Culture and Media Centre Chatka Żaka at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, archives of the participants
