The APAIE Conference is an annual event for professionals in the field of international cooperation in higher education. The University of Lodz has participated in the event for the first time. The conference took place at the Australian Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC) and brought together representatives of the academic community from around the world. The conference was accompanied by an international education fair, which made it possible to get familiar with the offer of other universities and companies operating in the field of services for higher education, as well as specialised workshop sessions.
This year’s edition, which was held in Australian Perth, was devoted to sustainable development, in particular with regard to developing mobility and cooperation partnerships at international level. This created an opportunity to get to know the best practices implemented at foreign universities in this area.
The conference was attended by representatives of 12 Polish universities, including Jagiellonian University, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. The University of Lodz promoted itself together with other universities and the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange at the Polish stand under the banner of the Ready, Study, Go! Poland and Research in Poland campaign. The stand was very eagerly visited by representatives of universities from the Asia-Pacific region and the topics of discussion included areas of potential cooperation.
The conference was also accompanied by the so-called experience campus. Representatives of the University of Lodz visited Australian universities: Murdoch and Curtin, where they learned about the university's organisation, educational offer and student support system. The meeting with the Polish community in Perth was also an important element of the trip.
The decision to take part in this event results from the deep commitment to the development of international scientific and educational cooperation of the University of Lodz. The APAIE Conference is an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices with educational institutions from the Asia-Pacific region and around the world. For the University of Lodz, participation in this event is also an opportunity to establish new contacts, build partnerships and cooperate with other universities, which will contribute to strengthening the position of our university on the international arena.
The topic of this year's conference, regarding sustainable development, is particularly important to the University of Lodz due to the university's active involvement in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Moreover, the participation in the conference was not only an opportunity to acquire knowledge and experience, but also a chance to promote our university and the region in the world.
The participation of the University of Lodz in the conference in the Antipodes was financed by the funds obtained by the University of Lodz International Hub from CONNECT project, implemented as part of the Welcome to Poland programme of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).
Source: International Hub, University of Poland
Edit: Monika Kędziak, Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz
Photo: International Hub, University of Poland