Gdańsk Tech Builds Cooperation with Babcock International
Representatives of the authorities of Gdańsk Tech met with representatives of Babcock International, a company operating, among other areas, in defense and security. The topic of the discussions was cooperation in the field of talent acquisition, knowledge and know-how exchange, and conducting joint scientific research.
Representatives of the authorities of Gdańsk Tech met with representatives of Babcock International, a company operating, among other areas, in defense and security. The topic of the discussions was cooperation in the field of talent acquisition, knowledge and know-how exchange, and conducting joint scientific research.
Babcock International, which has in its extensive portfolio cooperation with the UK government and the Royal Navy, operates outside the British Isles also in Australia, Asia, Canada, France, and the Republic of South Africa. For its clients from the maritime, land, air, and nuclear sectors, the company offers services in the form of technical and training support as well as products, including defense equipment – e.g., ships and submarine components.
In March 2022, the Armament Agency selected Babcock as the platform supplier and strategic partner for the implementation of the Miecznik multi-role frigate construction program. Based on the license granted by Babcock, the PGZ-Miecznik Consortium (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A. and PGZ Stocznia Wojenna sp. z o.o.) is to build three frigates in Poland for the Polish Navy. However, the Miecznik program is not only about shipbuilding but also, and perhaps primarily, a Polish-British strategic partnership in the defense sector, associated with the expansion of the Polish shipbuilding industry and the transfer of knowledge and technology.
In 2022, Babcock International opened the Project Management Office of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa in Gdynia, which is to supervise the implementation of the Miecznik program.
Cooperation in many areas
Representatives of Babcock International visited Gdańsk Tech in connection with the planned launch in Poland of the Babcock Graduate Scheme – a two-year program through which talented university graduates can undertake paid internships at Babcock branches, including facilities in the UK, gaining valuable experience in the aviation, land, maritime, and nuclear sectors.
– In connection with the implementation of the Miecznik program, we plan to invest in Poland in the recruitment and development of young talents – the future workforce. Since the academic sector is to play a key role in this process, we very much count on cooperation with higher education institutions in Poland, including Gdańsk Tech, due to its potential and strategic location – emphasized Ewa Kittel-Prejs, Country Director Poland, Babcock International.
– The talent development program is an opportunity for Gdańsk Tech students to gain experience working in an international environment in strategic sectors related to defense and the development of new technologies. We are very interested in establishing cooperation in this area – said Professor Krzysztof Wilde, Rector of Gdańsk Tech.
Especially as, according to representatives of Babcock International, the talent development program they run assumes that trained professionals will primarily strengthen the company's workforce in Poland (including for the implementation of the Miecznik program) and thereby enhance the human resources potential of our country in the defense sector.
At the same time, Professor Krzysztof Wilde proposed during the meeting that the cooperation between Gdańsk Tech and Babcock International should not be limited to recruitment and workforce development but also include conducting joint scientific research.
– I imagine that we could leverage the research potential of Gdańsk Tech – with our scientific and research-and-development centers – together with the experience of Babcock International and undertake joint scientific research in the field of defense and maritime technologies – added the Rector.
During the discussions, ideas also emerged regarding the involvement of local companies in research projects to strengthen the region’s potential and the opportunity offered by the Doctoral Implementation School and the possibility to educate doctoral candidates in cooperation with their employing enterprises – in this case, Babcock International.
Professor Janusz Nieznański, Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Innovation, stressed Gdańsk Tech's great interest in cooperating in the implementation of the Miecznik program, especially concerning the ship's passive defense system.
– We are open to such cooperation and organizing a seminar soon with the participation of our specialists and engineers from Gdańsk Tech, during which we will be able to share our experiences and perhaps develop new solutions in areas of our interest – said Rob Malinder, Project Manager, Babcock International.
At the conclusion, both parties declared their willingness to organize further meetings and continue talks about cooperation.