A new approach to student education | Gdańsk University of Technology

This alternative to the traditional education model, known as the Personalized Education Model (PEM), is intended to be based on students’ original projects and dynamic collaboration with the socio-economic environment. Students will receive both academic and formal support from mentors in academia and industry, financial support up to 20,000 PLN, and access to specially tailored micro-courses and group workshops on innovation, commercialization, and project management. The PEM will allow for modification of the curriculum, enabling the adaptation or even removal of certain courses to support project-based learning.

Through personalized educational pathways, students will develop essential future competencies, including problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, independence, and assertiveness.

The project serves as an expanded continuation of a pilot initiative at the University of Silesia, enabling further development of the personalized education model and assessing its feasibility in diverse types of institutions (medical, technical, artistic, comprehensive universities, etc.) on a national scale.

"'Universities of the Future' is a step toward transforming higher education in Poland and opening up more direct, individualized cooperation with the socio-economic sector to meet students' expectations. This project will also facilitate closer collaboration and exchange of experiences among partner universities," said Dr. hab. Mariusz Kaczmarek, Associate Professor and Vice-Rector for Education.

The collaboration among 12 partner universities and the project leader—the National Centre for Research and Development—resulted in the "Universities of the Future" project proposal, which received positive assessment on August 9 and funding of 65,595,942.50 PLN on October 15 (agreement no. FERS.05.01-IZ.00-0080/24). Gdańsk University of Technology will receive 2,360,050.00 PLN.

Preparations for implementation are underway. On October 25, at the International Congress of Education Quality in Katowice (ICEQ), representatives of "Universities of the Future" discussed the role of universities in contemporary education, as well as student and job market expectations. They also agreed on action steps for their respective universities within specified timeframes. PhD Agnieszka Lendzion, head of the Office for Young Scientists, represented Gdańsk University of Technology.

Supporting Future Competencies – Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy.