Gdynia Maritime University GMU

The new academic year officially got underway at Gdynia Maritime University this Saturday 9th September with an inauguration ceremony onboard Dar Młodzieży in Gdynia.

The occasion marked the 102nd inauguration of the academic year in the University’s rich history. The ceremony was preceded by Holy Mass at 9:00am in the Redemptorist church in Gdynia, offered in the intentions of the staff, students, doctoral candidates and alumni of the University. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Zbigniew Zieliński and Fr. Edward Pracz.

This year’s inauguration ceremony was a particularly special occasion and attended by members of the University’s academic community – students, doctoral candidates, lecturers, and members of staff – but also representatives of national and regional government authorities, the rectors of other institutions of higher education, representatives of companies connected with the maritime industry, GMU partner associations, as well as alumni and associates of the University, local residents and tourists.

The event began with the breaking of 6 glasses from onboard Dar Młodzieży, followed by the procession of the Gdynia Maritime University banner beneath the ship’s bow, accompanied by the Polish Navy Orchestra and the Gdynia Maritime University Guard of Honour. The Polish flag was raised on the mast during a rendition of the national anthem.

The opening of the ceremony was followed by an inauguration speech given by the Rector of Gdynia Maritime University, Professor Adam Weintrit, who welcomed students, doctoral candidates, and staff of the University, as well as all guests, alumni and University associates present on the day. Guests included Polish Presidential Adviser Piotr Karczewski, Pomeranian Governor Dariusz Drelich, the Minister for Education and Science, Professor Przemysław Czarnek, and the Secretary of State in the Minister of Infrastructure, Marek Gróbarczyk.

Letters of congratulations on the occasion of the inauguration read during the ceremony were sent by Polish President Andrzej Duda, the Marshal of the Sejm, Elżbieta Witek, the Marshal of the Senate Professor Tomasz Grodzki, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński, and the President of Gdynia, Dr Wojciech Szczurek. 

Speeches were also given during the ceremony by Professor Przemysław Czarnek - the Minister of Education and Science, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Marek Gróbarczyk, the Chair of the University Council, the Chair of Gdynia City Council, Joanna Zielińska, the Chair of Gdynia Maritime University Students’ Parliament, Marcel Głuchowski and the Head of the Maritime Convent and GMU Honorary Doctor, Captain Zbigniew Sulatycki.

In the latter part of the ceremony, the four students that gained the best results during the University admissions tests; Filip Falkowski (EE), Miłosz Betliński (ME), Sara Klebba (NAV) and Oliwia Dudkiewicz (MQS), pledged an oath on the University banner on behalf of all first-year students. The names of all students included in the oath were read out by the Deputy Rector for Student Affairs, Dr Mirosław Czechowski.

University Rector Adam Weintrit ceremonially appointed student representatives of each of the University’s faculties: In the Faculty of Electrical Engineering - Wiktoria Wróbel and Maksymilian Janica; in the Faculty of Marine Engineering - Radosław Tobolewski and Oskar Dzikowski; in the Faculty of Navigation - Igor Ołowski and Aleksandra Kowalska; in the Faculty of Management and Quality Science - Paulina Kaiser and Aleksandra Jelińska; and doctoral candidates representative – Karol Olszewski. The matriculation ceremony was accompanied by a performance of the hymn Gaude Mater Polonia, by the GMU Academic Choir.

The Inauguration ceremony also provided an occasion for the presentation of Minister of Infrastructure Awards by the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Mark Gróbarczyk. Awards were received by Professor Piotr Jędrzejowicz – for outstanding achievements in teaching, Professor Piotr Przybyłowski – for lifetime achievement, and Professor Janusz Zarębski– for outstanding organisational achievements. A joint award for outstanding scientific achievements was presented to Professor Cezary Specht, Dr Paweł Dąbrowski,  Oktawia Lewicka, and Dr Mariusz Specht. The presentation of the awards ended with a rendition of the hymn Gaudeamus Igitur by the GMU Academic choir.

2021 is a special year in the history of Gdynia Maritime University as it marks the 100th anniversary of the raising of the flag on the first Polish sailing ship - Lwów - referred to by writer Karol Olgierd Borchardt as the “cradle of navigators”. In honour of the occasion, President of the Maritime and Colonial League Andrzej Królikowski, PhD(Eng), MM, and Rector Emeritus and Honorary GMU Doctor Daniel Duda Presented HM Rector of Gdynia Maritime University Adam Weintrit with a replica of the historic flag of Lwów. The flag was given to the student body and raised to the sound of Michał Hłaski’s "Tczew Maritime School Anthem".

The inauguration ceremony came to a close with a performance of the Hymn to the Baltic and the exit parade of the Gdynia Maritime University banner accompanied by the Polish Navy Orchestra and the Gdynia Maritime University Guard of Honour.