GMU Holds Ceremony for Inauguration of the 2026/27 Academic Year

The celebrations were preceded by a Holy Mass celebrated at 09:00 at the Maritime Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Peter the Fisherman in Gdynia for the intentions of the students, doctoral candidates, staff, and graduates of Gdynia Maritime University. The liturgy was led by His Excellency Bishop Wiesław Szlachetka.

The official part of the inauguration began promptly at 11:00 on the South Pier. The Banner of Gdynia Maritime University was introduced in the presence of the GMU Guard of Honour and the Polish Navy Representative Orchestra. The state ensign was then raised on the mast to the sound of the Polish National Anthem.

The Rector of Gdynia Maritime University, Professor Adam Weintrit, welcomed the students, doctoral candidates, University staff, and invited guests.

In his inaugural address, the Rector noted that: 

The inauguration of the 2026/2027 academic year is a celebration for the entire community of Gdynia Maritime University. It is a special day – symbolically opening another chapter in the life of our university community. Above all, however, it is a celebration for those joining the ranks of students and doctoral candidates at our University today.

HM The Rector devoted considerable attention to GMU’s training ships, which distinguish the University from other maritime higher education institutions both in Poland and abroad – including the sail training frigate Dar Młodzieży: 

The Dar Młodzieży is not only a floating maritime school; it is a school of life, a school for building relationships, strengthening friendships, gaining respect for this exceptional natural element that is the sea, and fostering trust and responsibility. In short – a school of character.

Concluding his speech, the Rector addressed the students directly: 

Please be zealous in acquiring knowledge; persevere and do not be discouraged when, during your studies, you face challenges while endeavouring to master course material. This is a natural part of the process of learning and developing new skills.

Do not fear new challenges or the changes that will take place in your lives and in the world around you. Have the courage to initiate them yourselves. And please remember that the professional world you will enter in a few years may look entirely different from how it appears today. (...)

Therefore, in addition to entering your chosen profession, my wish for you today is an enduring curiosity about the world, an openness to new experiences, and a readiness to learn and acquire new skills and competences.

One of the most important moments of the ceremony was the matriculation oath of the first-year students. On behalf of all newly admitted students, representatives of the five Faculties who achieved the highest scores in this year's admissions process took the oath on the Gdynia Maritime University banner:

• Faculty of Electrical Engineering – Filip Reszka,
• Faculty of Computer Science – Piotr Gołębiowski,
• Faculty of Marine Engineering – Jakub Chmielak,
• Faculty of Navigation – Maciej Berski,
• Faculty of Management and Quality Science – Paweł Nawrocki.

The text of the oath was read by the Deputy Rector for Education and Student Affairs, Dr Sambor Guze.

Following the oath, the Gdynia Maritime University Academic Choir performed the song Gaudeamus Igitur. The ceremonial matriculation of first-year students representing the individual Faculties then took place.

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering was represented by Maciej Mateusz Alszko and Łukasz Tomaszewski, the Faculty of Computer Science by Grzegorz Rogocki and Aleksander Kaleiczyk, the Faculty of Marine Engineering by Tobiasz Łabieniec and Antoni Pawłowski, the Faculty of Navigation by Krzysztof Iwanicki and Małgorzata Gąsiorowska, and the Faculty of Management and Quality Science by Maciej Potocki and Aleksandra Cieślakiewicz. Among those matriculated was also doctoral candidate Filip Falkowski.

The act of investiture with the rector's mace before the honorary tribune was performed by the Rector of GMU, Professor Adam Weintrit. Following the act of investiture, the Rector officially opened the 2026/2027 academic year. The matriculation ceremony concluded with a performance of the song Gaude Mater Polonia by the Gdynia Maritime University Academic Choir.

Words on the occasion of the beginning of the new academic year were also addressed to the academic community of Gdynia Maritime University by the invited guests.

A special letter to the Gdynia Maritime University community was addressed by the President of the Republic of Poland, Dr Karol Nawrocki. The letter was read by the Adviser to the President of the Republic of Poland, Tomasz Szturo.

Next, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Dr Arkadiusz Marchewka, took the floor to address GMU students:

Dear students, remember one thing: you are not here merely for a degree. You came to acquire the skills and competencies that Poland will rely on. This is both an obligation and a tremendous opportunity, for our country will need your knowledge, your ideas, and your courage. In ten to fifteen years, it is you who will form the qualified workforce I spoke of, and it may well be you who devise solutions that do not yet exist today. That is my wish for you.

Also addressing the students commencing their studies at Gdynia Maritime University was also the Mayor of the City of Gdynia, Aleksandra Kosiorek: 

A particularly warm welcome to those of you crossing the threshold of Gdynia Maritime University for the first time today. You are embarking on a remarkable journey towards knowledge, experience, independence, and your own ambitions. Fortunately, you have come to the right place, for there is no better setting to begin this journey than Gdynia. [...] Gdynia Maritime University is an essential part of our city. It is an institution that for generations has educated individuals ready to take on responsibility and face the challenges brought by a changing world.

Letters addressed to HM The Rector and the University academic community by the Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, and the Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, were also read out.

On behalf of the student body, newly admitted students were welcomed by the Acting President of the Student Parliament of Gdynia Maritime University, Karol Szuba.

An important point of this year’s inauguration was also the presentation of awards granted by the Minister of Infrastructure, Dariusz Klimczak. The Distinguished Maritime Worker decoration was awarded to the Rector of GMU, Professor Adam Weintrit, and presented by the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Dr Arkadiusz Marchewka.

Further distinctions – individual and team awards – were presented by the Rector of Gdynia Maritime University, Professor Adam Weintrit, and the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Dr Arkadiusz Marchewka.

Awards were received by:

• Dr Łukasz Janowski, Associate Professor – individual award for significant achievements in scientific activity,
• Dr Dariusz Barbucha, Associate Professor – team award for significant achievements in organisational activity,
• Dr Joanna Kizielewicz, Associate Professor – team award for significant achievements in organisational activity,
• Dr Damian Bisewski – team award for significant achievements in organisational activity.

The Minister of Infrastructure also granted awards to the best undergraduate graduates of maritime specialisations. Distinctions were presented by the Rector, Professor Adam Weintrit, and the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Dr Arkadiusz Marchewka, to:

• Jakub Tuzimek – award for the best GMU ship electro-automation engineer,
• Oskar Łebkowski – award for the best GMU ship electro-automation engineer,
• Gaweł Szymon Duda – award for the best GMU ship engineer,
• Liwia Toczek – award for the best GMU navigator.

The ceremony concluded with the performance of the Hymn to the Baltic by the Polish Navy Representative Orchestra, followed by the exit march of the University banner accompanied by the GMU Guard of Honour.

Photos: Karol Stańczak

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We would like to thank all of you who participated in the ceremony inaugurating the 2026/2027 academic year at Gdynia Maritime University. Your presence and participation in such an important event for our University demonstrates the esteem and affection you hold for Gdynia Maritime University. Thank you for the congratulatory letters received.

Congratulations to all first-year students on joining the academic community of our maritime University!