Gdynia Maritime University GMU

 

Speech by HM The Rector of Gdynia Maritime University on the Occasion of the 104th Anniversary of Maritime Education in Poland

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The academic community of our University celebrates its holiday, University Celebration Day, twice a year; today, 17 June, and on 8 December.     

These are both special occasions for Gdynia Maritime University and they are equally important. Both of them take us back to the events of 1920. On 17 June, we remember events connected with the order of the Minister for Military Affairs, General Józef Leśniewski for the creation of a Maritime School in Tczew, the predecessor of today's Gdynia Maritime University. The School in Tczew was officially inaugurated on 8 December 1920 – the second date celebrated by our maritime academic community. It has become a tradition itself that on 17 June; I give a summary of our successes during the current year and those from the end of the previous year. I will try, however, not to overly repeat myself. During a meeting with the staff of the University and a meeting with the University Council as part of my election campaign, and later during the election of the Rector by the College and Electorates, we discussed in detail our successes and achievements. Today I will recall the most important of these. Before I do just that, I would like today to begin by saying thank you.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am coming to the end of my fourth year as Rector of Gdynia Maritime University. Elections for the post of the Rector took place in April. I am honoured that the academic community at Gdynia Maritime University has entrusted me with overseeing our Alma Mater for a further four years. I would like to thank you once again for your continued trust, but also for your cooperation, your openness to dialogue and your dedication to the development of Gdynia Maritime University. As I said in April - the good of our University is a common cause for us all. I would like to thank all those who I have had the pleasure of working with during my first term of office. The staff in the Rector's Office, the Deputy Rectors, Deans, Deputy Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments and Sections, Senators, Plenipotentiaries, Attorneys at Law, Members of the Senate and Rectors Committees, Members of the Rectors Think Tank, all staff in the Rector's Division, especially the Chancellor, Bursar, the Director of the Rector's Office, and the Director of HR. I trust that the next term of office, which will begin on 1 September, will see further success and dynamic development of our University. I trust that I will be successful in engaging the University in collaboration with the best of the best. I would like to add to our successful team of leaders, who are managing our University with resolve and diligence. As you know, I have put a lot of importance to the internationalisation of our University, which will lead to our Institution being better recognised both in Poland and internationally, as well as better use of our research and teaching infrastructure. I would like to introduce these members of staff before the end of June, before the summer holidays, so that the nominated individuals have time to prepare for their new roles and responsibilities. Next Thursday, during the siting of the Senate, I will ask the Senators to provide an opinion on a proposition to create a new, fifth Faculty at GMU, the Faculty of Information Technology.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to share with you today all the successes and achievements which we have enjoyed during the past 6 months. I will, however, only mention the most important ones as during the second half of the sitting distinctions, decorations and awards will be presented honouring the scientific and professional achievements of our academic community. This is a special celebration of the successes of our University, involving individuals who on a daily base dedicate themselves to the development of the University. I would like to extend my sincerest congratulations and compliments to all those who will be presented with an award today.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The last few months have seen many successes in connection with the completion and inauguration of two exceptionally important investment projects for the infrastructure of the University. The grand opening of the Centre for the Offshore Industry on 29 February and, less than a month ago, the opening of the GMU Sports and Recreation Centre, which was held during this year's Sports Day on 23 May.

The opening of the Centre for the Offshore Industry in Gdańsk undoubtedly testifies to Gdynia Maritime University's position as a leader in the Polish offshore market, particularly concerning offshore wind. It is there, in this new facility, that the GMU Maritime Institute and the Offshore Wind Energy Centre are now based.    

I would like to remind you that the Centre for the Offshore Industry has direct access to the Direct access to Wisłoujście dock with a total length of approximately 500 m, 200 m of which is dedicated to transhipment (20 kN/m2) and will allow the University and its contractors to berth and perform maintenance on research, training, and service ships.

The new Centre has the potential to become the springboard in the creation of a "Polish Offshore Valley". Apart from its great location, the new facility benefits from high-end accredited geotechnical, ecological, and maritime electronics laboratories adapted to the needs of today's maritime industry. But the Centre for the Offshore Industry is also its people - 120 highly qualified employees of the GMU Maritime Institute, who on a daily basis carry out complex, specialist research and development works for the innovative maritime industry.

The Centre provides for an exhaustive research facility which undoubtedly constitutes a source of pride. I am convinced that projects undertaken in the Centre will contribute to furthering the development of our University and our level of cooperation both nationally and internationally.

The number of prominent guests who attended the opening, including the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Mr Arkadiusz Marchewka and the Marshall of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Mr Mieczysław Struk, are testimony to the importance of the opening of the Centre not only for the University but also for the region and the country. I would like to thank you once again for financially supporting this vital investment.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Gdynia Maritime University  Gdynia Maritime University aspires to continually the education the education we offer to meet the demands of our future students, drawing attention not only to the high quality of our courses but also focusing on the University's infrastructure. Therefore, one of the most important projects of this term of office was the construction of the GMU Sports and Recreation Centre. The project was safely completed a few weeks ago. The newly developed building is the first phase of the development of a sports and student accommodation complex planned for this area of the University campus.

The building, which comprises five levels, is also fitted with a gym inclusive of an extensive cardio and fitness section, conference rooms, a hotel area and underground parking.  

I hope that during my new term of office, a new student residence will be built here in Morska Street and that we will develop the areas around the student residence, as well as the newly opened Sports and Recreation Centre.   

Here I would like to mention another investment that was conceived with students in mind, namely the third Student Area opened on 12 April 2024 in the University's main building. The area aims to support the integration of our students and provides a place to relax for our lectures.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On 21 March 2024, Professor Bradford Parkinson of the University of Stanford, California, was awarded the Honorary Title of Doctor honoris causa of Gdynia Maritime University.

Under the GMU Statutes, this honorary degree is awarded to persons of merit in the development of science and learning, culture, or the social life of the University. On my recommendation, on 16 November 2023, the Senate of Gdynia Maritime University passed a resolution on the conferral of a doctorate honoris causa on Professor Bradford Parkinson in recognition of his revolutionary contribution to the development of technology and all modes of transportation, as well as the creation of the foundations for epochal change in the functioning of the world in the 20th and 21st centuries through leading the team responsible for the development of NAVSTAR, the Global Positioning System. I would like to remind you that the resolution marked the 50th anniversary of the programme's launch.

We are extremely proud that such an esteemed researcher as Professor Bradford Parkinson of Stanford University, who the world is so much indebted to in the field of navigation, joined the circle of Honorary Doctors of our University.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

During the past months, we also welcomed several delegations from abroad that provided opportunities to discuss potential cooperation between our University and foreign centres. We were visited by representatives of Malaysia, Lithuania, and Germany as part of our longstanding cooperation with Hochschule Bremerhaven (Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences).

In recent months, our University entered into many national and international cooperation agreements. Let me briefly mention just some of them.

On 1 February, Gdynia Maritime University entered into a cooperation agreement with the Polish Registry of Shipping on maritime and offshore technologies, as well as broadly understood transport and port operations.

On 5 March, during the Edu Offshore Wind Fair, GMU signed an agreement in connection with Pomeranian Partnership as part of the EU Pact for Skills which provides support to public and private organisations in improving and changing qualifications as well as supporting the green and digital transformations.

We also visited other countries, taking part in scientific sessions and conferences.

From 16 to 18 May 2024 I visited Istanbul, Turkey for the International Conference HIMAT 2024 "International Symposium on The History of Maritime Technology", organised by Piri Reis University and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology in cooperation with the Research Salon for History of Maritime Technology in Japan and the Maritime History Research Center of Piri Reis University in Turkey on the 100th University of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Japan. During the conference, I signed an agreement between our University and Piri Reis University on research and the exchange of students and academic teaching staff.

Exactly a month prior to that, on 17-18 April 2024, during a sitting of the International Executive Board (IEB) of the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) which was held at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, MA in the USA, Professor Adam Przybyłowski, the University's IAMU Contact Person and the Rector's plenipotentiary for IAMU affairs, and I participated in the sitting of the IAMU International Executive Board, which, as chair, I had the honour to preside over.

During his homily today at the Redemptorist Church in Gdynia, Father Edward Pracz referred to a certain episode from the UK. An 85-year-old-year-old lady was asked by a reporter in an interview what was her secret to staying in such great shape. She replied that she spent her whole life serving others, and currently, she's taking care of a person older than herself. Father Pracz commented that with our 104 years of history, we also are like a 104-year-old senior citizen who serves others. As it turns out, at the beginning of July, I will be in Chennai for a ceremony for the award of distinctions to outstanding persons from the maritime industry, which will be awarded by the Indian AMET University and over which I will have the honour of presiding. The Indian University is 150 years old. A week later, I will take part in a conference dedicated to maritime technology. The Chinese university in Shanghai is 112 years old - so it is a little older than ours. In October, during an IAMU Conference in Massachusetts in the US, we will admit to our Association the oldest maritime university in Europe, from Portugal. Therefore, I think that Father Pracz was on to something with his homily as, although we are not the oldest Maritime University, we do support other such institutions from around the world.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

During the last six months, our efforts have been noticed and rewarded on the national level.

Under a Decision of the Ministry of Science of 2 February 2024, Professor Krzysztof Czaplewski, the Director of the GMU Maritime Institute, has been appointed to the Advisory Council for the Evaluation of Applications for the Award of Scholarships from the Minister for Higher Education and Science for Students and Young Scientists.

In March of his year, the Faculty of Navigation of Gdynia Maritime University was once again awarded the Certificate of Accreditation and the Employers' Award at the 9th edition of the "Studies of the Future" national competition and accreditation programme. The prestigious title of "Studies of the Future" was awarded to the Faculty's undergraduate degree programme in Navigation. The Faculty was also awarded the Grand Prix statuette and the Extraordinary Progress of the Year Certificate.

On 19 April Professor Krzysztof Przybyłowski, the supervisor of the Quality Management Department at the Faculty of Management and Quality Science was recognised with the Professor Romuald Kolman Individual Award for his work in the popularisation of pro-quality management concepts in the Gdańsk-Pomeranian region. This prestigious award was established in 1997 and is awarded to entities that show a commitment to quality management based on the idea of continuous improvement, innovation and sustainable development and aspire to the level of leading organisations in Europe.

On 7 May 2024, at the Belvedere Palace in Warsaw, the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, awarded national distinctions for service to the country and society. For his outstanding service to the maritime economy, achievements in science, education, and implementation, and the popularisation of Polish scientific thought throughout the world, Professor Lech Murawski, an expert in experimental and numerical research, was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. Professor Janusz Mindykowski - an internationally recognised specialist in the measurement and diagnostics of ship systems, especially research on the quality of electrical energy, was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta for his achievements in science, education, and implementation, and the popularisation of Polish scientific thought throughout the world on the 50th anniversary of his scientific and educational work. Esteemed Professors, please accept once more the heartfelt congratulations of our academic community.

We are also pleased here at Gdynia Maritime University that our student, Łukasz Stolzmann, has been announced as one of the winners of the 6th edition of the competition for an award from the Minister of Development and Technology. The awards are given for the best thesis, doctoral dissertation, publication, or innovative solution in geoinformation. The award was given in the category of Undergraduate Thesis 2023 for the work entitled: "Simulation environment in Python for selected safety measures in ship encounter situations".

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am also very proud of the successes of the team at the Technology Transfer Centre which was established just over a year ago. It is only fitting to mention the patents the Centre secured for our University. In March, the Polish Patent Office awarded Gdynia Maritime University intellectual property rights for the Dylla mobile app. The creators of the solution are Associate Professor Dr Adam Przybyłowski of the Department of Transport in the Faculty of Transport, GMU doctoral candidates Weronika Ceynowa, and Piotr Wojtasik - both previous students of the Faculty of Management and Quality Science, and Łukasz Ciskowski. The app, in its default interface, was designed to support the logistics processes, modern warehouse management and channels of distribution as part of creating sustainable delivery chains. Also in March, GMU staff members received a nomination for a solution entitled "Nanochitosan modified polyurethane foam - its characteristics, a manufacturing method, and use". The invention was the creation of Associate Professor Dr Joanna Brzeska, and Ms Agnieszka Piotrowska-Kirschling of the Faculty of Management and Quality Science.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our frigate, Dar Młodzieży left port on 14 March for the start of the seagoing season. Yesterday the left Delfzijl on its return to Gdynia from where it will again depart on 25 June. This latter voyage will be manned by the students of the Faculty of Navigation who will begin two months of training.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to come out to see the departure of our sailing ship Dar Młodzieży and its crew at 9:00 am. I would also like to take this opportunity to invite you all to an Open Day on board the Dar Młodzieży which will be held on Sunday 23 June between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm as part of the city's Sailing Days Festival. The event will also see the doors opened to the A. Ledochowski planetarium at the Faculty of Navigation building, where additionally, it will be possible for the visitors to test their skills on the radio and navigation simulator.

For many months, I have been searching for a source of financing for the construction of the replacement Dar Młodzieży, the widely known ambassador for Poland. I ask those present here today to consider supporting this gigantic undertaking. I would like to refer once again to the Holy Mass which took place today at 9:00 am in the Redemptorist Church, during which the parish priest of the Holy Family Church spoke, wishing us health, health, and more health, and beyond that money. Because yes, we do need support for the building of a replacement for the Dar Młodzieży. When the Maritime School was founded in 1920, there were already plans to purchase the School training ship "Lwów". Therefore, from the very beginning, the University had a sailing ship. This is the best method for the training of future maritime professionals. On board, they learn the profession, learn to respect the elements and the sea and work together as a team. We shall continue to look for new possibilities for funding. The best maritime schools in the world, and there are 20 of them, have sailing ships.

Soon we will welcome back our other training vessel, "Horyzont II", which on 4 June will return from its voyage to Spitsbergen. In addition to practical training, the Horyzont II also delivered fresh supplies of food, fuel, and other materials necessary for the operation of Polish research stations and research equipment. The voyage will also see a change of research personnel throughout the Polar stations, with the research staff on board replacing those who have been in the Arctic for the past year.

Recent weeks have also seen our sailors win trophies for their sailing skills during national and academic Polish Championships.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Two traditional balls have also taken place at our University in the past six months - the traditional Maritime Ball and the Student Ball. We have also held the now traditional Sports Day I have mentioned previously. The above events provided a much-needed respite but also served as an excellent opportunity to integrate into our academic community through fun and sporting competitions.

I am particularly pleased that this year the GMU Student Parliament, with the help of city authorities, revived the tradition of the Delfinalia musical event after a five-year break. The day was not only a chance to enjoy musical performances but also promote our University, particularly among the students who travelled from outside our region and are unfamiliar with the educational opportunities we provide.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The short speech I have just given did not exhaust all the achievements our University enjoyed in the past few months; however, all the current information regarding the happenings at our University is available on the University website. The quarterly "University Maritime Courier" also provides an excellent report on the life of our University and copies are available for you to take today.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to once more thank you for attending today's ceremony and congratulate all those who, in a moment, will be presented with awards, medals and diplomas.  Thank you wholeheartedly for your involvement in the growth of our University!    

 

17 June 2024