In addition to the most important, standard elements of the event, such as the matriculation of newly admitted students and adepts of the next edition of the French Academy of Young Engineers, several special moments took place during the ceremony. One of them was acknowledgment of the work of those who have made a special contribution to building the IFE brand, both inside and outside Lodz University of Technology, expressed by Dr. Eng. Dorota Piotrowska, Prof. TUL - Director of the CWM TUL.
Acknowledgements
IFE Director Dorota Piotrowska thanked the former and current rectors, Professors J. Krysiński, S. Bielecki S. Wiak and K. Jóźwik, as well as the long-tenured director of the IFE, Dr. Eng. Tomasz Saryusz-Wolski and his deputy Dr. Eng. Małgorzata Miller
– Over the last few weeks I have thought a lot about what was the driving force behind the IFE’s success. The answer appeared a few days ago when I had the great honour of meeting the distinguished Polish philosopher and diplomat, Paweł Potoroczyn. During several hours of discussions on contemporary challenges, Albert Einstein's thought, 'Imagination is more important than knowledge', came to the fore like a boomerang. And it was then that I realised how right Einstein was in relation to the IFE. It takes a great deal of imagination and courage to reach for the unknown in order to create an entity such as the IFE and keep it going. Today, I will say boldly - the IFE is beautiful, because it has had the great fortune to bring together the imaginations of beautiful and wise visionaries – emphasised Director Piotrowska, thanking former rectors Prof. Jan Krysiński, Prof. Stanisław Bielecki and Prof. Sławomir Wiak, and the current rector, Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwik. Special thanks were also given to the long-tenured director of the IFE, Dr. Eng. Tomasz Saryusz-Wolski, and his deputy, Dr. Eng. Małgorzata Miller.
Erasmus+ InnHUB Łódź for Lifelong Learning Agreement
From left: Director of CWM Dr. Eng. Dorota Piotrowska, TUL Prof. and the signatories of the agreement, Rector Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwik and Director Paweł Poszytek, Assoc. Prof.
The jubilee inauguration was honoured by the presence of Assoc. Prof. Paweł Poszytek - Director General of the Foundation for the Development of the Education System and Director of the National Agency of the Erasmus+ Programme and the European Solidarity Corps.
Director Paweł Poszytek and Rector Krzysztof Jóźwik signed a letter of intent between Lodz University of Technology and the Foundation for the Development of the Education System, establishing the Erasmus+ InnHUB Łódź for Lifelong Learning on the IFE premises. Erasmus+ InnHUB Łódź for Lifelong Learning is a unique, cross-sector innovation centre integrating the potential of Łódź universities, schools, vocational training centres, enterprises, social organisations and municipal authorities for building a modern system of education and developing professional competences in the Łódź Region.
– Lodz University of Technology has a great ambition to be a place of ‘useful learning’ not only for its students but also for all learners who are not students. Lodz University of Technology is strongly oriented towards building the international capacity of all people and institutions around it. Today we witness another confirmation of this mission. The hub that is now being established will assist all those interested in obtaining information and funding from the Erasmus+ programme - concluded Director Dorota Piotrowska.
Place for innovative development
On that evening, Director Piotrowska, together with Rector Krzysztof Jóźwik, repeatedly addressed the new students, stressing that they would never regret choosing the IFE as their alma mater.
– For the past 30 years, the IFE has been a place where innovation has always played first fiddle. It is a place where learning not teaching prevails. It is a place where we want to support you in the innovative pursuit of your passions, ambitions and development of your personalities – emphasised Rector Krzysztof Jóźwik. – Two programmes within the IFE, Computer Science and Information Technology, have received the prestigious American Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditation this year. This label is not only proof that we meet the highest quality criteria for American study programmes. It is the confirmation that you have come to a place that never stops evolving and is always looking for opportunities to advance – he added.
Inaugural lecture
The inaugural lecture delivered by Assoc. Prof. Paweł Poszytek was an excellent summary of the ceremony. In his speech, he referred to the four pillars of building universities of the future, i.e. competence, flexibility, lifelong learning and networking. As it was highlighted, Lodz University of Technology and IFE, based on the aforementioned values, have been working to become the university of the future for many years. An additional confirmation of this is the fact that our university has joined the network of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU).
The entire inauguration ceremony was broadcast live on the university's social media.
Below you can find the broadcast of the event: https://youtu.be/nwXfGI99MqQ