Professor Krysiński made a great number of significant contributions across a range of fields. So many in fact that I will not attempt to list them all. I believe he would not hold it against me, as I knew him to be a tremendously modest person. Rather, I will bring highlights from his successive terms as rector to bear on how his efforts and vision for a modern university transformed Lodz University of Technology.
As early as at the beginning of his first term as rector (1990–1993), with the internationalization of the university in mind, Professor Krysiński stated:
‘I believe that international cooperation must become an important element of the process of education so that we can all feel citizens of Europe and our lecture halls and hallways resound with foreign languages.’
Soon afterwards, in 1992, the International Faculty of Engineering (IFE) was established – the first academic unit in Poland to offer degrees taught in foreign languages, and not just English but French, as well.
Professor Krysiński had excellent relations with French universities and was a strong advocate for strengthening academic ties with France. In recognition of his efforts, he was awarded France's highest honors – the National Order of the Legion of Honor and The Ordre des Palmes académiques.
An engineer but also a champion of the arts and humanities, Professor Krysiński created the Music at Lodz University of Technology, with the first concert held in December 1992. He strongly believed that ‘a technical university needs humanization and opportunities for engagement with the arts.’ He hosted a radio show broadcast on Student Radio Żak, where he presented French music. Cognizant of unrealized musical talents of students, he also established the Academic Orchestra of TUL.
One of the boldest decisions during his first term was to decentralize the management and financial systems of the University. Professor Krysiński often recalled that period as challenging – a kind of revolution after 50 years of an arrangement in which ‘paid for by the rector’ was the norm.
Certainly, his personal qualities played a crucial role in the way he faced challenges and made difficult decisions. As he himself once said:
‘I approach people with kindness. I find it rewarding when I can help someone. A leader should be demanding but in a pleasant and respectful manner.’
Admittedly, one of Rector Jan Krysiński’s major contributions was the development of the university campus. During his first term, post-industrial buildings and 19th-century villas, which today form the beautifully restored B Campus, were acquired.
Always a visionary, the Professor understood the need for educating managers who also have a good understanding of engineering and for making headway in digitalization. Thus, in 1991, the Faculty of Organization and Management was established as was the university’s first IT Center.
Prof. Krysiński’s third term in office (2002–2005) coincided with Poland’s accession to the European Union, which informed the efforts to support researchers in securing international grants, to introduce the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and diploma supplements in line with the Bologna Declaration. In the spirit of EU integration, the Rector also advocated for double-diploma agreements with international universities.
EU funding facilitated further development of the campus. In 2004, Prof. Krysiński was enlivened by the prospect of new facilities for IFE, the Department of Microelectronics and Computer Science, and the modernization of the Language Center (formerly: Foreign Language Learning Center). Historical buildings – postindustrial heritage of the city of Łódź, were to be given new life.
During the fourth term (2007), Prof. Krysiński envisioned further development of the university infrastructure, including plans for the Information Technology Center and the acquisition of the remaining section of the former Lodex factory, where the Rector imagined ‘a large sports complex to be built.’ That vision was realized a few years later when the TUL Sports and Education Centre ‘Sports Bay’ was built.
Professor Krysiński sought to ensure that Lodz University of Technology welcomed people of all ages, which resulted in the establishment of the University of the Third Age in 2006 and, a year later, the Public Secondary School of Lodz University of Technology, today one of the best secondary schools in Poland. The Thursday Cultural Forum events also began around this time.
In 2005 – 2008, apart from leading our university, Professor Krysiński served as Chairman of the Conference of Rectors of Polish Technical Universities (KRPUT). He invited me to collaborate with him as KRPUT’s secretary, which provided me with an opportunity to observe firsthand the respect he had garnered from his peers, his exceptional skill in handling sometimes really complex and delicate matters, and his support for initiatives that, in the long run, benefited the entire academic community in Poland.
In his memoirs, Professor Krysiński wrote with conviction that trust and respect for his colleagues' expertise were prerequisite for successful collaboration:
‘Let everyone take care of their own responsibilities while cooperating with others in an atmosphere of appreciation for each other’s efforts and the smallest of achievements as this motivates most to try even harder and leads to a 'snowball effect’.
In the final year of his fourth term, he called upon the fellow elected members of the university’s leadership:
‘Let’s not rush to the finish line and let’s not slow down either. Let’s have a strong finish – we must prepare the ground for our successors.’
Professor Krysiński was not only an outstanding scientist but also a good-hearted and compassionate human being. His well-disposed approach made all feel appreciated. He had a unique ability to discern his colleagues’ natural abilities and encouraged them to follow their dreams and ambitions. His warm smile and kind words shall remain in our memory, reminding us that being a great scientist is valued, yet it is being a gracious human being that is treasured.