Start of cooperation with the international alliance European ENGAGED University

  • Michal Stoklasa
  • 17.01.2022
On January 13, 2022, we welcomed Hanze University of Applied Sciences from the Netherlands to the SBA. Drs. Paul N. Ganzeboom, Dean of Internationalization, and Dr. Diederich Bakker, Vice Dean for Internationalization and Professor of International Trade, came to discuss the possibilities of mutual cooperation with the Silesian University, or more precisely the SBA.

The guests began their visit at the SU Rectorate in Opava, where they met Vice-Rectors Prof. Engliš, Assoc.Prof. Gongol, and FPS Vice-Dean Assoc.Prof. Rykalova. The meeting was attended by the Vice-Rector Assoc. Prof. Gongol, the faculty dean Prof. Stavárek, the vice-dean Assoc. Prof. Šperka, and the foreign relations officer Bc. Novotná. The guests learned about the faculty's history, the specifics of our region, the taught programs, and SBA's future plans. This visit and the start of the collaboration are related to our faculty's efforts to become more integrated into the international alliance of universities, particularly from Western Europe, and the faculty management is active in this regard.

We have recently begun discussions with representatives from several foreign universities associated in the ENGAGED Alliance. Specifically, it is Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands); Waterford Institute of Technology (Ireland); Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences (Germany); Polytechnic Institute of Braganca (Portugal) and Universidad de La Laguna Tenerife (Spain). The Alliance's mission is to foster strategic collaboration in the areas of research, internationalization, and joint study programs. The Silesian University was approved as a new member of this Alliance because its nature fits perfectly into the Alliance's structure and focus and contributes to regional diversity. The signing of a memorandum will complete formal accession to the Alliance in 2022. The Alliance will, among other things, apply for EU funding through the call for a European University.