The School of Business Administration and the Silesian University were involved in negotiations on alliance cooperation as early as 2021, in the framework of the then named ENGAGED alliance, under the leadership of Hanze University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands). The Silesian University was approved as a new member of this alliance by signing a memorandum in 2022, as it fitted perfectly into the alliance's structure and focus and contributed to greater regional diversity.

Since the beginning of the cooperation, several staff and students across the university have been involved in the activities and running of the alliance. Specifically at our faculty, students and staff have been involved in the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programmes (so-called BIPs), Student Board, Thematic Interest Groups on Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Circular Economy or Digital Transformation, Curriculum Lab, working groups such as Erasmus Without Paper, STARS EU officers, E-learning or Steering Committee. In April this year, our faculty also hosted the first ever STARS EU Staff week bringing together non-academic staff of the alliance affiliated to several working groups. 

"I am extremely pleased that the Silesian University has succeeded in capitalizing on several years of efforts within the STARS EU alliance to obtain the status of a European University. This platform has the potential to strengthen the internationalisation of our university and to connect us even more deeply with eight other universities with whom we are working on joint projects, micro-certificates and aiming to transform our regions. Our efforts will be supported by €1.32 million of the total €12.4 million for this alliance. I therefore expect that even more SU students and staff will now be able to engage in international activities and cooperation," comments the Rector of Silesian University, Tomáš Gongol on the great news from Brussels.

For more information, see the article on the STARS EU website: https://starseu.org/stars-eu-european-university/

All news on faculty involvement in the alliance are available here.