The delegation was composed of Prof. Nuno Adriano Baptista Ribeiro (School of Technology and Management), Assoc. Prof. Carlos Teixeira (School of Education), Prof. Pedro Bastos (School of Agriculture), Assoc. Prof. Sónia Paula da Silva Nogueira (School of Communication, Public Management and Tourism), and Maria José Alves, Ph.D. (School of Hospitality and Wellness).

The visit began in Opava, where the delegation was welcomed by the vice-rector, Assoc. Prof. Michaela Weiss, along with other Faculty of Arts and Sciences representatives. Meetings were held with the Assoc. Prof. Karel Hasík, Assoc. Prof. Jiří Kovář, and Prof. Zdeněk Stuchlík. The program also included a formal reception with the rector of Silesian University, Assoc. Prof. Tomáš Gongol, where both institutions reaffirmed their shared commitment to long-term strategic cooperation.

Later, the delegation visited the Institute of Film, Television and Radio Production, where they were warmly welcomed by the head of the Institute, Monika Horsáková, Ph.D., vice-dean, Assoc. Prof. Gabriela Rykalová, and Jana Orlová, Ph.D. The visitors observed an active filming session, explored the mobile broadcasting unit, attended a Brainfitness program demonstration, and participated in a curated screening at the Unisféra fulldome cinema.

On the second day, the delegation traveled to Karviná to visit the School of Business Administration. They explored the faculty’s academic facilities, including the UniLab innovation hub and the Business Gate, which connects academic work with entrepreneurial practice. The program was led by Prof. Daniel Stavárek, and vice-deans Tomáš Pražák, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Martin Klepek, and Dalibor Šimek, Ph.D.

The final day took place at the Faculty of Public Policies in Opava. Under the leadership of Dean Marta Kolaříková, Ph.D., vice-dean Kateřina Janků, Ph.D., Markéta Skalná, Ph.D., Erasmus+ Coordinator Mgr. Jana Bortlíková, and Mgr. Jana Srovnalová, the visitors toured state-of-the-art educational and simulation spaces, including the dental hygiene lab, obstetric simulation rooms, the Snoezelen multisensory room, and the interview simulation room for social sciences and criminology training.

This successfully reinforced the strong academic ties between Silesian University and the Polytechnic University of Bragança. It also reflected the broader mission of the STARS EU alliance, which promotes innovation, cooperation, and excellence in higher education across Europe.