Interdisciplinary teams of STARS EU with ideas for Zakliczyn's metamorphosis culminate FutureLab Camp workshops

Teams of international students and a common goal: to develop the space and improve the tourist potential of the Małopolskie commune of Zakliczyn. As part of the FutureLab Camp workshops, 26 students from the Krakow University of Technology and foreign universities belonging to the European STARS EU alliance worked on Zakliczyn’s concepts.

The workshops, which took place in person at the Krakow University of Technology, involved students from the Krakow University of Technology, the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Portugal), the Marie and Louis Pasteur University (France), and the Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands). The main task of the students was to define the problems related to tourism in Zakliczyn and to propose modern concepts to take advantage of the opportunities present in and around the city, including the reconstruction of the cycle-pedestrian bridge over the Dunajec River, which leads to the ruins of the castle in Melsztyn.

The participants were divided into three working groups, led by: dr. hab. inż. arch. Kinga Racoń-Leja, Prof. PK, and dr. inż. arch. Ernestyna Szpakowska-Loranc, from the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture of Urban Structures at the Faculty of Architecture of the Cracow University of Technology, with the support of Professors Joao Pereira, from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, and coordinators Lorene Keram and Robin Roche, from Marie and Luis Pasteur University.

Adam Sadło, who works at FutureLab PK and is the leader of the WP 2.5 working group within STARS EU, was responsible for cooperation with partners and coordination of the entire Blended Intensive Erasmus+ Programme. The format in which the participants of the FutureLab Camp – Blended Intensive Programme Erasmus+ (BIP) worked is intensive programs focusing on selected scientific issues, utilizing innovative teaching methods. Such activities are organized in collaboration with several (a minimum of three) universities affiliated with the Erasmus+ program. The BIP program consists of a virtual and a stationary part (BIP participants from different universities meet at one university).

Getting to know the local culture

The work within the FutureLab Camp began with a study visit to Zakliczyn, during which students met with Mayor Dawid Chrobak and representatives of local cultural institutions. After the presentation and discussion about the characteristics of the municipality and potential strengths to be utilized, the participants visited the Zakliczyn market square, the historic church, the ruins of the castle in Melsztyn, and the European Centre for Krzysztof Penderecki’s Music in Lusławice.

After acquiring a valuable dose of knowledge, the students began conceptual work. The teams consisted of individuals focused on various project aspects: architecture, IT management, international business, art, and culture. Such multidisciplinary collaboration allowed participants to propose unique and complex concepts.

The review of the current work results took place on February 28 of this year. It was attended by the rector of the Cracow University of Technology, Andrzej Szarata, the STARS EU coordinator at CUT, professor Dariusz Bogdał and the director of FutureLab CUT, Monika Firlej.” Working within the framework of Blended Intensive Programs is more than just learning through project activities. It is also an opportunity for intercultural exchange, which the European Commission encourages in its recommendations. We proposed an interesting program for the students, which also includes meetings after classes, joint games of bowling and billiards, visiting Wieliczka and Kraków, and experiencing the flavours of Polish cuisine. This is particularly important when building teams that, after the physical component, will continue to work together online until mid-June 2025”, says Adam Sadło from FutureLab PK.

On the last day of classes, Monday, March 3, the final presentations of the developed concepts took place. The special guest of the day was Kazimierz Dudzik, the director of the Zakliczyńskie Center for Culture. The expert declared that he would try to use some of the presented ideas in his work. The final presentations also took place under the watchful eye of experts from the Faculty of Architecture at the Cracow University of Technology – prof. dr. hab. inż. arch. Sabina Kuc, dr. inż. arch. Wojciech Wójcikowski, prof. PK, dr. inż. Stanisław Czernik, and dr. inż. arch. Agnieszka Wójtowicz-Wróbel, Vice-Dean for Student Affairs at the Faculty of Architecture.

Months of work ahead

The group work of the teams will continue for the next three months, and the detailed concepts will be provided to Zakliczyn for use by mid-June. “I am proud of the work our university students have done together with their foreign colleagues. I have known for a long time that multidisciplinary work on specific solutions for cities and businesses brings tangible results, as we deal with supporting such groups every day at FutureLab PK. Bringing the FutureLab idea to an international level is, for me personally, the greatest recognition of the work we have been doing with students and researchers at the Cracow University of Technology for six years”, summarizes Monika Firlej, director of FutureLab PK.

The agreement regulating the cooperation between the municipality of Zakliczyn and the Cracow University of Technology was signed in January 2025 by professor Andrzej Szarata, the rector of PK, and Dawid Chrobak, the mayor of Zakliczyn.  Everyone agrees that, thanks to its convenient location, Zakliczyn is an ideal place for investments, especially in tourism.

“We are very pleased with the potential that lies in the cooperation between our university and such a dynamically developing municipality. Especially with the opportunity this cooperation creates for students of the Polytechnic and our partner foreign universities. Workshops dedicated to Zakliczyn are another example of modern education that we promote at the Polytechnic, which is education through the implementation of projects with practical applications for local communities. These dedicated to Zakliczyn – as the mayor conveys – have a chance to inspire real changes in the municipality”, said the rector of CUT at that time.