The STARS EU Commission held its annual meeting as part of the celebrations marking the 80^th anniversary of Cracow University of Technology (CUT), one of the alliance’s nine partners. The meeting, held on 1 and 2 October, brought together rectors and members of the partner universities, as well as researchers and academic leaders from other European higher education institutions, united by a common purpose: to strengthen international cooperation and to define the roadmap for the future of the alliance.

This strategic and decisive meeting consisted of two days of intensive work. The agenda on the first day (Wednesday, 1 October) began with an institutional meeting between the Rector of the host university, Andrzej Szarata, and the members of the STARS EU Commission, composed of the rectors and representatives of the partner universities: DickPouwels – President of Hanze University of Applied Sciences; Francisco Javier García Rodríguez – Rector of University of La Laguna,; Mats Jägstam – Rector of University West; Tomas Gongol – Rector of Silesian University of Opava;  Orlando Rodrigues – President of Bragança Polytechnic University; Shkëlqim Fortuzi – Rector of Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës, and Hugues Daussy – President of Marie and Louis Pasteur University.

Governance models

There was a “shared feeling” regarding the need to move towardsimproved governance, one that places greater emphasis on the alliance. Another key point on which the rectors agreed was the need to go further to ensure that joint work continues, regardless of the continuation of the financial support provided by the European Union (EU). Possible ways to achieve stronger unity among the nine universities of the alliance were discussed.

Later that same day, 1 October, a joint meeting was held between the STARS EU Steering Committee, where discussions focused on the governance of the alliance, the third draft of the Research Solutions Agenda, the presentation of the STARS EU Campus Charter, and the work plan for the 2025/2026 academic year.

The day also included a stimulating visit to the At the Environmental Aerodynamics Laboratory they were presented with projects on wind energy, smog research, air purification systems, and the resilience of structures under extreme weather conditions. At the Ultra-Precise Coordinate Measurement Laboratory, they learned about equipment used in advanced research for the aerospace, defence, and microprocessor industries. At the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the delegation was shown projects related to hydrogen- and methane- powered vehicles, including prototypes designed and built by CUT students.

Commemorative acts

The second day (Thursday, 2 October) was dedicated to the official celebrations of CUT’s 80^th anniversary. Members of STARS EU attended various events, including a Mass at the majestic Cathedral of St. Stanislaus in Wawel Castle, followed by a ceremonial procession along the iconic Grodzka Street to the Market Square. The day concluded with the official inauguration of the 2025/2026 academic year at the Polish Aviation Museum, and a concert at the Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic in Kraków.

Through this meeting, STARS EU reinforced its commitment to international collaboration, shared research, and the development of an open and dynamic European campus, consolidating the alliance’s role within the European Higher Education Area.

 

The first edition of the BIP FutureLab Camp ended just a few days ago with the presentation of a range of concrete solutions in the fields of urban development, infrastructure, identity and promotion for the city of Zakliczyn (Poland). The closing event was attended by 26 students from the Cracow University of Technology (Poland), Bragança Polytechnic University (Portugal), Marie et Louis Pasteur University (France) and Hanze University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands) — members of STARS EU — as well as about a dozen academics and another European institutions.

The diversity of specialisms — architecture, computer science, management and art history — has been one of the key assets of this Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), which started in the first quarter of 2025 (in person) and continued until June (online).

Using posters and panels, the students (in person and online) presented three specific urban concepts for Zakliczyn that promote local development and boost the expansion of tourism in the area, which is home to resources such as the Dunajec River, Zakliczyn Market Square, examples of sacral architecture, the ruins of Melsztyn Castle and the Krzysztof Penderecki European Music Centre in Lusławice.

Students’ proposals

Some of the suggestions put forward by the students highlight ideas for the pedestrian bridge, with visualisations and physical models, the design of a new website and possible internet infrastructure solutions intended for tourists visiting Zakliczyn. Alongside these contributions, the marketing plan designed for the municipality, a key result of this BIP, is a very important document: a total of 130 pages encapsulating exhaustive analysis and original ideas to showcase the potential of this charming city.

The concepts proposed by the students received praise from the Mayor of Zakliczyn, Dawid Chrobak. “The collaboration between Zakliczyn and Cracow University of Technology began with the idea of designing a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Dunajec River, connecting the castle ruins in Melsztyn to Zakliczyn. That was the starting point. However, the students developed extensive, professional marketing and urban planning documents that go far beyond the initial goal of enhancing the tourism potential of Zakliczyn and nearby towns. We plan to present the results — i.e., the concepts of the bridge and public spaces — to the local council and community,” said Mayor Chrobak.

Evaluation by the authorities

At the event, which took place in the Faculty of Architecture, the “high quality” of the work carried out by the architecture students of CUT, as well as their fellow students from the partner universities, was highlighted. The students worked on urban solutions aimed at uncovering the identity of a small but beautiful town with a rich past, outstanding cultural heritage and a strong musical tradition, particularly in the context of the Krzysztof Penderecki European Music Centre.

The architectural task consisted of designing a bridge to connect Zakliczyn with Melsztyn Castle. The students from the University of Bragança developed marketing strategies, with spatio-temporal solutions based on a city game, explained the academic supervisor, Dr hab. inż. arch. Kinga Racoń-Leja, Prof. PK.

The Mayor of Zakliczyn stated that the suggested proposals will be implemented in the city and stressed “the enormous professionalism” of the students’ work, who, as supervisors involved in developing these concepts, will present their results to the authorities and the local community in the coming months.

For her part, the Vice-Rector, Dr hab. inż. Katarzyna Bizon, expressed her satisfaction with the result shown by the groups of students in their final presentations, filled with great creativity, and with the successful conclusion of an international collaboration project such as FutureLab.

An innovative pedagogical model

FutureLab Camp is not the first of the international educational projects in which students from CUT’s Faculty of Architecture are involved, within the framework of STARS EU. As part of the Thematic Interest Group (TIG) Living Spaces, these workshops have been underway regularly since last year, thereby boosting the internationalisation of the education process.

“This kind of project is filled with pedagogical value, but it also poses a challenge, both for the students and for the professors, as it requires considerable effort, collaboration in other languages and with groups from different cultures, and the ability to provide solutions that are relevant to external stakeholders,” stressed Dr inż. arch. Ernestyna Szpakowska-Loranc. The expert also explained that this edition presented an even greater challenge, as the work was carried out in interdisciplinary groups.

Future editions: France and Portugal

The agreements reached in STARS EU guarantee the continuity of this Blended Intensive Programme. The next meetings will take place in France in 2026 and in Portugal in 2027. “We have been working for months alongside our partners on the framework for the next edition, based on the experiences of Kraków and Zakliczyn, where we have demonstrated that working in interdisciplinary and international groups is effective and brings tangible benefits to all involved,” said Adam Sadło, leader of Task 2.5 in STARS EU.

*The student selection process of the next edition will begin  in June 2025 at all STARS EU universities.

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.