Around 80 academics and professionals from 15 universities across 10 countries — including France, Sweden, Portugal, Turkey, and the Netherlands — gathered for the second edition of the Staff Week at Silesian University in Opava. The event, held from May 12 to 16 at the School of Business Administration in Karviná, featured working meetings, strategic discussions, and thematic workshops aligned with the main initiatives of STARS EU.

Designed to strengthen the ties within the alliance, the central activity of this 5th International Week  placed special emphasis on the STARS EU (Strategic Alliance for Regional Transition), thus reaffirming the university’s commitment to collaborative innovation and internationalization in higher education. Key topics addressed included STARS EU priorities such as the development of the digital campus, traineeships, Living Labs, and joint programs.

The academic program featured lectures and workshops delivered in English to SBA students, focusing on educational innovation, curriculum internationalization, and regional development. Highlights included talks by Joaquim Leite (Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal) on digital tools for corporate performance and citation strategies, and Ipek Eker (Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey) on co-creative learning models.

Other engaging topics were presented by Roman Zajíc (MSIC), who analyzed the university’s role in regional innovation ecosystems, and Jos Beelen (The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands) together with Eva Janebová (Czech Mestenhauser Institute), who discussed embedding internationalization into curricula through both formal and hidden teaching pathways.

The event welcomed participants from the STARS EU Steering Committee, the Regional Transition Accelerator, the Curriculum Lab (joint courses, BIPs, degrees, micro-credentials), and the Co-Creation Campus, as well as from Thematic Interest Groups (TIGs) on Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Digital Transformation.

Immersive cultural experiences

Beyond academic exchange, the event offered immersive cultural experiences, including a guided tour of the city of Karviná and a visit to POHO Park—an innovative project transforming a former mining area into a hub for education and community engagement. Networking continued in more informal settings and concluded with a gala dinner, closing a week of meaningful connections.

Roman Šperka, Dean of the Faculty, emphasized that the International Week aimed to connect educators from different countries to share teaching practices, explore joint research, and develop new forms of collaboration. Particularly noteworthy was the students’ direct interaction with international lecturers, which enriched their academic experience.

The STARS EU Staff Week once again demonstrated the value of international cooperation in higher education. It strengthened institutional ties within the alliance and brought fresh perspectives to the teaching and research environment. With enthusiastic participation from faculty and more than 100 students, the event reaffirmed the university’s active role as a driver of European regional transformation through education and innovation.

The fifth edition of the International Week at Silesian University in Opava (Czechia) officially began this Tuesday, following its opening conference, which set the tone for a series of events aimed at strengthening collaboration and promoting strategic development in higher education. This year’s edition, with a special focus on the STARS EU alliance and its nine partner universities, will run through May 16 at the School of Business Administration in Karviná.

The opening program, which blends learning, knowledge exchange, and global networking opportunities, followed the keynote speech by the alliance’s general coordinator, Rima Dijkstra, and the institutional presentation of the School of Business Administration (SU SBA) in the Small Auditorium (Malý sál).

The afternoon agenda featured a strong academic focus with the workshop “Inside Your Shopping Brain: How Neuromarketing Influences Your Choices,” led by neuromarketing expert Radka Bauerová from Silesian University. A second session, “What Does Science Know About Creativity?”, by academic Martin Klepek, also from Silesian University.

In parallel, hybrid sessions were held for STARS EU strategic activities, including working groups from the Regional Transition Accelerator, Curriculum Lab, the Entrepreneurship & Innovation TIG, and the Digital Transformation TIG.

In the afternoon, participants joined a guided tour to explore the local surroundings of Karviná. The day concluded with a welcome dinner.

Parallel sessions, collaborative projects and local exploration

Wednesday, May 14 offered a diverse program focused on regional innovation, digital transformation, and university collaboration under the STARS EU framework. From 9:00 to 11:30 a.m., key hybrid sessions were held for several alliance working groups.

Meanwhile, students had the opportunity to attend two international lectures:

“Digital Tools for Management Control: Corporate Performance Measurement (CPM) Practices,” by Joaquim Leite (Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal).

“Co-Creation Campus: Rethinking Teaching and Learning Together,” by Ipek Eker (Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey).

Alongside the ongoing hybrid sessions, a hands-on workshop titled “Out-of-the-Box Networking” was led by Veronika Maťková and Dana Chlupová (Silesian University in Opava), inviting participants to explore new approaches to academic and professional connection-building.

The day ended with a special excursion to the POHO 2030 project, a post-mining landscape regeneration initiative. Participants visited POHO Park, a regional symbol of transformation and sustainability.

Internationalization and strategic collaboration

Thursday, May 15 will be dedicated to academic cooperation, cultural exchange, and curriculum internationalization, with multiple parallel activities under the STARS EU umbrella.

Following the morning hybrid working group meetings, international lectures for students will address key tools for academic and collaborative work:

“APA 7th Format for Citations and References Using Zotero and Mendeley,” with Joaquim Leite (Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal).

“Co-Creation Campus: Rethinking Teaching and Learning Together,” with Ipek Eker (Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey).

At 9:30 a.m., the cultural workshop “Czech It Out! – Czech Culture and Language” will be led by Janusz Karpeta, offering a lively introduction to the Czech language and traditions.

One of the day’s highlights will be the expert-led workshop “Internationalization of Curriculum”, featuring contributions from Jos Beelen (The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands) and Eva Janebová (Mestenhauser Institute for International Collaboration, Czechia), who will explore innovative ways to integrate a global dimension into academic programs.

The day — and the week — will culminate in a gala dinner, bringing all participants together to celebrate a successful week of international cooperation.