The International Week at Silesian University in Opava kicks off with an opening focused on innovation and academic collaboration

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.