STARS EU is bringing May to a close with a series of activities and a call to action to commemorate European Diversity Month, an initiative aimed at raising awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion both in the workplace and across society as a whole. The nine partners of the alliance are joining this year’s theme, “Building an inclusive labour market for all”, through a range of initiatives addressed to their university communities.

Your voice matters at STARS EU. For this reason, the alliance has launched the survey “Inclusion and Social Justice in your University”, aimed at gathering the opinions and suggestions of all members of our university community. This initiative will help promote more inclusive and diverse academic spaces committed to equality and social justice.

The aim of the survey is to better understand how students, academic staff and university personnel across the alliance perceive inclusion, fairness and participation within their institutions. The responses gathered will contribute to the development of shared strategies, the identification of common challenges and the promotion of evidence-based actions within the STARS EU framework.

To take part, click on Inclusion and Social Justice in your University. Completing the survey will take approximately seven minutes and will provide valuable information to help strengthen and advance a more inclusive and equal academic community.

Diversity beyond the screen

Another of the activities organised to mark Diversity Month focuses on digital detox. This in-person event will take place on Friday, 29 May, at Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës (Albania). Its aim is to reflect on life in a hyperconnected society and on the ways in which the digital environment affects mental health, human relationships and social inclusion.

The event, entitled Diversity beyond the screen: Digital detox for a more inclusive campus, will run from 09:00 to 12:00 (CEST) in the G2 building, located on the UAMD Spitallë Campus. The meeting is open to anyone interested in discussing the (excessive) use of digital technologies, an issue about which the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly raised concerns.

Research on diversity and inclusion

Moving towards a more diverse and inclusive alliance also involves exploring and applying new ideas and perspectives that can help foster fairer and more participatory environments. Therefore, if you are developing any research, project or initiative related to Diversity and Inclusion, you can contact Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Gjergo or send your proposal to ekaterinagjergo@uamd.edu.al.

Another initiative launched to promote inclusiveness and diversity within STARS EU is being carried out at “Aleksandër Moisiu” University. Focused on bullying prevention, the project is being developed by a group of university students in collaboration with secondary school pupils from different schools in the city of Durrës.

Hochschule Bremen (HSB) – City University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and Marie and Louis Pasteur University (UMLP), France, both partners in STARS EU, will launch a new academic collaboration within the Business Administration/International Management (BIM) degree programme, which will enable the development of a double degree programme between the two institutions.

Thanks to this agreement, students will be able to complete their studies following the so-called “two-plus-two” model: four semesters in Bremen and four at the partner university abroad, allowing them to obtain two official bachelor’s degrees.

The collaboration will take place within the framework of STARS EU, of which both universities are members alongside seven other European institutions. With UMLP joining the BIM programme as a new partner university, STARS EU moves closer to one of its key objectives: promoting joint degrees and greater academic integration across Europe.

“We are delighted to welcome UMLP as another strong partner university to the BIM network,” says programme director Leena Pundt. “This collaboration strengthens our international profile and opens up further attractive opportunities for our students to gain a truly binational education.”

Powerful linguistic approach

Julie Beugnot, professor and programme director at the French university, explained that UMLP has been working for several years to internationalise its academic offer. The university’s proximity to the German border, together with the existence of an ABIBAC double qualification programme (German Abitur and French Baccalauréat) at one of the largest secondary schools in Besançon, played a decisive role in UMLP’s decision to establish a double degree with HSB.

Ulrich Krüger, professor in the BIM degree programme and responsible for negotiating the new double degree agreement with UMLP, highlighted the importance of finding a partner university capable of helping further develop the integrated international programme. “As a member of the STARS EU alliance, UMLP is an ideal institution for offering a multilingual Franco-German double degree,” he said.

For her part, Célia Berger-Tarare (UMLP), who negotiated the agreement on behalf of the French university, explained that professors from both institutions already maintained strong links in research as well as in short-term training programmes. “We needed to build on this momentum through a long-term collaboration that would also involve students,” she noted.

This new partnership not only expands the international exchange opportunities available through the double degree programme but also brings the alliance closer to its main objective: facilitating joint study programmes throughout Europe. At the same time, it strengthens the programme’s distinctive language-based approach, as students will complete their studies bilingually in German and French while also receiving additional training in English, providing them with the foundation for a trilingual international career.

European students and academics are addressing sustainable innovation and bioeconomy during the Blended Intensive Programme “Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Innovation”, taking place this week at the Cracow University of Technology (Poland) within the framework of the STARS EU Alliance. The training initiative enables international teams of students to work together on projects tackling real-life sustainability and circular economy challenges, while developing innovative and practice-oriented solutions.

The initiative has brought together 28 students and 12 lecturers from seven STARS EU partner universities: Cracow University of Technology (Poland); University West (Sweden); Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands); Hochschule Bremen-City University of Applied Sciences (Germany); Polytechnic University of Bragança (Portugal); Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic); and Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës (Albania).

The programme, who’s in-person phase is taking place in Krakow from 18 to 22 May, includes interdisciplinary collaborative work sessions, mentoring activities, expert lectures and a study visit to the company KLGS, located near the city. In parallel with these activities, participants also have opportunities for intercultural exchange, networking and collaboration among students and academic staff from across the STARS EU alliance.

Over the past weeks, participants have attended international lectures and workshops focused on circular economy, sustainable business models, life cycle analysis, biomaterials, biotechnology, renewable resources and sustainable innovation strategies. Following the mobility week in Krakow, teams will continue working online until the end of June, when the final presentations of the projects and reports prepared by each group will bring the activity to a close.

“Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Innovation” is coordinated by Katarzyna Matras-Postołek, Associate Professor at CUT, together with academics and experts from STARS EU partner universities, including Annabella Loconsolo (University West), Pavel Adamek (Silesian University in Opava), Daniela Hendrikse (Hanze University of Applied Sciences), Anja Noke (Hochschule Bremen), as well as representatives from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança and other partner institutions.

This BIP is yet another example of how the STARS EU Alliance connects students, researchers and universities around shared European values, innovation and sustainable development.

Scientific Area: Engineering and Technology.

EXPR: Petroleum engineering, (fuel, oils), Energy and fuels, Renewable Energy.

Name of the service: Center of Scientific Research Excellence- CUT.

Main responsible: Director Center of Scientific Research Excellence of CUT.

Category of the service: Research group.

Target group: Energy Engineering Companies.

Scientific refence:

Scopus Author ID: 36500044800.

Offer description:

Over 15 years experience in cooperation with industry. Coordinator of Horizon 2020 project RESHeat on Renewable Energy Systems for Buildings.

Scientific Area: Natural & Sciences.

EXPR: Statistics and probability-Computer sciences (Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence).

Name of the service: Computer specialist-CUT.

Main responsible: Joanna Kołodziej, PhD, DSC (PhD with Habilitation), Professor.

Category of the service: Research group.

Target group: All institutions need the analyse and transfer the various types of data with the use of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence methods.

Scientific refence:

List of selected publications: https://dblp.org/pid/08/5515.html H-index: 39  (in Google Scholar). ORCID: 0000-0002-5181-8713.

Track chair and IPC member of 60+ top conferences including IEEE IPDPS 2012-2023, IEEE WICT 2011. GECCO 2014-23, CCGRID 2016-2024, SC-2020-2024.

Prof. Kołodziej coordinated and participated in several international and national projects incl. cHiPSet Cost Action IC1406 (PI),  PANELFIT H2020, GUARD H2020, EU Digital4Security.

Offer description:

The main areas of my current activities are data processing and analysis with machine learning and artificial intelligence methods, and cybersecurity. Having deep experience in project evaluation (national and international level – and expert in H2020, Digital Europe, Horizon Europe, ERC, ChistEra, and COST programmes), I may serve as proposal and pre-proposal evaluator. Working as a member of the Committees of the international HQ conferences and as Associate and Area Editor in 6 Q1 journals (inc. ACM Computing Surveys and IEEE Transactions on Services Computing), I may help increase the dissemination level of the project results. I also have some practical experience in the implementation of the results of EU projects I am/was involved in.

Scientific Area: Engineering and Technology.

EXPR: Industrial biotechnology, bioprocessing technologies (industrial processes relying on biological agents to drive the process) biocatalysis, fermentation-Nano-materials: production and properties-quality engineering, coordinate measuring technology.

Name of the service: Development and Competence of Industry 4.0- CUT.

Main responsible: Ksenia Ostrowska, DSc. PhD. Eng., Assoc. Prof.

Category of the service: Research group.

Target group: Industry.

Scientific refence:

I founded the Center for the Development and Competence of Industry 4.0, and I was the initiator of building the Industry 4.0 Education Line and robotic educational workstations at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. I am also an accredited staff at the Coordinate Metrology Laboratory, which is one of the best laboratories in the world, and operates as a PCA-accredited calibration laboratory. I have developed Digital Twin -Coordinate Virtual Measuring Arms and Coordinate Virtual Measuring Robots based on Monte Carlo method and artificial neural networks. Expert of international working body group CEN/CENELEC, ISO/IEC, WG 10 – Coordinate measuring machines, 12 -Size, 18-Geometrical tolerancing.

Offer description:

I am an accredited staff of a calibration laboratory, as well as an Expert of the international working body group CEN/CENELEC, ISO/IEC, WG 10 – Coordinate measuring machines, 12 -Size, 18-Geometrical tolerancing and the Technical Committee of the Polish Committee for Standardization No. 48 on Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering. I cooperate with many scientific and industrial centers.

Scientific Area: Engineering and Technology.

EXPR: Nano-materials: production and properties-Chemical engineering.

Name of the service: Chemistry and Technology of Cosmetic- CUT.

Main responsible: Elżbieta Sikora, PhD, DSc, Professor (Associate) at Cracow University of Technology.

Category of the service: Research group.

Target group: Biotech industry/labs, cosmetic industry/labs.

Scientific refence:

ID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4867-965X, The leader of the Research Group “Chemistry and Technology of Cosmetics”. Since 2021 the Head of Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology at CUT. Author or co-author of  145 scientific papers and publications  in  monographs or conference materials, 2 academic handbooks, 2 monographs, 23 patents and 7 patent applications. Research interests –  fine chemicals technology, include preparation, study of properties and an application of natural raw materials in cosmetics and household products. 

Offer description:

I currently work at the Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Cracow University of Technology and I am conducting research in Nanotechnology, Colloid Chemistry, Cosmetic Chemistry, and Green Chemistry.

Scientific Area: Engineering and Technology.

EXPR: Civil engineering.

Name of the service: Structural materials- CUT.

Main responsible: Izabela HAGER, Profesor, Head of Chair.

Category of the service: Research group.

Target group: R&D groups, industry, public bodies.

Scientific refence:

Academic interests and research focus on structural materials: manufacturing and service performances, development of innovative and sustainable new building materials like geopolymers, thin layer composites textile concretes, 3D printed materials and concretes for special application previous concrete.  Research issues are related to the durability of building materials, in particular at temperature (concrete spalling – testing and prevention).

Professor at CUT. Head of Chair of Building Materials Engineering. Senior Member of the RILEM Committees. PhD – École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées. 

Coordination for numerous international and national projects with an extensive research network.  

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PROJECTS

NAWA WELCOME TO POLAND MATBUD’2023 –  BPI/WTP/2021/1/00002, (2022-2023) – role: project leader.

M-ERA.NET Call 2021 GEOSUMAT: „Materials for circular economy – industrial waste based geopolymers composites with hybrid reinforcement”. Lider – Arctic University of Norway (Norwegia), Gerosion (Islandia), Cracow University of Technology CUT, Specjalistyczne Przedsiębiorstwo Górnicze Górtech Sp.z o.o. (Polska), Babeș‐Bolyai University (Rumunia), Czech Technical University in Prague (Republika Czeska), CHEMSTR ‐ Šafařík (Republika Czeska), ReforceTech AS (Norwegia) (2021-2023) – role: project investigator.

SMART-G Smart geopolymers, ERA-MIN 2 (Call 2019). Conortium Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgia, University of Aveiro, Portugalia; Cracow University of Technology CUT, IESL/FORTH Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Heraklion, Grecja; ResourceFull, Leuven, Belgia; MNLT Innovations GP, Research and Development, Athens, Grecja; Przedsiębiorstwo Budowlano-Produkcyjne, Łęgprzem Sp. z o.o, Kraków, Polska; Mytilineos S.A. Athens, Grecja. Role- NCBiR project leader.

PPI/APM/2018/1/00027 EMMAT E-mobility and sustainable materials and technologies, Coordinator of the International Academic Partnership project financed by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) 23 partner organisations from 18 countries.

PUBLICATIONS

Recommendation of RILEM TC 256-SPF on fire spalling assessment during standardised fire resistance tests: complementary guidance and requirements. Published: Feb 2024 in Materials and Structures . DOI: 10.1617/S11527-023-02248-Z.

Energy-Efficient Mixtures Suitable for 3D Technologies Published: Apr 2024 in Applied Sciences DOI: 10.3390/APP14073038.

Foaming and Physico-Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer Pastes Manufactured from Post-Metallurgical Recycled Slag Published: Mar 2024 in Materials DOI: 10.3390/MA17061449.

Recommendation of RILEM TC 256-SPF on fire spalling assessment during standardised fire resistance tests: complementary guidance and requirements Published: Feb 2024 in Materials and Structures DOI: 10.1617/S11527-023-02248-Z 0 .

Mechanical Properties and Water Permeability of Textile-Reinforced Reactive Powder Concrete with Lightweight Aggregate Published: Dec 2023 in Materials DOI: 10.3390/MA16247619.

ORCID: 0000-0003-2852-8934.

Scopus Author ID: 55386631800.

ResearcherID: B-1497-2013.

SciProfiles: 796653.

Offer description:

I encourage you to cooperate with my team. We carry out research projects in the field of building materials engineering. We have research potential and infrastructure enabling the development of new mineral materials, testing their properties and durability features. As for students at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, CUT offers a full curriculum of subjects taught in English for the first and second cycles. We provide exciting topics for PhDs and research internships. We work scientifically in international teams implementing R&D projects. We have experience in proposal writing and implementing projects. We are the organizers of the cyclical MATBUD conference on building materials engineering.