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Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz
Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy (UKW)

UNEVOC Centre (Uni/Research) since 1995

Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz is a dynamically developing school of higher education, today the largest in the city and the second largest in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province, both as for number of professors, number of majors and educational forms offered and the number of students and graduates.

Over 700 academic staff members share their knowledge, including about 150 professors. Today a rich educational range of studies covers 30 majors at three levels: bachelor and bachelor in engineering, master and doctoral studies. The university also provides over 30 postgraduate courses, developing qualifications and conferring new rights. Step by step new majors are approved by the Polish Accreditation Committee.

Over the last few years our University has offered education to about 5 thousand newly admitted students annually. Only 1/3 of all students live in Bydgoszcz, with its population of about 400 thousand, and over 1/3of students come from outside the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province. Kazimierz Wielki University has a greater and greater impact on the region and the surrounding provinces.

Since 1997, when the Senate of the then Pedagogical College passed a resolution on academic and research staff enhancement as well as on developing humanities majors and accelerating the development of mathematical and natural sciences, which would facilitate the conversion into a university, the University has doubled its scientific and teaching potential as well as its infrastructure. Contrary to other Polish cities which, while creating a new university, combined the potential of different schools of higher education, our University has walked, on its own and in a relatively short time, quite a long way to convert from a teacher training school to a multi-profile university of humanities and natural sciences. We are the 18th youngest multi-profile university in Poland. We are aware of a multitude of tasks to be completed. Professors at our University, however, have shown themselves to be determined and effective in their pursuits. They are credible!

Traditions and values

Kazimierz Wielki University is a public higher education institution with a legacy of tradition in educating teachers at the former teacher training school, developing dynamically and regularly expanding its academic potential and educational scope. Today’s University reflects the aim of residents of the city of Bydgoszcz to establish a university in our city dating from the end of the 19th century, and wishes to operate in accordance with the best traditions of European universities. As a community of academic staff, students, graduates and administration personnel, the University aims to pursue truth, justice and development in serving the city, the region and the country. Truth, Justice and Development of the city are to express and to serve Wisdom which is the top principle of our pursuits.

Mission

The Kazimierz Wielki University community, following its objectives and responsibilities, does not forget its own development which is subordinate to the vision of a multi-profile, autonomous university taking part in the global science of a strong academic position and social prestige in the country. We pursue a university as a centre of a free exchange of thought, comprehensive research in the evolving world and a centre of open and permanent education and development of the entire community in conditions which will serve the dignity of and be friendly to all. Our community wishes to act and to implement all the objectives based on a consensus respecting a variety of views and principles of democracy of universities as well as following the aspirations of the academic communities of our city and the objectives of the region and the state.

Objectives

Kazimierz Wielki University, helping to keep alive the best traditions and building on its legacy, launches comprehensive actions for science and education meeting the needs and aspirations of the people and the objectives of the state. The University combines research and education of specialists for the labour market with educating social leaders offered by today’s faculties in the form of bachelor, bachelor in engineering, master and doctoral courses. Participating in the global sharing of thoughts and values, the University develops research and educates for the future in pursuit of freedom of science and credibility of knowledge as well as human dignity and social justice. As a centre of intellectual reflection over the evolving reality and as a centre creating culture, the University participates in the development of the city and the region especially, providing knowledge of facts, values and methods of solving the key problems of social and economic life and actions to enhance the quality of life.

Regular tasks

Department of Labour Pedagogy and Andragogy offers education at:

- the undergraduate level: Vocational and personal counselling with coaching

- the graduate level: Labour pedagogy and human resources management

Research topics carried out by the Department including: • Educational aspects of human labour;

• Education to work;

• Transformation of the world of labour;

• Career counseling in lower and upper secondary schools;

• Professional decision-making strategies;

• Career management

• Preparation for work and training of vocational school teachers;

• Transformation of Higher Education;

• Changes in forms of employment and work organization;

• Preparation and functioning of man in the labour process;

• Social problems of workplaces;

• The new model of workplace in the 21st century;

• Relationship between work and non-work life, including Work-Life Balance programmes in workplaces;

• Educational and socio-cultural activity of people in the third age.

Other forms of research and teaching activities:

• Head of Department – Professor Ryszard Gerlach is a co-organiser of the National Research Seminar, which has been functioning for 10 years;

• The Department staff have prepared more than 700 publications, including approx. 80 monographs, books and edited volumes;

• The Department organizes regular conferences: "Education and Work";

• The Department is the initiator of publishing a nationwide journal "School - Profession - Labour";

• The Department has established a branch of the Polish Professiological Association.

Focus and interest

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