Academic year 2024/2025: the 80th year of Polish science in Wrocław
On 1 October 2024, the solemn “Gaude Mater Polonia” sounded once again in the Aula Leopoldina, and its baroque interior was filled with the rectors of Wrocław universities, employees, doctoral students and students of the University of
Wrocław, as well as distinguished guests.
Photo report: Paweł Piotrowski
The inauguration of the 2024/2025 academic year was traditionally opened by the Rector of the University of Wrocław, prof. dr hab. Robert Olkiewicz. He made dignity and responsibility the motto of his speech, reflecting on the ethical values guiding the study process. He stressed the role of constructive rebellion:
“We are currently facing a revolt in many universities in Poland and around the world. The rebellion of young people against the passivity of the world’s political elite in the face of the brutalities that are happening in the world, in the face of wars, terror, famine, religious persecution. I wish you and myself that we can skillfully transform rebellion into constructive action. I wish us all to be responsible in our actions.”
The rector reminded that with the 2024/2025 academic year, we enter the 80th year of Polish science in Wrocław, or the 80th year of the University of Wrocław:
“It is, of course, necessary to clearly and responsibly emphasize the ability demonstrated in 1945 to accept the earlier history of our University. The arrival of a group of professors from many areas of science and areas of pre-war Poland, made it possible to launch the University of Wrocław, which became the University – the Mother of all Polish universities in Wrocław.”
After the keynote speech, it was time for the presentation of the Princess Jadwiga of Silesia Award. The award has been given since 2004. Its founders are the mayor of Wrocław, the rector of the University of Wrocław and the Silesian Salon. The Award is inspired by concern for respect for fundamental values beyond all differences and divisions, i.e. respect for human rights to live in peace, sincerity and friendship, concern for the European community of values, invaluable to all Nations. It is awarded to individuals or institutions for significant contributions to reconciliation and deepening of Polish-German cooperation or outstanding charitable activities.
This year the Chapter appointed by the founders, consisting of prof. Marek Bojarski, prof. Jan Harasimowicz, prof. Adam Jezierski, dr Łukasz Kamiński, prof. Zdzisław Latajka, prof. Andrzej Łoś, prof. Stanisław Rosik, awarded the Award to Professor Veronica Albrecht-Birkner and the Warsaw Uprising Museum.
Professor Veronika Albrecht-Birkner grew up in an environment that recognized the need to work for Polish-German reconciliation after the tragic events of World War II. Her mother, pastor Brigitte Metz, was in the 1930s a disciple of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, founder of the “Confessing Church,” in opposition to the NSDAP. After graduating from high school, she worked physically in a hospital so that she could begin her dream theological studies. She received her doctoral degree from the University of Halle in 1998. From 1997 to 2009 she worked at the University of Halle, and since 2009 she has been a professor of church history at the University of Siegen. Professor Albrecht-Birkner has made a great contribution to the work of Polish-German reconciliation. Her main achievement is the initiation and organization of the Polish-German seminars “Art and Religion,” which are held under the auspices of the University of Wrocław and the Universities of Halle and Siegen. Over the years, Professor Albrecht-Birkner has repeatedly testified to her exceptional dedication to the work of German-Polish reconciliation.
The Princess Jadwiga of Silesia Award is given primarily in recognition of meritorious work for Polish-German reconciliation. True reconciliation is possible only on the basis of memory, the foundation of which is the truth about the past. For the past 20 years, the most important institution for remembering the Polish experience of World War II has been the Warsaw Uprising Museum. Annually visited by more than half a million people, the museum conducts numerous educational and cultural projects, constantly finding new ways to reach its audience. Very importantly, all these activities are carried out in cooperation with the participants of the uprising. An important place in the Museum’s activities is occupied by cooperation with German institutions: joint conferences, educational projects and exhibitions. The award for the Museum was received by Warsaw Uprising Museum Director Jan Ołdakowski.
Another part of the ceremony was the presentation of the University of Wrocław Medal to professor Ewa Dobierzewska-Mozrzymas, a physicist at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, and professor Adam Jezierski, a chemist and rector of the University of Wrocław from 2016 to 2020.
Professor Ewa Dobierzewska-Mozrzymas and professor Adam Jezierski are popularizers of science, supervisors and animators of the Interdisciplinary Seminar Studium Generale Universitatis Wratislaviensis named after professor Jan Mozrzymas.
Readings and discussions within the Studium Generale popularize the idea of scientific synthesis and an interdisciplinary view of research problems. The study hosts well-known specialists in their fields, including members of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences and Academia Europaea. Professor Dobierzewska-Mozrzymas and professor Jezierski not only provide substantive supervision of the meetings, but also edit yearbooks that consolidate and popularize the knowledge presented during the lectures.
Subsequently, the Vice-Rector for student affairs, dr Łukasz Prus performed the act of matriculation of representatives of newly admitted students, and the Vice-Rector for research, prof. Artur Błażejewski, matriculated a group of newly admitted doctoral students.
Students entering the university’s thresholds were welcomed by Arkadiusz Smugowski, chairman of the Student Self-Government of the University of Wrocław.
This year the inaugural lecture was given by professor Marta Osypińska, an archaeozoologist and archaeologist from the University of Wrocław. At the center of her interests are animals and human-animal relations, especially in Africa. The professor studies how humans and the animals around them functioned hundreds and thousands of years ago. She works in international European and American projects carried out in Tanzania, Sudan, Egypt, Chad, Mongolia and Vietnam, among others.
During a lecture entitled “Who needs Indiana Jones anymore?” professor Osypińska took us on a fascinating journey through time and space to the exotic African continent, but there were also deeper reflections on post-colonialism and globalism, as well as difficult questions about the role of archaeology and archaeologists in different social and political contexts in their home country and in the countries where they conduct research.
Together, joyfully sung “Gaudeamus igitur” ended the ceremony.
We wish the entire university community that the coming time will be full of momentous and rewarding academic achievements and will bring excellent educational results. We wish students the fulfillment of their expectations in choosing their field of study, passion in exploring knowledge and enjoyment of student life.
