Letter from prof. Janusz Kapuśniak to university community in connection with his candidacy for Rector

A letter from Prof. Janusz Kapuśniak to the Community of Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa in connection with his candidacy for the position of Rector for the 2024-2028 term of office

 
Dear Community of Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa!
Dear Academic Teachers and Administration Staff!
Dear Students and Doctoral Students!
Dear Friends and Partners of the University!

         To begin with, I would like to thank all the people who have placed great trust in me and submitted my candidacy to the University Election Commission for the election of the Rector of Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa for the 2024-2028 term. On January 15, 2018, I submitted a declaration of consent to run for the position of Rector, additionally submitting to the Commission a statement that as at the beginning of my term of office I meet all the criteria set out in Article 20 of the Act of 20 July 2018. The beginning of the electoral process at the University is a very important event for every member of the University Community. From that moment on, each of you will be able to have an impact on how our University will function for the next 4 years, by whom and how it will be managed. This is an extremely important day for me personally. I feel a great deal of pride and responsibility. 

At this point, I would like to introduce myself very briefly. When I came to Częstochowa in 1992 to study chemistry at the Higher Pedagogical School, I could neither assume that I would be associated with this place for the next 32 years, let alone think that one day I would apply for the position of Rector. I knew one thing that it was worth working hard, getting involved in all areas of the University's activity, setting ambitious goals and achieving them with honest, reliable and systematic work. Already during my studies, I was an active member of the University Council of the Student Government, serving as its chairman for some time. After graduation, I took up employment at the Higher School of Pedagogy and have been working at my Alma Mater continuously for 27 years, being employed successively as a senior technician, assistant, assistant professor, university professor and professor. During this time, I was equally strongly involved in the scientific, didactic and organisational activities of the University: I am the author or co-author of 86 scientific articles, 5 scientific monographs and 220 conference reports; I have given 19 plenary lectures at international and national conferences; I have been a member of scientific and organisational committees of 15 national or international conferences; I participated in the work of 16 research teams implementing projects financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the National Science Centre, the National Centre for Research and Development and the Foundation for Polish Science, leading 6 of them; I am a member of 13 international or national scientific organisations and societies; I have completed a total of 21 long- or short-term internships abroad and domestically; I am a member of editorial boards and scientific councils of 8 scientific journals; I cooperate intensively with the industry, which is reflected in the co-authorship of 7 patents, 4 implemented technologies, 12 expert opinions prepared for companies. During 27 years of teaching, I have developed original curricula for 20 subjects for the fields of dietetics, human nutrition and dietetics, biotechnology, chemistry, environmental protection, tourism and recreation; I was the supervisor of 67 master's theses and 37 bachelor's theses; I have been a supervisor in 2 completed and 3 open doctoral dissertations; I have been a reviewer of 9 doctoral dissertations and a reviewer in 6 proceedings for the award of the degree of habilitated doctor; I was an active member of didactic committees related to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and then the Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF); three times I have been the supervisor of studies carried out according to an individual plan and curriculum; On several occasions I have been a supervisor of internships and graduate internships, as well as a supervisor of interns from foreign universities, from Italy, Portugal and Croatia. My organisational activity is related to numerous works for my alma mater, where I have been continuously performing managerial functions since 2002 and actively participating in the work of collegiate bodies. I have held the following positions: Head of the Department of General Chemistry, Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Technology of Bioproducts, Head of the Department of Dietetics and Food Research, Director of the Institute of Chemistry, Environmental Protection and Biotechnology, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Vice-Rector for Research & International Relations (2016-2020, 2020-2024). I have participated in the work of collegiate bodies as: member of the Senate (3 terms), member of the Council of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (5 terms); member of the Dean's College of the Faculty of Science & Technology (2020-2024); member of the Council of the Institute of Chemistry and Environmental Protection (2 terms), member of the Council of the Institute of Chemistry, Environmental Protection and Biotechnology (3 terms); member of the Electoral College of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (4 terms); member of the University Electoral College (3 terms). In the 2020-2024 term, I have chaired the Food Technology and Nutrition Discipline Council and served as the Chairman of the Council for the Quality of Education at the Doctoral School. I have received numerous awards for my teaching, scientific and organisational activities, receiving the Foundation for Polish Science Scholarship 3 times, the Bronze Cross of Merit awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland, as well as the Silesian Scientific Award. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Many years of involvement in scientific, didactic and organisational work have allowed me to get to know each of the areas of the University's activity very well, but above all to gain experience, so necessary in working with people. I have learned how to cooperate, work in a team, lead a team, and most importantly, I gained the skills necessary for a good leader: leading by example, sharing my vision, acting ethically, being able to make difficult decisions, trusting my employees, listening to the voice and needs of others, communicating effectively, appreciating and rewarding achievements, as well as inspiring and motivating. I have used these skills effectively in my activities for the benefit of the University. Recent years have been a time of incredible achievements of the University. It has been a period of dynamic scientific development and artistic activity, which is indisputably evidenced by the excellent result of the evaluation of scientific and artistic disciplines carried out by the Science Evaluation Committee, and consequently obtaining the right to confer the degree of habilitated doctor and the degree of doctor in 13 scientific and artistic disciplines. It is obtaining the status of a "classical" university after meeting all the conditions required by the Act 2.0, which was confirmed by the change of the name of the University. It is obtaining the status of a European University within the COLOURS alliance, which brings together universities from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Croatia, Latvia, North Macedonia and Ukraine (associated partner). It is the University's admission to the group of signatories of the Magna Charta Universitatum, and at the same time the confirmation by JDU that it is ready to comply with the fundamental principles on which the mission of universities around the world should be based. It is the University's admission to the European University Association (EUA). Finally, it is the dynamic development of the offer of study programmes, the continuous expansion of the range of disciplines within which doctoral students can study at the Doctoral School, the development of internationalisation, the intensive development of teaching and research infrastructure, the visible improvement of study conditions, wider and more effective cooperation with the socio-economic environment and the implementation of the third mission of the university. I am proud that for two consecutive terms of office I have been able to be a part of the Rector and Chancellor's team, which initiated and coordinated their implementation with the active participation of the entire community of our University.

Today, on the eve of the election campaign, I would like to offer you the co-authorship of a publication entitled "Jan Długosz University – Our University of the Future". To write this publication, we need all of you – Academics, PhD Students, Students and Graduates. Why? Because JDU is us... There is strength in us. Today I propose a synopsis and keywords. When I think about what the University should be like – Our University, I think of words such as: prestige, pride, responsibility, ideas, commitment, human being, mission, respect, creativity, safety, building, connecting, progress, innovation, dialogue, kindness, understanding, cooperation. Let us fill this publication with content, so that in 4 years we can write a summary in which we will be able to confirm that we work and study in a traditional and at the same time modern University, an open and friendly University, an internationalised University, an innovative University, an interdisciplinary University, a University of cooperation and dialogue, a transparent University, a University of modern management. 


Ladies and Gentlemen

Bearing in mind the full transparency of the activities carried out, as well as adhering to the principle of building the future of the University together, I would like to present to you the composition of the Vice-Rector's team proposed by me, with which I would like to undertake the construction of Our University of the Future. In the event that the University Senate, the University Council and members of the University Electoral College in the election for the Rector of Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa for the term 2024-2028 give me the confidence and support of my candidacy, I intend to offer the following positions:

- Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Internationalisation – dr. hab. inż. Marcin Sosnowski, prof. UJD 
(discipline: environmental engineering, mining and energy, Faculty of Science & Technology)

- Vice-Rector for Research – dr. hab. Bogusław Przywora, prof. UJD (discipline: legal sciences, Faculty of Law and Economics)

- Vice-Rector for Organisation and Development – dr. hab. Barbara Kowalska, prof. UJD 
(discipline: history, Faculty of Humanities),

- Vice-Rector for Education and Student Affairs – dr. hab. Jakub Jakubowski, prof. UJD 
(discipline: fine arts and conservation of works of art,  Faculty of Arts) 

- Vice-Rector for Medical & Health Sciences – prof. dr. hab. n.med. dr. h.c. multi Aleksander Sieroń
(discipline: medical sciences, Władysław Biegański Medical Collegium).


Soon we will present the full electoral programme for the 2024-2028 term. 

I invite you to join the campaign of dialogue, understanding, kindness, but above all, concern for a better tomorrow, for an even better University of the Future!

Yours sincerely,

Janusz Kapuśniak