Introductory meeting to European University COLOURS project

On March 18-19, Universität Paderborn – UPB (Germany), the leader of the European University COLOURS Alliance (COLlaborative innOvative sUstainable Regional univerSities), hosted representatives of COLOURS partner universities and associated partners of the Alliance from Croatia, France, Spain, Latvia, North Macedonia, Poland, Sweden and Italy. It was the first on-site meeting of the consortium after the project application was qualified for funding, and its aim was to introduce the project and integrate the partners. The event was attended by JDU delegation: prof. Janusz Kapuśniak (Vice-Rector for Research & International Relations), prof. Marcin Sosnowski (Dean of the Faculty of Science & Technology), prof. Piotr Rychter (Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Science and Research ICNB), prof. Joanna Górna (Head of the University of the Third Age), dr Olga Binczyk (Vice-Dean for Student and Didactic Affairs of the Faculty of Humanities), prof. Małgorzata Kurek (Institute of Linguistics), dr Rafał Głębocki (Department of Contemporary Security Problems), mgr Bartłomiej Kowalik (Department for Research & International Relations), mgr Anna Tarnowska (President of the PhD Student Government), and Julia Polak (Deputy Chairman of the University Student Government Council).

The agenda of the event included both plenary sessions and meetings of international working groups (Work Packages) devoted to summarizing the activities of the project so far and setting plans for the coming months, trips around the city and the UPB campus, as well as numerous opportunities for networking.

On the first day of the meeting, representatives of the authorities of the partner universities were invited to a meeting with the President of the Universität Paderborn, Prof. Dr. Birgitt Riegraf,  and then, together with the student representatives, went to meet the Mayor of the City of Paderborn, Mr. Michael Dreier, at the Town Hall. Our university was represented by prof. Janusz Kapuśniak, prof. Marcin Sosnowski and mgr Anna Tarnowska.

The launch ceremony of the COLOURS project took place on Monday at the UPB campus. Among the invited guests was Julia Désirée Eisentraut, Member of the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, who gave a speech on "Science, Freedom and Democracy: COLOURful Research and Innovation in a World of Transformation". 

During the ceremonial part of the event, three discussion panels were also organised with the participation of the authorities and students of COLOURS partner universities, which were attended by representatives of the University: prof. Janusz Kapuśniak (panel entitled "COLOURS as a Driver of Change in Regional Innovation Ecosystems") and mgr Anna Tarnowska (panel "Expectations, Challenges and the Role of Students in the COLOURS Alliance"). The discussion was moderated by dr Annette Klinkert, Managing Director of the COLOURS Alliance. The event was graced by a saxophone concert by Ulrich Lettermann, an academic of UPB, and the presentation and singing of the COLOURS anthem "We Are the COLOURS!".

After the official part of the meeting, the partners met at the "Market Square", where COLOURS member universities presented their institutions, cities and regions at special stands. There was also a culinary aspect and delicacies from different parts of Europe.

We would like to thank our associated partners, institutions and companies from the region for their support in the preparation of the stand and for providing information and promotional materials and food products, including:

Częstochowa City Hall https://www.czestochowa.pl/
Marshal's Office of the Silesian Voivodeship https://www.slaskie.pl/ 
Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Częstochowa https://www.riph.eu/
Makarony Babuni Ryszard Kaczorowski http://www.eko-mak.eu/ 
Regional Association of Beekeepers in Częstochowa https://rzpcz.pl/
"Społem" PSS "Jedność" in Częstochowa https://spolemczestochowa.pl/
„Sady z Sercem" Jerzy Halaba http://sadyzsercem.pl/ 

During Market Square, we also treated the participants to cookies prepared by students of dietetics of JDU.

At the end of the event, on the second day of the meeting, working meetings with the coordinators of individual modules were held, addressed to representatives of COLOURS Implementation Offices, WP Leads, CoSpace Officers – a meeting led by prof. Marcin Sosnowski, International Relations Offices and Student Representatives.