Staff testimonials

We encourage you to read the TUL staff mobility testimonials, Erasmus+ Programme, project KA131.

dr inż. Gertruda Gwóźdź-Łukawska, dr Monika Potyrała, Centre of Mathematics and Physics

Mobility for teaching combined with a training activity to Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania

KTU – Kauno technologijos universitetas – is a technical university in Kaunas with over 100 years of history. This thriving institution boasts numerous national and international contacts and, like Lodz University of Technology, is a member of the ECIU.

The faculty buildings astonish with their functional interiors and modern design, offering spaces for individual and team work (Edulab, Library). However, the greatest value of the trip was working with students and exchanging experiences with KTU teachers. It was the diversity of our communication (Russian, English), the diversity of work experience in projects, teaching history and teaching methods used.

The opportunity to participate in the Technorama fair organised by the university cannot be overestimated. Students creating their semester projects have the chance to present their ideas to a wider audience, including people from outside the university. This is both the seed for new start-ups and additional inspiration for the development of the solutions presented.

Visiting KTU and teaching students, including conducting an exam in Programming for Data Processing and Visualisation, is a great opportunity not only to see the level of knowledge of Lithuanian students, but also to talk about Lithuania and Poland and encourage them to visit our country. But when you go to Lithuania, you don't feel like you're leaving your homeland, after all, you can say ‘Lithuania, my homeland...’ quoting Adam Mickiewicz.😊

Moreover, Lithuanian people are well-known for their hospitality, which is good for your physical and mental wellbeing. Friends from KTU are happy to share not only their achievements and thoughts – e.g. ‘How to interest Generation Z?’, but also the delicious taste of kvass and the beautiful views admired after class.

mgr Katarzyna Ochnio, mgr Gabriela Dróbkowska, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences 

Training trip to Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain

Thanks to the possibilities provided by the Erasmus+ programme for administrative staff, together with a colleague from the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences we had the opportunity to take part in a five-day language course entitled ‘STP Language and IT Trainings for University Staff’ at Universitat Politècnica de València.

The English language course was perfectly planned, organized and conducted.The hosts shared their knowledge, provided help and support. On the first day we got a lot of information about the Spanish higher education system. People from different countries including Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany and  Lithuania participated in training sessions, which took place every day in the groups of 16.

We encourage the administrative staff to submit applications within Erasmus+ in order to increase professional qualifications, develop soft skills and improve language  competencies. This kind of training is a perfect opportunity for growth and making numerous professional contacts.

dr inż Leszek Czechowski, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Lodz University of Technology

Training trip to University of Luxembourg

The training trip within Erasmus+  to University of Luxembourg, the Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM)   allowed to broaden the knowledge in the field of printing techniques, make contacts and establish cooperation between research units. The University of Luxembourg was founded in 2003 and then employed 268 professors, 1061 academic staff, including 579  doctoral candidates,  and 482 PhD employees. Studies are conducted in three languages: English, French and German. The University reunites many cultures  from different parts of the world because students studying there and academic staff are from 129 and 94 countries respectively.

My first stage of training was based on acquiring the knowledge  in the field of files preparation,  control and support of 3D metal and plastic printers. The next steps involved teamwork activities, which led to creation of  a printing  filament from  biodegradable PLA dedicated for printing (either pure or with addition of graphene nanopowder). The appropriate preparation of PLA  foundation with graphene nanofillers with a specified weight fraction and the right choice of  extruding parameters with  a purpose of filament  creation with addition of graphene in academic conditions was a challenge. Basic knowledge obtained during the training  was the  foundation for completing more advanced tasks, which I had to manage, such as  defining print trajectory and initial parameters, the proper choice of parameters for print and printing samples with nanofillers.

The training and joint work conducted in an international team helped to gain experience and positive feelings, which in the future will certainly be an incentive for starting new  directions of  research  and maintaining cooperation between the units. On the other hand, I could personally observe the ways and methodology of conducting lectures and laboratory classes.

To sum up, the training trip I made within Erasmus+ not only contributed to increasing my competencies but also provided  many unforgettable moments.

mgr Paulina Danieluk, International Cooperation Centre

Training trip to Université de Caen-Normandie (UNICAEN), France

A trip to Normandy was a fulfillment of my dreams. Thanks to the Erasmus + program, I had the opportunity to represent Lodz University of Technology during the 1st International Staff Week in Caen entitled “Understanding International Attractivity”. The aim of the staff week was to integrate participants from different parts of the world and familiarize them with the topic of interculturality.

I decided to choose the staff week from among numerous offers available at the IMOTION website. The training was organized by Universite de Caen Normandié (UNICAEN) for administrative staff and it was related to internationalization. I work in the International Cooperation Center of Lodz University of Technology (TUL) and I deal with the visits of foreign guests and delegations. Having the opportunity of using funds within the Erasmus + program I wanted to expand my knowledge and competences. In addition, I have always wanted to visit Normandy and learn about its beauty, culture and historical heritage.

The University of Caen is the third, after Oxford and Cambridge, university founded by the English. It was founded in 1432 by King Henry VI Lancaster to educate the future English elite to manage the territories in France. The painful memories of the Second World War, as well as the literal rise of the university from the ashes, became the basis for the adoption of the Phoenix as a symbol of the University. The sculpture by Louis Leygue, representing a mythical bird, is located at the entrance to the University.

The staff week was focused on: Understanding international attractivity.

There were four different workshops during the week: Defining attractivity: academic, cultural, etc. Intercultural: an attractivity asset. International communication and visibility of institutions. Supporting international students. Additional area that I was interested in was the staff mobility. I had the opportunity to talk with representatives of various universities about the procedures concerning staff mobility at their institutions that could be implemented at our university.

Aside from the workshops, there were also sessions of presentations of each participant's institution. I began my presentation about TUL with a few words in French, to honour my hosts, and then I switched to English which was the language to be employed during the staff week. In my speech, I highlighted our university's successes related to the implementation of internationalization strategy, expressed by the presence in the prestigious Times Higher Education University Rankings and the accreditation of EAQUALS for the Language Center of the University of Lodz. The organizers were interested in the cooperation with Lodz University of Technology with regard to science and research and in particular in the field of molecular and nuclear physics. Not without reason, because in 2016 Lodz University of Technology signed a cooperation agreement with the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN. They were also interested in cooperation in the field of summer schools concerning French language courses. This exchange of students takes place between UNICAEN and the University of Warsaw.

During my mobility adventure I met a lot of interesting people doing a job similar to mine at international cooperation offices. I learned procedures and systems to handle mobility. In social media, I established contacts with representatives of a number of universities: the University of Zurich, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Uniwersytet w Würzburgu, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa , Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.

Staff Week at Cean was exceptional not only for me as I heard similar opinions from other participants. The most important effect for me is the personal experience of the entire mobility process. As an employee of the Staff Mobility Division of International Cooperation Centre at TUL, I have significantly expanded my knowledge and can now help other employees.

The training was perfectly planned and organized. An additional attraction was an excursion to the world-famous Mont Saint-Michel - a rocky island in a bay connected to the mainland France with a 1,800 m long causeway.

I sincerely hope that my mobility experience will inspire other employees of TUL, which will in turn result in more applications submitted for staff trips abroad