The aim of the Academic Administration Forum is to highlight the role of university administrative staff as a strategic part of the academic community, which is largely responsible for the smooth running of the university, supports the implementation of development strategies, builds institutional resilience and enables an effective response to the changing challenges of the external environment. The Forum also provides a space for exchanging experiences, developing skills and discussing the future of higher education in areas such as digitalisation, internationalisation, well-being and change management.
During the panel discussion ‘Impact, mission, responsibility: a new model for Polish universities?’, the University of Gdańsk was represented by Dr hab. Sylwia Mrozowska, Professor at the University of Gdańsk and Director of the University’s Centre for Sustainable Development.
The discussion centred on the contemporary understanding of the university’s third mission, the challenges associated with measuring social impact, and the growing importance of universities’ responsibility towards their social and economic environment. We discussed how universities can effectively respond to the challenges of sustainable development, build lasting public value, and move from merely declaring their impact to actually measuring and reporting it.
Particular attention was paid to the role of academic administration in fulfilling the third mission, building partnerships and implementing innovative solutions that address societal needs.
The panellists were:
- Prof. Ewa Krogulec (Vice-Rector for Development, University of Warsaw).
- Anna Schmidt-Fiedler (Office for Social Innovation and Sustainable Development, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
The discussion was moderated by Dr Beata Mierzejewska, Deputy Chancellor of the Warsaw School of Economics.
Our heartfelt thanks go to the organisers – the Medical University of Gdańsk, the Academic Administration Forum Association and everyone involved in preparing the event, and in particular to Ewa Kiszka for her excellent organisation, kindness and for creating a space for inspiring discussions about the future of Polish universities.