The first edition of the University of Fahrenheit‘s postgraduate program Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Changehas ended. Thesis defenses were held at the UG Center for Sustainable Development on March 1, 2025.
We join forces for climate
Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change is a unique postgraduate program conducted by expert didacticians from the University of Gdansk, Gdansk University of Technology and Gdansk Medical University, as well as external experts. Their interdisciplinary program is the result of cooperation between representatives of the Tri-City University Councils and the Association of Fahrenheit Universities. Students have the opportunity to attend classes in six thematic modules in the fields of social sciences, science and life sciences, medical and health sciences, and engineering and technical sciences, among others. The director of the postgraduate program is Miroslawa Malinowska, PhD, of the Climate Research Laboratory, Department of Physical Oceanography and Climate Research, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdansk. The study is administered by the UG Center for Sustainable Development.
The first edition of the study began in March 2024. Its culmination was the graduation thesis defense ceremony held on March 1, 2025 at the headquarters of the Center for Sustainable Development at the Faculty of Social Sciences of UG. Among the students of the first edition will be representatives of state institutions, such as the Supreme Chamber of Control, the Ministry of Climate and Environment, and local government units, including the City of Gdansk, the City of Gdynia, as well as engineers, employees of libraries and commercial companies.
“The postgraduate studies are conducted within the framework of the Education for Sustainable Development program of the Center for Sustainable Development,” says Sylwia Mrozowska, PhD, DSc, Prof. UG, Director of the Center. “They are part of the offer that CZRUG addresses to a wide range of University stakeholders, not only to students, but also to working people. The invaluable value of our studies is the opportunity to build a network of professional contacts, which participants readily mention when summarizing their experiences with the form of education we offer.”
An interdisciplinary program and a practical look at climate challenges
Sylwia Mrozowska, PhD, DSc, Prof. UG, together with Katarzyna Kaminska-Korolczuk, PhD, DSc, Prof. UG (University of Gdansk), Prof. Dr. Lidia Wolska (Medical University of Gdansk) and Prof. Dr. Magdalena Gajewska (Gdansk University of Technology) were supervisors of the diploma theses of the participants of the first edition.
“Working with the students was an inspiring experience and an opportunity to support the research of informed, inquisitive and extremely committed specialists. The result of the postgraduate students’ work are theses that contribute to the debate on sustainable development and the directions of climate policy ,” believes Dr. Katarzyna Kamińska-Korolczuk, Prof. UG, Deputy Director of the Institute of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, UG. As she adds, the issues addressed included a wide range of challenges of mitigation and adaptation to climate change, including the geopolitical importance of rare earth metals, the role of climate migration, recommendations on how to protect the Oder River or considerations of the consequences of industrial poultry farming, as well as reflections on tools for monitoring and evaluating countries’ engagement in climate issues. “It is encouraging to see that the discussion about the future of our planet involves people who combine knowledge with passion and a sense of responsibility,” she states.
Prof. Lidia Wolska, who is also the study coordinator on behalf of the Medical University of Gdansk, notes that the issues taken up by the students in their theses have significantly expanded their knowledge, including the impact of climate change on the increase in health risks:
“One of the subject areas taught at the Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change postgraduate program was the impact of climate change on health. There was a lot of interest in this topic, as it is de facto too rarely addressed in educational processes. The public’s awareness of the impact of climate change on our health will translate into dealing with these problems on a daily basis,” notes Prof. Lidia Wolska.
Good practices from the region
An important element of the study program is also a study visit. Students of the first edition had the opportunity to visit the municipal company Gdańskie Wody, followed by the Port of Clean Energy. At the headquarters of Gdanskie Wody, the participants were introduced to the activities of the institution and the projects it carries out – including the development of green areas and the creation of rain gardens, which enable the collection of rainwater, preventing it from flowing into the municipal sewer system.
“We learned how Gdansk protects itself from floods and sudden inundations,” reports Miroslawa Malinowska, PhD, Head of Postgraduate Studies. “During the visit, we were shown how greenery was organized around the headquarters of Gdansk Water in order to manage rainwater as efficiently as possible. The participants showed great interest, asking numerous questions about, among other things, the public’s reception of Gdansk Water’s activities and the challenges the institution faces within the city. Next, we went to the Clean Energy Port, where methods of burning garbage with high energy potential were presented, as well as how to obtain heat and electricity from it. Thanks to the study visit, the listeners had the opportunity to learn about modern solutions used in practice and see live how innovative infrastructure projects are implemented,” she concludes.
New edition already in October
The launch of the next edition of the Fahrenheit University’s postgraduate program Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change is planned for October 2025. These are the next postgraduate studies conducted by the Center for Sustainable Development at the University of Gdansk, following Offshore Wind Energy. They are part of CZRUG’s mission, which is to promote the scientific potential and achievements of the University of Gdansk and to shape the attitudes of the academic community towards the goals of sustainable development.
“Next year we are opening another study devoted to the closed-loop economy,” announces Sylwia Mrozowska, PhD, DSc, Prof UG. “An important role of CZRUG is to raise awareness not only of UG students and staff, but above all of external stakeholders, employees of local government institutions, NGOs, or government offices, postgraduate studies Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change are one part of this program.”
For more information about Fahrenheit University’s postgraduate program Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change, please visit the study page: Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change