Academic presentations and meetings with researchers from Torrens University, representatives of the Polish-Australian Chamber of Commerce, the diplomatic community and the Polish academic diaspora were the main highlights of the visit to Brisbane by Dr hab. Sylwia Mrozowska, prof. UG, Director of the University’s Centre for Sustainable Development. She represented the University of Gdańsk at the MMIRA 2026 Global Conference and during a study visit to Torrens University, Australia.
Mixed methods in research on contemporary challenges – the University of Gdańsk’s participation in the MMIRA 2026 Global Conference
The MMIRA 2026 Global Conference, dedicated to the application of mixed methods research in studies on social, environmental, health and political challenges, took place in Brisbane from 24 to 27 August 2026. The event was organised by the Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA) in collaboration with Torrens University Australia.
The conference was held under the theme ‘Navigating the Polycrisis: Mixed Methods for a Changing World’. The conference focused predominantly on issues relating to climate change, public health, inequality and social justice, education and migration. Other key topics included the integration of quantitative and qualitative data, the use of artificial intelligence in research, the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the incorporation of the experiences of local communities – including Australia’s Indigenous peoples – into the research process.
The University of Gdańsk was represented by Dr hab. Sylwia Mrozowska, Prof. UG, Director of the University’s Centre for Sustainable Development. During the round-table session chaired by Professor Burke Johnson, she presented a paper entitled ‘Enabling Local Energy Communities: Insights from Mixed Methods Research in Poland’. The presentation focused on the findings of research into the development of local energy communities and experiences relating to the use of mixed methods in analysing the conditions governing their operation in Poland.
Dr Rafał Raczyński, coordinator of the CZRUG Migration Observatory, and Dr Kamila Kowalska, an expert at the Observatory, participated remotely in the round-table session chaired by Professor Heinz Herrmann. Together with Dominika Ohana, they presented a paper entitled “Exploring Migrant Entrepreneurial Pathways: A Comparative Mixed Methods Study of Australia, Italy, and Ireland”. The presentation focused on a comparative analysis of migrant entrepreneurial pathways in Australia, Italy and Ireland, conducted using mixed methods.
Study visit to Torrens University Australia
Participation in the conference was accompanied by a study visit to Torrens University Australia. The programme included meetings on prospects for academic and institutional cooperation, as well as on developing relationships between the academic community, business and public administration.
Dr hab. Sylwia Mrozowska, prof. UG, met, amongst others, with Professor Claire Davison, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Technology at Torrens University; Professor Michelle Whitford, Acting Dean of the Business School; and Professor Ros Cameron, Director of the Centre for Organisational Change and Agility. Discussions centred on areas of research collaboration, the exchange of experiences and opportunities for joint initiatives between the University of Gdańsk’s Centre for Sustainable Development and Torrens University, particularly in the context of Australia’s association with Pillar II of the ‘Horizon Europe’ programme in 2027. A key highlight of the visit was a meeting with representatives of the Polish diplomatic corps, the academic community, the business sector, and the Polish scientific and professional community in Australia. The event was attended by Karolina Cemka, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Republic of Poland in Australia; Dr Theresa Elizabeth Lauf, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland in Queensland; and Anna Kawałowska, an economic policy expert at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Canberra.