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Katowice received the title of European City of Science 2024. Cooperation of the local government and the academic community in the organization of events, including the Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE, was appreciated by the organization EuroScience from Strasbourg. During a press conference on 22 December 2021, 7 higher education institutions from the Silesian region signed an agreement to establish a consortium of Silesian universities EMN Katowice 2024. The Silesian University of Technology is one of the signatories.

The title of European City of Science is awarded every two years by EuroScience (European Association for the Development of Science and Technology) - the largest pan-European association bringing together researchers and scientists from across Europe. Katowice's application for this distinction was initiated by the Mayor of Katowice, Dr. Marcin Krupa, and the Rector of the University of Silesia, Prof. Ryszard Koziołek, representing the academic community, and it is related, among other things, to the organisation of the EuroScience Open Forum 2024, an event dedicated to scientific research, innovation and technology of key importance for the future of the world.
The selection of Katowice as the European City of Science 2024 was announced by Professor Michaël Matlosz, President of EuroScience, during a press conference on 22 December at the Scientific Information Centre and Academic Library. Thus, Katowice has become the first city in Central and Eastern Europe to hold this title.

- We have a big, big job to do. And I think that this is a great challenge for us today. Firstly, because this title, which obliges us, means that a series of investments await us. These are investments in science, in the society of this region and in our inhabitants," said the Mayor of Katowice, Dr. Marcin Krupa, during the meeting. - The second point is the issue of our cooperation. Local government - universities. The idea came from the universities and the help came from the universities. We, as the city, contributed with a "small stone", saying that yes, we care about it because it is a new vision of Katowice. This is what we once tried to do, and it has borne excellent fruit. I am thinking here of culture - of our city and region. Thanks to this cooperation, we are showing science, which is an important element of our Silesian land.
- I would like to congratulate and I am very happy that Katowice has been chosen as European City of Science for 2024 because Katowice like in a lens brings together great technical, technological, industrial projects and aspirations concerning the future. It is great that life changes science, but I also think that the sentence: science changes life is equally true. And science is changing our lives at an accelerated pace and it may contribute to the fact that this region, that Katowice as the heart of this region, will be a victorious region, not only here and now, but also in the following decades, for the next 10 years, because we know how deep industrial and post-industrial, technical and technological changes are taking place in Upper Silesia and Katowice,' Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister, pointed out during his speech.
The Silesian University of Technology is one of the institutions responsible for applying for the title of the European City of the Future 2024. 22 December saw the ceremonial signing of an agreement on the establishment of a consortium, which was signed by the rectors of the universities: It was signed by the rectors of the Silesian University of Technology, University of Silesia, K. Szymanowski Academy of Music, Academy of Fine Arts, J. Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Medical University of Silesia, University of Economics and the consortium's strategic partner - the City of Katowice.
- I am extremely pleased with this huge success of the City of Katowice. The city which is the capital of the Upper Silesian region. First of all, also because it is a success not only of the city but also of the whole region. The actions which are taken in the city have an impact on the entire region. The last years of transformation, since 1989, have shown how important it is to have strong academic centres and institutions conducting scientific research and implementation works in order to attract investors from outside, and to develop economically - emphasised the rector of the Silesian University of Technology, professor Arkadiusz Mężyk.

The awarding of the EMN 2024 title is the recognition of the city of Katowice and Silesian universities for the organization of such events as the UN Climate Change Conference (COP24), UN World Urban Forum 2022 or the Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE. However, Katowice is first and foremost a city that supports high quality education, science and modern technologies - also in the area of sustainable development activities - which are created in cooperation with scientific centres located in Upper Silesia.
The partners of the academic consortium 'Katowice - A City of Science' will undertake objectives related to the dissemination of knowledge and education as well as joint scientific projects. These will be activities in the field of the role of science in counteracting the climate crisis and threats to civilisation, the role of science in the energy transformation of the region, the creation and implementation of new technologies, deepening the knowledge of science and the development of new technologies.