MBA Day at the Silesian University of Technology!
Graduates and current students of MBA studies at the Silesian University of Technology met on March 28th on the MBA day at the Education and Congress Centre. The event was accompanied by the Conference “Energy – Science – Industry” with the participation of the Minister of Industry Prof. Marzena Czarnecka and the Chairman of the Industry and Energy Committee Dr. Borys Budka.
Over three hundred people have already become convinced that MBA studies at the Business School of the Silesian University of Technology is a good choice. Education is carried out here at the highest level, and graduates are distinguished managers from all over Poland. It is not without reason that the Silesian University of Technology is a forge of leaders.
“We started exactly 5 years ago and there were only 25 of us, and today there are more than 320 graduates and students, so we are very proud of how we have developed the Business School. From the very beginning we had a mission to make our students feel the power of management and modern technologies and this idea continues to guide us to this day” - says Prof. Małgorzata Dobrowolska, director of the Business School of the Silesian University of Technology.
The list of MBA graduates is getting longer. This is an excellent showcase for our university.
- “The names of people at the MBA studies of the Silesian University of Technology and what companies they represent, proves that we become a leader not only in the education of engineers, but also in higher education, in the education of managers. It is a confirmation for us that it is at the Silesian University of Technology that they find appropriate experts and a valuable dose of knowledge. Thanks to this, we gain new ambassadors” – said the Rector of the Silesian University of Technology, Prof. Marek Pawełczyk.
Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands has been a partner of MBA studies for years, and the strategic business partner for the MBA profile Energy and Digital Transformation is a global corporation – Veolia.
“The world of power industry and heating is changing dynamically, so we want the staff who join us to keep up with these new trends. Knowledge should be constantly updated” – said Robert Żmuda from Veolia.
Tailor-made education
From the very beginning, the Business School of the Silesian University of Technology aimed at education for the needs of the current labour market and enterprises. Depending on the direction in which the economy developed, in response to these processes, further profiles were opened at MBA studies. And so, the graduates have already been educated on profiles: “Industry 4.0,” “Hydrogen and Energy Transformation” and today “Energy and Digital Transformation.”
- “I myself am a graduate of MBA studies at the Silesian University of Technology and I strongly recommend this form of education to all who have an aspiration to lead teams. These studies are perfect for this. In the near future, we will need people to manage the entire transformation process, so this direction seems obvious” - emphasized Prof. Marek Gzik, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Science.
The need for further education is also seen by representatives of the largest companies in the region and in Poland, who decided to take up MBA studies at the Silesian University of Technology. Among the graduates and students there were representatives of such giants as Tauron, Veolia or the Lukasiewicz Research Network and many representatives of local governments.
On March 28th, the MBA diploma was awarded to students of the “Industry 4.0” and “Energy Transformation and Hydrogen Technologies” profiles.
- “Studies organized my managerial knowledge but also allowed me to get to know the experience of practitioners. These were valuable meetings, a perfect combination of science and practice” – said Monika Gawlik, Director of the Department of Fuel and Energy companies at the Ministry of State Assets.
“I work in an industry that has to keep a close eye on what is happening in connection with the transformation, so studying in this area has been very helpful. In normal operation, such a dose of knowledge cannot be obtained. The studies allowed me to get to know the opinions of practitioners and establish contacts with people who operate in a similar industry” – added Marcin Małek from Veolia Term.
Leaders in the time of energy transition
During the MBA Day, new students of the “Energy and Digital Transformation” profile were also welcomed. This is an extremely important field of education for managers - convinced the guests of the conference that accompanied the event.
- “Without the human factor, the transformation will not succeed. Therefore, we must have educated experts from various industries in order to carry out this process efficiently” – said Prof. Marzena Czarnecka, Minister of Industry. - “The biggest challenge for the human factor will be to change our thinking about fossil fuels, thinking about new industries and sectors.”
Dr Borys Budka, chairman of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy in the European Parliament and an employee of the Department of Energy Transformation at the University of Economics, also spoke in a similar tone.
“I am very happy that the Silesian University of Technology is moving in this direction and that we will be able to cooperate in educating top-class managers who will take part in this biggest challenge facing our region. On the map of the region, Silesian University of Technology is a bright spot when it comes to educating specialists” - said Borys Budka.
Europe is changing and the labour market is changing. We are changing the economy based on heavy industry into an economy based on modern technologies and Silesia is an example that we can go through this process efficiently and successfully, but we still need new, qualified personnel – he added. As an example, he gave Gliwice, where the Katowice Special Economic Zone already has its branch, and companies that operate in the hi-tech industry, produce drones or modern space technologies.
The authorities of Gliwice, like most Silesian self-governments, recognize the need for change during the transition period and are themselves open to hiring experts who will efficiently help them to go through this process.
- “I am satisfied that these specialists are educated here, in Gliwice, at the Silesian University of Technology. They will serve not only the city and the region, but also the state, which must dynamically adapt to changes” – said Katarzyna Kuczyńska-Budka, Mayor of the City of Gliwice. – “As a city, we are also looking for a power industry engineer, which will be able to focus all topics related to the broadly understood transformation. I think that from local and regional governments to the state administration, these experts will have their hands full.”
Scientists, local governments, and entrepreneurs are getting more and more boldly into the process of change. On the MBA Day, the Vice-President of Tauron announced revolutionary changes in business.
“In December 2024, we implemented our new strategy, which assumes over the next 10 years decarbonization of district heating systems, large development of renewable energy sources and gradual extinction of conventional coal units,” said Piotr Gołębiowski, Vice-President of the Management Board for Trade at Tauron Polska Energia.
"This is a huge challenge, we will allocate about PLN 100 billion for this purpose and although we have 19 qualified employees on board, we will still be looking for new graduates of such studies who deal with modern technologies" - he added.
We wish all graduates of MBA studies at the Business School of the Silesian University of Technology further successes. We keep our fingers crossed for fruitful learning for people who are starting their education path. All interested in MBA studies at the Silesian University of Technology are asked to contact the Business School.
Recruitment Contact:
Michał Dudek, tel. 32 400 30 95; + 48 885 951 905
Link to the recruitment form: irk.polsl.pl
fot. Maciej Mutwil
