Silesian University of Technology Contributes to International Interdisciplinary PBL Projects in ENVIHEI Winter School
The Silesian University of Technology (SUT) played a leading role in the ENVIHEI Winter School held from 23–27 February 2026 at Montanuniversität Leoben (MUL), Austria, with both staff members and students from SUT forming one of the strongest and most active delegations in the entire programme. Their engagement and expertise significantly shaped the academic, organisational, and collaborative dimensions of the event, underscoring the University’s commitment to student‑centred learning and sustainability‑oriented education.
The Winter School took place within the Erasmus+ project ENVIHEI – Student-centered learning for Environmental Sustainability at Higher Education Institutions. The ENVIHEI consortium comprises five European universities: Universidad de León (ULE, Spain), Montanuniversität Leoben (MUL, Austria), the Silesian University of Technology (SUT, Poland), Universiteit Hasselt (UH, Belgium), and Aalborg University (AAU, Denmark).
From SUT, 11 supervisors and mentors and 9 students participated in the programme. During the Winter School, students from all partner universities worked in mixed interdisciplinary teams on five sustainability‑oriented project topics. These included recovering metals from used mobile phones, designing sustainable irrigation systems, exploring eco‑innovation in metallic materials production, improving energy efficiency in electronic systems, and developing sustainable bicycle concepts. With guidance from mentors and sustainability experts, the teams developed innovative prototypes and solutions using project‑based learning (PBL) methodologies.
The programme also offered opportunities to connect academic work with real‑world industry perspectives. Participants visited voestalpine Stahl Donawitz to learn about low‑carbon steel production strategies and toured industrial facilities to observe modern manufacturing processes. Another visit to Jamila Coffee Roastery focused on sustainability practices in small‑scale production and responsible sourcing.
The Winter School concluded with a Final Presentations Session. The winning project was developed by Team 4, working on the topic “Develop a bicycle design and construction project that incorporates environmental sustainability criteria.”
The team was supervised by Gabriel Medina Martínez (ULE) and mentored by Jorge Peláez Blanco (ULE) and Magdalena Palacz (SUT).
The student team consisted of Magdalena Jureczko (SUT), Marcel Martynus (SUT), Guillermo Alba Buitrón (ULE), and Alberto España Carette (ULE).
Their bicycle design was recognised by the jury for its outstanding integration of engineering excellence and environmental responsibility. The project focused on reducing aerodynamic drag, lowering structural weight, and incorporating sustainable materials, circular‑economy principles, and CO₂‑reduction strategies. The result was a technically validated and market‑ready concept.
The ENVIHEI Winter School highlighted the importance of student‑centred and sustainability‑focused learning in preparing future engineers and innovators. Through international cooperation and interdisciplinary teamwork, participants developed practical solutions to complex environmental challenges and strengthened the green competencies essential for Europe’s sustainable transformation.
