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Summary of the events of the European City of Science Katowice 2024
The celebrations of the European City of Science Katowice 2024 are slowly coming to an end. However, there is no end to the cooperation of the University Consortium that created this initiative. During the 8th Silesian Science Festival, the Declaration of the City of Science has been signed, which is to confirm the continuation of joint activities.
During the 8th Silesian Science Festival, the events of the European City of Science Katowice 2024 were summed up. For 50 weeks they joined forces of seven public academic centres operating in the Silesian Voivodeship.
During the 50 weeks of science, the scientific and research potential of all universities was presented, events were organized in all units which co-operated with each other regardless of the discipline. It is already known that this cooperation will not end there, and joint initiatives of Silesian universities will continue. To prove this, The Declaration of the City of Science was signed during the Festival.
It is a document aimed at integrating all Universities, but also residents of the Silesian Voivodeship in a common purpose. It is to build a space for meetings, conversations, and various activities, which will result in the transformation of our region into an even better place to live.
The declaration contains seven points in which the signatories declare that science can and will have an impact on transformation.
On behalf of the Silesian University of Technology, the document was signed by the Rector of the Silesian University of Technology, Prof. Dr Hab. Eng. Marek Pawełczyk.

- Signing this declaration is a confirmation that after a year of intensive cooperation, the Consortium universities are not parting, on the contrary, we are strengthening cooperation and we want to continue to develop academic Silesia – confirmed the Rector, while stressing that the year of cooperation of Silesian universities brought many benefits.
- The European City of Science Katowice 2024 was an initiative that allowed to establish cooperation frameworks, schedules, people responsible for individual tasks and it worked. Now we are at such a stage of cooperation that we can go a step further and having tested these mechanisms of action, we want to think about joint scientific research, undertakings and common didactic goals – added the Rector.
In practice, this means, for example, the possibility of launching joint courses of study, creating consortia that will seek to co-finance important scientific and research projects. All of this is to affect the social and economic transformation of the region.
- Intensive exploitation of natural resources devastated the environment and health of many generations of Silesian residents. During the EMNK 2024 celebrations, many ideas were created on how to diagnose and repair the damage that the industry has left behind, and how to continue the idea of the City of Science in the future - we read in the official document encouraging to sign the declaration. In addition to officials, anyone can submit an electronic signature under the declaration.
The authorities of the Silesian University of Technology have no doubts that the continuation of cooperation of Silesian universities will bring many benefits for the residents.
The summary of the European City of Science celebration is not only a declaration. The authorities of the Silesian University of Technology have no doubt that the balance of benefits after this year is huge.
- It was an intense year and there were so many activities that we could not even keep up with all of them. It was an excellent opportunity to present the potential of the Silesian University of Technology. Both young and older scientists presented the results of their research, the activity they conducted not only in the last year, but for years – said Prof. Eng. Bożena Skołud Vice-Rector for General Affairs of the Silesian University of Technology and added that the possibility of organizing so many events popularizing science and showing the directions of activity of the Silesian University of Technology have an impact on interest in studying at the Silesian University of Technology.
There are still a few weeks left until the end of the European City of Science celebrations. We invite you to participate in the last activities that will take place during the Week of Materials. The curators of this week are the scientists of the Silesian University of Technology.
fot. Tomasz Stokłosa
