The Silesian University of Technology has become an arena of discussion about education
School directors, teachers, and employees of institutions from all over the Silesian Voivodeship met at the Forum of Directors of Secondary Schools, which was held for the first time at the Silesian University of Technology. The event was an arena for exchanging experiences and establishing new partnerships in the field of education in secondary schools.
On October the 9th, 2025, the Forum of Directors of Secondary Schools took place at the Education and Congress Centre of the Silesian University of Technology. This is the first such event organized in the region. The initiator of this event was the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education, Prof. Dr Hab. Eng. Anna Chrobok.
- The aim of this event is to create new partnerships and intensify those that already exist between secondary schools and the Silesian University of Technology, but also with other centres working in the broadly understood area of education - emphasized the Vice-Rector. Thus, the Silesian University of Technology is once again strongly involved in the education of secondary school pupils. - We want to recruit the best candidates, which is why we are conducting very wide activities so that young people from the region will find their place within the walls of the Silesian University of Technology already during their education in secondary school. Thus, young people will be able to explore these areas of their interest, which will later be reflected in the fields of study – she added.
The Rector of the Silesian University of Technology, Prof. Dr Hab. Eng. Marek Pawełczyk pointed out that the only answer to contemporary challenges is capital in the form of well-educated young people.
- We want to be participants in this process of education at our universities, at the Silesian University of Technology, but also at earlier stages. In order for us to do this effectively, we need properly prepared youth, so we will be very happy to join your educational processes - practical and tactical, so that we can best continue what you have started.
The meeting of the secondary school staff was also an opportunity to present the offer of the Silesian University of Technology to the directors, with an emphasis on engineering fields of study. It was also important to provide information on the methods of education and the possibility of further education for teachers within the walls of our University.
The forum was held not only with the participation of the authorities of the Silesian University of Technology, but also with the entities involved in the education of youth. Among the guests there were also representatives of the Marshal’s Office, the Silesian Education Board, and local governments.
- It is very good that such conferences are held. This teaches us what to do in order to cooperate with other units responsible for education at the next educational stage - said Anna Dyla, Silesian Education Curator. – In addition, the topics discussed today are crucial. These are the problems that we need to solve, how to prepare young people so that they can adapt to the very dynamic development of the economy and find themselves on the labour market – she added.
The participants of the forum have indeed had the opportunity to broaden their knowledge about contemporary educational challenges. They discussed the methods of education at the Silesian University of Technology, modern educational tools, and competences of the future, which
should be taught in secondary schools. These topics were discussed both during the debate and backstage.
The panel was attended by representatives of educational institutions, and also by Anna Kwaśniewska – Director of the Education Department of the Marshal Office of the Silesian Voivodeship, who stressed that the local government of the Silesian Voivodeship has a huge impact on vocational education. She also assured that the unit follows current trends in education, it is in constant contact with representatives of educational institutions and, using external funds, tries to support this process.
The signing of cooperation agreements between the Silesian University of Technology and the Department of Education of the Marshal Office of the Silesian Voivodeship, and between the Silesian University of Technology and the Silesian Education Board were the confirmation of openness to cooperation and dialog, aimed at improving the quality of education.
The Parties agreed that the cooperation may include the implementation of educational programs, courses, trainings, study visits, lectures, and seminars addressed to school directors, teachers, pupils and their parents and students of the Silesian University of Technology. It is also planned to prepare and implement educational programs, courses, and lectures for the employees of the Education Board by the Silesian University of Technology. Joint activities will also include the development of scientific, research and educational projects and support for educational and information activities carried out in cooperation with our University. An important aspect of the agreement is also the creation of joint popular science publications and audiovisual materials dedicated to school directors, teachers, pupils, and their parents.
The event was attended by over a hundred representatives of schools from the Silesian voivodeships. Among them, Dr Anna Borysławska, director of the Academic Secondary Comprehensive School in Gliwice, who did not hide her satisfaction that it was the Silesian University of Technology that became the arena of exchange of experience among the school managers.
- We all know about the problems in the education system. This is another difficult year in schools, still other changes in the teachers’ charter which we have to deal with, but we do not want to focus on it. It is better to talk about these good experiences and what we can do better at school. It is always very valuable for me to listen to what is happening in state schools – she said. The opportunity to talk with colleagues in the field proved to be an important element of the Forum, but equally valuable was the opportunity to participate in workshops conducted by experts of the Silesian University of Technology.
- I was interested in the workshops on cybercrime because it is a topic very timely and I think that in this area we are still under-educated - admitted Joanna Ziemska, deputy director of the Chemical-Medical and General Education School Complex in Tarnowskie Góry.
In total, the participants of the Forum could take part in four trainings. The first one was devoted to AI as a tool of the future in education, the next ones concerned cybersecurity, competences of the future and so-called green competences.
fot. Maciej Mutwil
