From 6 to 8 May 2026, Gdańsk University of Technology opened its doors to nearly 100 staff members from across the ENHANCE university alliance. The three-day GREAT Programme Staff Week — the grand finale of a months-long series of online meetings — brought academic and administrative professionals together for hands-on knowledge exchange, skills development, and genuine cross-institutional connection. All our distinguished ENHANCE member institutions sent delegates to participate in this week of learning and growing together.
Tailored Pathways for Every Professional
The programme offered multiple development tracks matched to participants' roles and experience. Alongside the thematic Knowledge Hubs, a dedicated Basic Track welcomed administrative staff who are at the start of their international journey. Through job shadowing — live workplace observation and direct conversations with Gdańsk Tech colleagues in equivalent roles — participants built intercultural communication skills, discovered fresh approaches to daily work, and forged connections with peers navigating similar professional environments.
The event launched with an official ceremony in the Auditorium of the Faculty of Management and Economics, presided over by Gdańsk Tech's Rector, Prof. Krzysztof Wilde, Chair of the ENHANCE Board of Directors. In his welcoming address, the Rector emphasised that bringing academic and administrative staff together is fundamental to shaping a truly modern European university. The Gdańsk gathering marked the closing chapter of the GREAT Programme, and the ENHANCE Office — working closely with university departments — delivered a programme that seamlessly blended academic depth with practical experience and social connection.
Five Knowledge Hubs, One Shared Goal
Central to the week was the GREAT Programme (Global Recognition of Employee Achievement and Training in Higher Education Institutions) — a structured series of lectures and interactive workshops culminating in an officially recognised micro-credential. Participants engaged across five thematic Hubs:
International Exchange Hub — supporting researcher and staff mobility across borders
Methodological Hub — rethinking and redesigning contemporary teaching approaches
Open Science Hub — exploring the ethical dimensions of AI in research and best practices in Research Data Management (RDM)
Employee Functional Diversity Hub — fostering inclusive workplaces, with a focus on neurodivergent colleagues (autism spectrum, ADHD) and those managing chronic conditions
Wellbeing Hub — building psychological resilience, promoting health, and cultivating supportive team cultures
Where Work Meets Wellbeing: Sports, Celebration, and a Fitting Farewell
Beyond the classroom, the organising team ensured that wellbeing was lived rather than just talked about — on days two and three, participants made their way to the Academic Sports Centre for beach volleyball, football, nordic walking, and a dedicated relaxation zone, with a mindful forest walk standing out as a particular favourite for its calming, restorative qualities. The social highlight of the week was the gala dinner held in the Fahrenheit Courtyard of the Main Building, where Vice-Rector for Research Prof. Dariusz Mikielewicz joined guests for an evening of live music and warm conversation — the kind of setting where professional relationships deepen into lasting partnerships. Attendees from Berlin, Delft, and Zurich left Gdańsk not only with new skills, but with an overwhelmingly positive impression of Gdańsk Tech as a modern, open, and genuinely welcoming institution. The week drew to a close on Friday, 8 May, with a formal certificate ceremony in the Heweliusz Courtyard, where each active participant received a micro-credential signed by Vice-Rector for Education Prof. Mariusz Kaczmarek — a well-deserved acknowledgement of the dedication and growth demonstrated throughout the programme.
A heartfelt thank you to Gdańsk University of Technology — an esteemed and deeply valued member in our alliance — for hosting this year's GREAT Programme Staff Week with such professionalism, warmth, and care. From the seamless logistics to the thoughtful programme design, every detail reflected the dedication of the local organising team at the ENHANCE Office Gdańsk and the wider university community. Gdańsk Tech's commitment to international collaboration and staff development is an inspiration to the entire alliance, and this week was a true reflection of the spirit and values we share.
We are already looking forward to what comes next together.
Looking Ahead
The ENHANCE GREAT Staff Week at Gdańsk Tech was more than a successful event — it was a vivid demonstration of what the ENHANCE alliance stands for. When staff from ten of Europe's leading universities of technology come together to share knowledge, build skills, and forge genuine human connections, the mission of responsible societal transformation moves from vision to reality. The relationships formed in Gdańsk's courtyards, forest paths, and seminar rooms will ripple outward into classrooms, research projects, and administrative practices across the continent. As ENHANCE members continue to grow and deepen its collaborative work, the alliance remains focused and committed to investing in its people, championing internationalisation, and helping to shape the European university of the future.
