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Representation of doctoral students

Polish Association of Doctoral Candidates (KRD)
The purpose of the Polish Association of Doctoral Candidates is to act for the benefit of doctoral students, in particular by:

representing and promoting the environment of doctoral students,
expressing opinions and presenting conclusions on matters concerning all doctoral students, including giving opinions on drafts and normative acts,
protection of the rights and interests of doctoral students in the country and Polish doctoral students abroad,
taking care of improving the quality of doctoral education,
supporting and promoting self-government and mobility of doctoral students, popularizing science.

You can find further information on the KRD at the official website or on posters in Polish and English
University Council of the Self-Government of Doctoral Candidates of Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology (USRD)
The University Council of the Self-Government of Doctoral Candidates of Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology (formerly the University of Technology and Life Sciences in Bydgoszcz) was established in 2009 following the Act on Higher Education on the initiative of PBS Ph.D. candidates. The first chairperson of the Council was its founder Eugenia Fronczak, who was followed by Konrad Majtka. In 2012, the first Board of the URSD was formed, headed by the then President, Katarzyna Koczwara (Vice President: Joanna Kaniewska, Secretary: Dominika Pietruszyńska). Since then, the Self-Government has started to develop dynamically and act for the benefit of all Ph.D. students by undertaking a number of initiatives aimed at integrating the environment of young PBS scientists.

In 2012, at the Training Congress in Sulejów, the URSD joined the Agreement of Doctoral Candidates of Technical Universities. Participation in the Training Meetings of the Agreement allows Council Members to exchange information and experience between doctoral students, implement joint scientific projects and represent and promote PBS at the forum of associated Technical Universities in Poland. We use the experience and knowledge gained during the Conventions to solve the problems of our University’s doctoral students and implement other new solutions that are successfully used at other Technical Universities.

The URSD of Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology is also very active locally. In 2012, cooperation was also established with Kazimierz Wielki University doctoral students in Bydgoszcz. With the support of the Polish Association of Doctoral Candidates, the 5th Conference entitled Model funkcjonowania studiów doktoranckich. Rok pod rządami nowej Ustawy [Model of functioning of doctoral studies. A year under the new Act]. This conference was top-rated among doctoral students from all over Poland. Numerous participants of this conference were also doctoral students from Bydgoszcz universities.

During the 2012/2013 term, the URSD organized a charity Event. All proceeds collected during the “Spring Campaign” supported the purchase of a prosthetic leg for a family member of one of our doctoral students. The event was top-rated not only among doctoral students but also among the entire community of Bydgoszcz students.

In cooperation with the Polish Association of Doctoral Candidates, URSD at PBS organized training workshops under the patronage of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the National Science Centre, the National Centre for Research and Development and the Foundation for Polish Science. During the workshops, doctoral students could deepen their knowledge of financing science and protecting intellectual property.

The then Board initiated a cyclical scientific event, the Interdisciplinary Scientific Symposium of Doctoral Students of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship entitled Nauka niejedno ma imię… [Science has more than one name...]. The conference was a great success, and the next edition of this event attracted the interest of Ph.D. students from both Kuyavia and Pomerania and Ph.D. students from all over Poland. It prompted the current Management Board to change the name of the Symposium to the Interdisciplinary Scientific Symposium of Ph.D. Students entitled Nauka niejedno ma imię… . the participants of the 3rd edition of the Symposium included Ph.D. students of Warsaw University of Technology, Łódź University of Technology, the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poznań University of Life Sciences. Following the completion of two editions of the Symposium, the URSD took part in the work on the publication of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd volumes of the monograph entitled Nauka niejedno ma imię…, which was the aftermath of organized scientific meetings.

In 2014, the URSD undertook to organize the 20th Congress of the Agreement of Doctoral Candidates of Technical Universities. During the meeting, the following topics were discussed: “Raising funds for foreign internships for doctoral students,” “Doctorate 2020: the concept, perspectives, implementation”. The participants of the Congress took part in the SHOPA Design Thinking Regional Innovation Center training, during which they became acquainted with the methodology of practical and creative problem-solving. The crowning achievement of the Congress was the Jubilee Ball of the Agreement of Doctoral Candidates of Technical Universities. Apart from delegates and observers, the founders of the Agreement also took part, which was also an opportunity to recall the Agreement’s background.

Members of the URSD participate in all initiatives organized by PBS, thus promoting not only their activities but also individual Faculties, encouraging potential students to study at Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, e.g. Bydgoszcz Festival of Science or Open Doors of the University and Faculties. In addition, members of the Council took part in the WIPRO BIO 2013 Innovation and Patents Exhibition, aiming to create conditions for increasing and intensifying cooperation between the scientific community and the economy.

The URSD members constantly improve their qualifications, gaining knowledge and experience by participating in numerous conferences, training and workshops, e.g. in soft skills or financing science.
Meetings of the URSD PBS Council are a continuous exchange of experiences and continuous improvement. In its activities, the Council is primarily concerned with ensuring that our doctoral students function better in the structures of the PBS and that they can pursue their scientific goals and develop their skills without any obstacles.

e-mail address: ursd@pbs.edu.pl
Currently, the members of URSD include

MSc Katarzyna Kurczowa
MSc Kinga Majewska-Laks
MA Natalia Pieniek-Gniadek
MSc Aleksandra Bech
MSc Sławomir Wilczewski
the President of the URSD: Natalia Pieniek-Gniadek, contact e-mail address: natpie006@pbs.edu.pl

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