– The Copernican Academy is an example of a new dimension of cooperation at the highest level, of the most eminent representatives of the world of science in Copernican fields,” explained Minister Przemysław Czarnek.
The opening ceremony of the College of Economics and Management in Warsaw was attended, among others, by the Minister of Education and Science, Przemysław Czarnek, his deputy and at the same time the government plenipotentiary for the development and internationalisation of education and science, Tomasz Rzymkowski, representing the President of the National Bank of Poland, Prof. Adam Glapiński, First Vice-President of the NBP, Marta Kightley, as well as Bishop Tadeusz Pikus, representing His Eminence Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, and the Rector of St Anne’s Academic Church, Father Mateusz Gawarski. The Academy was represented by the Secretary General, Prof. Krzysztof Górski, PhD, the Rector of the Nicolaus Copernicus University, Prof. Leszek Markuszewski, PhD, the Dean of the newly established Chamber, Zbigniew Krysiak, PhD, and a whole group of distinguished representatives of the world of science from Poland and abroad.
A new home for Polish science
– The Academy entered into force in February, at the Copernicus Congress, and the pace of activity is very fast,” stressed the Secretary General of the Academy at the beginning of the ceremony. – ‘This is the first step in the building of the school, which will consist of five chambers, colleges, the first of which is starting today, the College of Economic Sciences and Management,’ Prof. Górski continued.
Welcoming all those gathered “in the new home” of the Academy, the Secretary-General stressed that he hoped that the institution, which was being built “at lightning speed”, after overcoming the difficulties natural to such large-scale projects, would enter a mature stage and become a permanent part of the landscape of the Polish educational and scientific world. Attracting the most eminent representatives of world thought to share their knowledge and experience with Polish researchers and students. – I believe that here under this roof we will add powerful value to how science and education are realised in Poland,” he concluded.
Leszek Markuszewski, MD, PhD, thanked all those who had initiated the establishment of the Academy and the School. – The Copernicus Academy and the Nicolaus Copernicus School are the fruit of an idea that will radiate for years for the benefit of Polish science,’ stressed the School’s rector.
The big step
– We have taken a big step and have not fallen into an abyss,” Zbigniew Krysiak, MD, PhD, vividly summed up the efforts and work on the road to realising the plan to launch the new school. – Just three months after the Academy itself was established, we already have several dozen people enrolled in MBA programmes. The teaching staff consists of a large group of experts from all over the world. Recruitment is ongoing, we start on 3 June,’ said the dean of the college opening today.
The Minister of Education and Science, Przemysław Czarnek, emphasised during his speech that the Copernicus Academy does not replace any university or other institution in Poland. – Instead, it is an example of a new dimension of cooperation at the highest level, of the most eminent representatives of the world of science in Copernican fields. It is to create the elites of Poland, Europe and the world in the next twenty years, and hopefully much longer – explained the head of the Ministry of Education.
Przemysław Czarnek also recalled that the establishment of the SGMK College of Economics and Management was the initiative of President Andrzej Duda. – The initiator – and this should always be emphasised – is the Secretary General of the Copernicus Academy, Professor Krzysztof Górski, who inspired me with his vision of cooperation in the international field between scientists from all over the world – both those of Polish origin and those who are somehow connected to Poland, even if only by bonds of friendship,” he explained.
Hope for the development of Polish science
The Minister of Education and Science also pointed out that the college opening today is only the first of five. – ‘We are embarking on this adventure, at least twenty years long, of a great programme for the development of science, not only here in Poland, but also in the world,’ the politician said.
During the ceremony, Czarnek also mentioned the observatory of the Institute of Astrophysics in Rome, where the Copernican Museum is also located, which he had visited the day before. – The link between that place, which I call the roof, the cradle of our Latin civilisation, and this place, the seat of the Copernican Academy in Warsaw, between Toruń – Copernicus’ birthplace – and Frombork – the place of his many years of activity – is very strong, he added.
– What was a theory just last year became a fact on Copernicus’ 550th birthday, and today it is gaining substance, giving us great hope for the future, hope for the development of Polish science,” Minister Czarnek pointed out.
The opening of the second college of the Nicolaus Copernicus University – the College of Philosophy and Theology – will take place in Krakow on 25 May. The ceremony will begin at 12:00.