Meeting of the Council of Experts

On September 16, 2021, the meeting of the Council of Experts of the Faculty of Economics was held at the University of Gdańsk. The main subject of the meeting was "The competences of the future - how to better support innovation in the framework of training programs implemented in cooperation with business". The meeting itself was held in a hybrid form, some participants were present at the meeting, while others participated in the on-line discussion.

All the participants were officially welcomed by the Dean of the Faculty of Economics, dr hab. Monika Bąk, prof. UG. During her speech, the Dean presented the concept of the coming academic year in pandemic situation, based on a hybrid form, with the readiness to switch to a fully remote form in case of an increase of covid cases.

The next part of the meeting was started by the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Dr. Magdalena Markiewicz, who presented reflections on the Finnish educational system based on her study visit to the University of Helsinki and the University of Tampere. During the lecture, the cooperation of science and business from the perspective of Finnish universities was discussed, along with an indication of the impact of the entire education process, starting from the early preschool years, on shaping the attitudes of young people. The Deputy Dean paid special attention to some key aspects of the Finnish system, including the holistic approach, recognition, and development of talents of children and youth from an early age, the concept of long-life learning, as well as the pillars of Finnish education: impact, quality and internationalization. The role of focus of Finnish universities on the "employability" of graduates was also emphasized. The „employability” means adjustment of the graduates’ competences to the labor market and providing the opportunity to pursue satisfactory professional careers.

In the following part of the meeting, a panel debate was held which was focused on supporting innovation and the development of entrepreneurial qualities. The panel debate was attended by: Dr Tomasz Szymczak, acting President of the Management Board of the Mazowieckie Airport Warszawa Modlin, Dr. hab. Paweł Pietrasieński, Professor of the Warsaw School of Economics, Director of International Trade, Nevada Governor's Office for Economic Development and Mrs Agata Ciesielska from the Pomeranian Science and Technology Park and Start-up Zone.

The participants of the debate discussed the features desired in young entrepreneurs, the necessary knowledge they should have, the external conditions for running a business in Poland, as well as the support models for young entrepreneurs that operate around the world, with the focus on the American, German, or Scandinavian models. During the discussion, special attention was paid to possible forms of support and assistance for young entrepreneurs provided by universities, both in the form of mentoring by academic lecturers and in a more institutionalized form, i.e., organizational units dedicated to support students, which not only provide consultancy and legal services, but also, for example, attract investors for students’ start-ups. The second important aspect of the discussion related to the consideration of soft skills required from young entrepreneurs and the role of universities in the development of these competences, including the atmosphere of openness and building a supporting environment. The third of the most important areas identified during the debate were issues related to the political and legal environment (triple / quadruple helix) and their impact on young people's interest in the path of entrepreneurship. The Board of Experts members, Mr. Rafał Stepnowski (Director of Government Affairs, Boeing) and Mr. Jacek Tymiński (owner of Vetro Port & Shipping Services) talked about their paths of business development. The discussion also highlighted the importance of learning and drawing conclusions from trials and failures, as well as the issue of trust and risk in the development of the enterprise.

We would like to thank all members of the Board of Experts, heads of Departments and invited guests for participating in the meeting.

The meeting of the Council of Experts again was the proof of cooperation and dialogue between the Faculty of Economics and representatives of the economic environment. The creative discussion provided many inspirations in the field of academic education in the spirit of entrepreneurship.