NeuroAton at the Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk – Student Ideas for a More Accessible and Inclusive University
On 1 June, NeuroAton took place at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Gdańsk. The event marked the conclusion of the course “Neurodiversity and Inclusive Business Innovations”, taught by Dr Agata Olechnowicz-Szewczyk.
The inspiration for the event was NeuroAton PG – an ideathon dedicated to neurodiversity in the academic environment and to designing solutions supporting neurodivergent people. The initiative was conceived by Piotr Majewski, MSc Eng., a doctoral student at Gdańsk University of Technology whose research focuses on neurodiversity in management. Dr Elżbieta Karwowska from Gdańsk University of Technology was also involved in the development of this initiative.
During the event, students of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Gdańsk developed projects that incorporated the perspective of neurodiversity at the university. Their task was to propose solutions that could support accessibility, well-being, comfort of studying, and better functioning of all students in the academic space.
The projects were presented to a jury composed of Dr Leszek Reszka, Associate Professor at the University of Gdańsk, Dr Agata Olechnowicz-Szewczyk, Dr Jakub Kwiatkowski, and Piotr Majewski, MSc Eng. Two projects received special recognition from the jury, but all of them deserved appreciation – both for the students’ engagement and for their attentiveness to the needs of neurodivergent people.
NeuroAton was undoubtedly a unique event. Every participant took something valuable from it – knowledge, inspiration, experience of collaboration, and the feeling of contributing to something truly meaningful. As emphasised at the end of the event by the Deputy Dean for Student Affairs and Education, Leszek Reszka, Associate Professor, it is particularly important for the Faculty of Economics to implement solutions in teaching and in the academic space that support the well-being of all students and help build a university that is more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming.
We warmly congratulate the students on their creativity, social sensitivity, and courage in addressing a topic that is becoming increasingly important in contemporary higher education.
