Report from the UG Faculty of Economics students' trip to Izmir
From October 11–16, 2026, students from the Faculty of Economics – under the guidance of Dr. Joanna Bednarz, Prof. UG, and Dr. Marcin Krzaczek – visited Izmir, Turkey, as part of the international Erasmus+ BIP program, "Changing the Export Game." The project brought together students from the University of Gdańsk and partner institutions in Turkey (Dokuz Eylül University in Izmir), Romania ("1 December 1918" University of Alba Iulia), and Germany (Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences).
Participants tackled real-world business challenges related to sustainable development in collaboration with the Aegean Exporters’ Associations (EIB). They examined actual barriers to implementing sustainable practices within the SME sector and designed concrete, actionable solutions to improve cooperation, external communication, and the exchange of knowledge regarding expansion into foreign markets. These recommendations were presented to the EIB board.
The winning team included students from Turkey, Germany, and Romania, alongside Ignacy Kosmowski from the University of Gdańsk’s Faculty of Economics and Ewelina Staniec from the University of Gdańsk’s Faculty of Management. The winning team was supervised by Dr. Marcin Krzaczek.
“Working in an international group requires adaptability and compromise. The project was complex and demanded a high level of commitment. We presented our innovative solution to representatives of the association, who received it very positively. I would recommend BIP trips to anyone who enjoys working on projects and wants to test their skills in an international environment," said Ignacy Kosmowski, a member of the winning team.
"The 'Changing the Export Game' BIP proved to be a highly engaging and challenging task for the students. The opportunity to grapple with real-world problems faced by exporters, work within an intercultural setting, and exchange diverse viewpoints was an invaluable experience—one that will undoubtedly serve our students well as they develop their professional careers," noted Dr. Marcin Krzaczek.
"My collaboration with Dokuz Eylül University spans over a decade, and this BIP is yet another joint initiative demonstrating what can be achieved through mutual trust and commitment. I have organized several such student trips; while each was unique, they all offered an exceptional intellectual adventure and a valuable chance to work in an international environment. That is precisely the strength of BIPs: they combine work on real-world business challenges with the exchange of knowledge and perspectives within international teams. This allows students to bridge the gap between theory and practice, cultivate intercultural competencies, and collaboratively develop solutions that would be difficult to devise in a homogeneous setting," said Dr. hab. Joanna Bednarz, Professor at the University of Gdańsk (UG).
