Graduation Gala of the Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk, 23 October 2026. Succeses, Gratitude, and Inspiring Speeches

wydarzenia

On 23 October 2026, a formal graduation ceremony was held in Sopot to celebrate the graduates of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Gdańsk who completed their Master’s degree programmes in the 2025/2026 academic year.

The graduates of the Faculty of Economics receiving their Master’s degrees represented the following programmes:

Environmental Business and Technology – an interdisciplinary programme delivered jointly with the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Gdańsk
Economics, with specialisations in Business Analytics in Enterprises, Business Intelligence in an Open Economy, E-commerce, Logistics, and Business Development Strategies
International Business – a programme taught in English
Logistics and Mobility – a programme taught in English
International Economic Relations, with specialisations in Global Financial Services, Foreign Trade, International Managerial Economics, International Marketing Strategies, and International Transport and Maritime Trade

Opening Ceremony

The ceremony opened with a formal academic procession entering the hall, followed by the Polish national anthem. The guests were welcomed by Dr Magdalena Markiewicz, Deputy Dean for Development and Cooperation with the Socio-Economic Environment, who also hosted the Gala.

She welcomed Dr hab. Urszula Patocka-Sigłowy, Professor of the University of Gdańsk, Deputy Rector for Student Affairs; Dr hab. Wojciech Bizon, Professor of the University of Gdańsk, Dean of the Faculty of Economics; the Deputy Deans; members of the Faculty Council; academic supervisors; and, above all, the graduates, accompanied by their parents, families and friends.

“Dear students, dear graduates, as today you have officially and permanently changed your status,” she said, addressing the evening’s guests of honour.

The ceremony was conducted in both Polish and English. Dr Magdalena Markiewicz addressed the graduates of International Business and Logistics and Mobility in English, wishing them a wonderful evening celebrating this special occasion with their families and friends.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Faculty’s socio-economic partners:

Krzysztof Gutta, President of the Management Board, EU Consult
Andrzej Ostrowski, Regional Corporate Banking Director, ING Bank Śląski
Jakub Kumirski, Corporate Banking Team Manager, ING Bank Śląski
Karolina Majowicz-Prager, Country People Partner Manager, London Stock Exchange Group
Ewa Kozłowska, People & Development Manager, Northgate Logistics

We would also like to thank LPP Logistics, Flex and Gdańsk Refinery for sponsoring the awards and supporting the event.

Address by the Deputy Rector of the University of Gdansk

Professor Urszula Patocka-Sigłowy, Deputy Rector for Student Affairs, reminded the graduates of the emotions they had experienced when they first saw their names on the admission list: joy, accompanied by uncertainty about whether they had chosen the right programme and whether they would succeed. Then came the first classes, friendships and lecturers who soon became mentors, guides and role models, followed eventually by the final examination. Every sleepless night, every hour spent studying notes and every carefully analysed chart had led to the moment of receiving their degrees. The Deputy Rector emphasised that economics is about much more than numbers. Behind every indicator and every investment decision are people, with their needs, aspirations and sense of security. The graduates’ decisions may create jobs, support innovation, build prosperity and restore balance where it has been lost. Some of the challenges they encounter will take the form of a complex spreadsheet; others will come down to a short but important question: is this decision not only profitable, but also the right thing to do? When faced with time pressure and the temptation of easy solutions, they will need courage without recklessness, prudence without passivity, and a sense of responsibility that ensures they never lose sight of the social consequences of economic decisions.

Professor Urszula Patocka-Sigłowy, Deputy Rector for Student Affairs encouraged the graduates to carry the University in their hearts as a community that had helped shape them, to return with news of their successes and share their experiences with younger students. She also urged them to have the courage to say “I don’t know”, to approach data with humility and to remember that not everything can be represented in a table. She thanked the families for their patience and support, and the academic staff for their high expectations and inspiration. As the Deputy Rector put it: “Thanks to you, we know what a university is for. It is here to open minds and shape character”. She wished the graduates ambition combined with empathy, success that would never overshadow their values, and the courage to choose a path that was not always the easiest. Then the Deputy Rector concluded: “Remember where you come from. You belong here, and you can always return to the University of Gdańsk”.

Address by the Dean of the Faculty of Economics

Dr hab. Wojciech Bizon, Professor of the University of Gdańsk and Dean of the Faculty of Economics, began with a scene set in an art gallery: a young man looks at a painting and sees only patches of colour, while someone standing beside him remarks, “I see as much as I know”. This paraphrase of J. W. Goethe provided the starting point for his reflections on the value of knowledge. In finance, the term old money refers to more than inherited wealth. It also suggests a particular style, class and something difficult for the newly wealthy to acquire. In the Dean’s view, the investment the graduates had made in their education would become their own form of old knowledge. Not because their knowledge would become outdated, but because fewer people may be willing to devote time to learning when almost anything can be found online or obtained by asking artificial intelligence. Such information, however, may be temporary and lack context. The graduates of the Faculty of Economics possess that context.

The Dean acknowledged that, just as building wealth takes time, developing expertise also requires patience, and not everyone will become a world champion. Nevertheless, most of the graduates would achieve a great deal. Referring to the normal distribution, he wished them success in always finding themselves several standard deviations in the right, desirable direction. He also invited them to return to the Faculty in the future.

Award Winners: Class Rankings and Highest Grade Averages

During the next part of the ceremony, the Deputy Rector and the Dean presented class-ranking distinctions and letters of commendation to the highest-achieving graduates of the degree programmes and specialisations.

The Deputy Dean explained that receiving a class-ranking distinction required more than achieving the highest grade average in a programme. Candidates also had to meet a very high points threshold, making this a distinction reserved for truly outstanding graduates.

The awards were presented by representatives of the sponsoring organisations: Krzysztof Gutta, President of the Management Board of EU Consult, Andrzej Ostrowski, Regional Director at ING Bank Śląski, Jakub Kumirski, Manager at ING Bank Śląski, Karolina Majowicz-Prager, Country People Partner Manager, London Stock Exchange Group, and Ewa Kozłowska of Northgate Logistics. The awards sponsored by LPP Logistics, Flex and Gdansk Refinery were presented by the Dean.

Full-Time Master’s Degree Programme in Economics

Oliwia Marter, MA – first place in Economics and the highest grade average in the E-commerce specialisation, and the highest average across all degree programmes and specialisations. Supervisor: Dr Olga Dębicka.
Małgorzata Forgiel, MA – second place in Economics and the highest grade average in the Logistics specialisation. Supervisor: Dr Eng. Rafał Śpiewak.
Daria Wohs, MA – second place in Economics and the highest grade average in the Business Development Strategies specialisation. Supervisor: Dr Grzegorz Pawłowski.
Gracjan Niedźwiecki, MA – third place in Economics and the highest grade average in the Business Intelligence in an Open Economy specialisation. Supervisor: Dr Jakub Kwiatkowski.
Emilia Derdoń, MA – the highest grade average in the Business Analytics in Enterprises specialisation. Supervisor: Dr Joanna Krupska.

Part-Time Master’s Degree Programme in Economics

Emilia Domagała, MA – first place in Economics. Supervisor: Dr Agnieszka Szmelter-Jarosz.
Emilia Matejczyk, MA – second place in Economics. Supervisor: Dr hab. Beata Majecka, Professor of the University of Gdańsk.
Wojciech Markiewicz, MA – third place in Economics. Supervisor: Dr Joanna Hartenberger-Liszek.

Full-Time Master’s Degree Programme in International Economic Relations

Martyna Wejda, MA – first place in International Economic Relations and the highest grade average in the International Marketing Strategies specialisation. Supervisor: Dr Tomasz Czuba.
Agnieszka Drozd, MA – second place in International Economic Relations and the highest grade average in the International Managerial Economics specialisation. Supervisor: Dr Tomasz Gutowski.
Karol Ostrowski, MA – third place in International Economic Relations and the highest grade average in the Global Financial Services specialisation. Supervisor: Dr Sławomir Antkiewicz.
Julia Pawlak, MA – the highest grade average in the Foreign Trade specialisation. Supervisor: Dr hab. Sylwia Pangsy-Kania, Professor of the University of Gdańsk.
Kacper Włosek, MA – the highest grade average in the International Transport and Maritime Trade specialisation. Supervisor: Dr Janusz Dąbrowski.

Part-Time Master’s Degree Programme in International Economic Relations

Pavlo Chvora, MA – first place in International Economic Relations. Supervisor: Dr Andrzej Poszewiecki.
Olaf Karkutt, MA – third place in International Economic Relations. Supervisor: Dr Maciej Krzemiński.

Full-Time Master’s Degree Programme in Logistics and Mobility

Gabriela Ładna, MA – second place in Logistics and Mobility. Supervisor: Dr hab. Marcin Wołek, Professor of the University of Gdańsk.
Shuo Yang, MA – third place in Logistics and Mobility. Supervisor: Dr hab. Marcin Wołek, Professor of the University of Gdańsk.

Full-Time Master’s Degree Programme in International Business

Ewa Bomba, MA – first place in International Business. Supervisor: Dr hab. Przemysław Borkowski, Professor of the University of Gdańsk.
Nikita Kakunin, MA – second place in International Business. Supervisor: Professor Andrzej Cieślik.
Anna Rafalak, MA – third place in International Business. Supervisor: Dr hab. Przemysław Borkowski, Professor of the University of Gdańsk.

Awards for Contributions to the Academic Community

Letters of commendation, also signed by the academic supervisors of the relevant student research clubs, were presented to graduates recognised for their active involvement in student research activities. The awards, sponsored by Flex, were presented by the Dean.

The persons honoured were:

International Finance Student Research Club - Adam Sobina, MA
Konsylium Student Research Club - Emilia Derdoń, MA
Logistics Student Research Club - Julia Kalinowska, MA, and Julia Łaska, MA
TUTEES Academic Tutoring Student Research Club - Julia Kmita, MA

Special recognition was given to the graduates whose efforts helped the Faculty win funding through the Academic Participatory Budget, making it possible to establish the Co-economy zone and the Economic Park on campus. The honoured graduates were Olga Gulbas, MA, Maja Hrehorowicz, MA, Olaf Karkutt, MA, and Zuzanna Zgubińska, MA.

The Deputy Dean Dr Magdalena Markiewicz recalled that the Faculty of Economics had secured more than half of all votes cast across the entire University in the voting process. She thanked everyone who had supported the projects with their votes.

Awards for Sporting Achievements

The following graduates were recognised for their sporting accomplishments:

Alicja Karendys, MA – third place in both the overall and university categories at the Polish Academic Women’s Handball Championships.
Natalia Socha, MA – second place in the university category at the Polish Academic Athletics Championships for women.
Jakub Wantoch-Rekowski, MA – third place in the university category at the Polish Academic Men’s 3x3 Basketball Championships.

The awards sponsored by LPP Logistics were presented to the athletes by the Dean.

Recognition for Completing All ACCA Examinations

Graduates who had passed all the examinations required for the ACCA qualification during their studies were also recognised: Emilia Domagała, MA, Wojciech Markiewicz, MA, and Emilia Matejczyk, MA. They received commemorative gifts from ACCA.

Addresses by a Business Representative and the Graduates

Speaking on behalf of the award sponsors, Karolina Majowicz-Prager, Country People Partner Manager at London Stock Exchange Group, addressed the audience.

Although she had not studied at the University of Gdańsk herself, she said that if she were choosing a university today, she would choose the Faculty of Economics. In her professional role, she sees first-hand how deeply committed the Faculty is to the development of its students. Building on the themes of the earlier speeches, she encouraged the graduates to be courageous in their professional lives, in business and when starting their own companies - and, above all, to have the courage to go beyond the ordinary. Major achievements rarely result from talent or intelligence alone; more often, they are the outcome of perseverance, continuous development and hard work. In a world where roles and priorities within organisations are changing ever more rapidly, resilience, flexibility and agility are becoming increasingly important. The ability to adapt to change, she noted, could become the graduates’ “superpower”.

She concluded: “I wish you the courage not to be afraid of change, and the commitment to turn challenges into new opportunities for growth while pursuing your professional and personal goals with confidence and fulfillment”.

Three graduates then spoke on behalf of their fellow students.

Oliwia Marter – Economics, E-commerce Specialisation

Oliwia Marter, MA, recalled that there are still places in the world where women do not have the right to vote - whereas she has been fortunate enough to enjoy that right. After five years at the Faculty, she was graduating with a grade average close to 5.0, but what made her even happier was seeing everyone gathered in the room. Her studies had taught her communication, organisation and teamwork. The University had given her not only knowledge, but also a genuine network of support: thanks to the people she had met there, she had found both a job and a close friend.

On behalf of her entire year group, she thanked the Faculty’s successive management teams, thesis supervisors, reviewers and lecturers. Among those she singled out were Dr Adam Borodo, Dr Olga Dębicka, who had supervised her twice, and Dr Joanna Hartenberger-Liszek. In preparation for the latter’s examination, Oliwia had memorised more than 60 financial ratio analysis formulas to the rhythm of a Taylor Swift song. She also thanked the staff of the Faculty Office for their remarkably prompt responses to emails and phone calls.

At the end of her speech, she surprised the audience by revealing that she had written the speech herself, not artificial intelligence. Referring to a saying attributed to Thomas Edison that electricity would become so cheap that only the rich would burn candles, she asked whether, now that AI was so cheap, only the rich would think for themselves. “Education is a privilege. Holding a Master’s degree is a privilege. So congratulations to all of us”, she concluded.

Shuo Yang – Logistics and Mobility

Shuo Yang, MA, recalled her first day in Sopot, when she was running late and feeling lost, unable to find her classroom. One of the lecturers patiently showed her the way, a gesture that meant a great deal to her as someone embarking on her first independent experience of studying abroad.

With humour, she spoke about discovering how safe Poland was and finding a “second family” at the Faculty among friends from Nigeria, Azerbaijan, India, Turkey, Poland and China. She had developed a passion for econometrics and time-series forecasting, which she saw as key tools for solving real-world business problems. This interest had led to her receiving the Rector’s Scholarship and winning first place in the LSEG Research Grant Competition. She expressed particular gratitude to her thesis supervisor, Dr hab. Marcin Wołek, Professor of the University of Gdańsk. She also thanked Poland, the University and LSEG. She concluded with the words: “Congratulations, the class of 2026!”

Olaf Karkutt – International Economic Relations, Part-Time Programme

Olaf Karkutt, MA, noted how remarkable it was to return to the Auditorium in a completely different role and have the opportunity to address the graduates in the very hall where they had all recently sat their examinations. He then thanked everyone who had made it possible to carry out projects funded through the Academic Civic Budget during his studies. Special words of gratitude were directed to his friends, with whom, together with Dr. Magdalena Markiewicz, he had co-created initiatives aimed at improving the shared spaces available to students. Thanks to the grants they secured, two new student zones were established: one located outside the building and the other inside. He expressed his hope that these spaces would serve future generations of students as places for relaxation, meetings, and social interaction.

The speech also included a light-hearted remark. The graduate noted that the project had been completed almost at the same time as he finished his bachelor's degree and joked that “the only option was to continue on to a master’s programme in order to fully enjoy the results of our work”. His comment was met with smiles and laughter from the audience. Referring to the earlier speeches, he emphasized the importance of courage in decision-making and openness to new experiences. He wished all graduates the confidence not to shy away from challenges, to trust in their skills and abilities, and to pursue their chosen paths with determination, noting that courage is often the first step toward turning ambitious plans and dreams into reality.

Presentation of Diplomas

The most important and moving moment of the Gala was the presentation of diplomas. Nearly 200 graduates had confirmed their attendance. The graduates’ names were called by the Deputy Deans: Dr Leszek Reszka, Professor of the University of Gdańsk, Dr hab. Leszek Czerwonka, Professor of the University of Gdańsk, and Dr Magdalena Markiewicz.

The graduates approached the stage together with their thesis supervisors and received their Master’s degree diplomas from the Dean in the presence of the Deputy Rector. Their supervisors then offered their congratulations.

Closing Ceremony, photographs and thankful greetings

The ceremony concluded with the singing of Gaudeamus igitur and the European Union anthem.

The Dean thanked everyone for attending, as well as the staff of the Faculty Office, the Dean’s Office and the IT Centre, together with the lecturers and students involved in organising the event. These included members of the International Finance Student Research Club, the HAZET Student Research Club, the Maritime Student Research Club, and the Logistics Student Research Club.

The Gala concluded with a series of commemorative photographs featuring the graduates alongside the Deputy Rector, the Faculty’s management team and their thesis supervisors.

Photographs were taken for each of the following groups: Environmental Business and Technology; International Business and Logistics and Mobility; Economics and International Economic Relations students enrolled in part-time programmes; International Economic Relations students enrolled in the full-time programme; and Economics students enrolled in the full-time programme.

Congratulations to all our graduates!

We wish you every success in your professional and personal lives.

The Deans, Thesis Supervisors and the entire academic community

of the Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk