25 Year-long Partnership RUB – Uniwersytet Wrocławski
Universities celebrate their partnership with prestigious awards and a diverse programme of events
The partnership agreement between Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the University of Wroclaw was established in 1988. With this, two universities, which could not be more different from each other, entered into a collaboration: on the one hand there was the long-standing University of Wrocław and on the other hand the young, but already very successful, Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
In the first years the collaboration took place in the formerly divided Europe, often in difficult circumstances – nevertheless, or maybe even as a result of this, the connection between the two universities has never been broken in the years that followed.
Honouring the partnership
On 20 and 21 October the 25th anniversary of the partnership was celebrated during various events at the University of Wrocław. In honour of this occasion, a delegation of RUB researchers from various faculties and staff from the University Library and the International Office paid a visit to Wrocław.
At an extraordinary Senate conference – held in the Baroque Senate hall at the University of Wrocław – Ruhr-Universität Bochum presented its partner university with the award “Pro societate multorum annorum – for many years of collaboration”, a prestigious award which RUB presents to long-term and well-earned partner universities on the orders of the Senate.
A part of the RUB delegation was therefore also made up of members of all groups of the Senate, including the president Prof. Dr. Axel Schölmerich. Rector of RUB, Prof. Dr. Elmar W. Weiler, presented his counterpart in Wrocław, Prof. Dr. Marek Bojarski, with the award. The honorary speech at the University of Wrocław was given by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Knut Ipsen, who was Rector of RUB when the partnership was established and developed.
The celebration was rounded off with a special concert given by the Collegium Vocale and the Collegium Instrumentale of RUB, under the direction of Hans Jaskulsky, who were in Poland on tour at that time. The concert took place in the famous Aula Leopoldina at the University of Wrocław.
Future development of the collaboration
In addition to celebrating the anniversary, the future of the collaboration was also a main topic of discussion during the visit. Therefore the members of the RUB delegation completed visits to various faculties to strengthen existing collaborations, or, as was the case in the Faculty of Law for example, to develop new ways of working together. Collaborations currently exist amongst other with the faculties of History, Philosophy, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Philology – especially Slavonic Studies – and the university libraries.
At a central info stand and during an info event on 21.10.2013, students and young researchers could gain information about exchange possibilities with RUB and also the funding possibilities from the DAAD. The presentations given by students for students proved to be especially popular: RUB students who are currently completing a semester abroad at the University of Worcław told their colleagues in Worcław why it is worth studying in Bochum and at RUB, and Polish students who have already completed an exchange visit at RUB reported enthusiastically on their experiences.
The info stand and info event were very well visited and there was a lot of interest in the exchange offers. A special present from RUB to its partner university on their anniversary will promote the exchange: Two grants of €2,500 for PhD students who would like to complete part of their PhD at RUB.