UO Senate for the Merger with State Medical School

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On 15 November 2018, the Senate of the University of Opole adopted a historic resolution in which it expresses a positive opinion on the inclusion of the State Medical School in Opole into the structures of the UO. Universities are to operate as a single organism from 1 October 2019.

- This is a historic moment, falling in the 25th year of the existence of the University of Opole - emphasized the Rector of the UO Prof. Marek Masnyk, who presided over the session of the Senate, asking for the approval of the resolution.

The resolution was passed in an open vote - 51 votes were cast in favour, one person abstained from voting, there were no votes against (the Senate of the UO has 65 people, 52 members of the Senate took part in the vote).

Combining potentials with prospects for development

The resolution  reads, among others: ‘Being fully aware of the need to adapt the functioning of our universities to the national scientific policy, taking into account the socio-economic conditions of Opole and the Opole Voivodeship resulting from the Act 2.0, in the interest of the quality of scientific research, especially in the field of medical sciences and health sciences, and the need to create the best possible conditions for student education, the work of academic teachers and modern university management - which we treat not only as a challenge, but also as a unique opportunity, the Senate of the University of Opole gives a positive opinion on the integration of the State  Medical School in Opole and the University of Opole’.

As emphasized by Prof. Marek Masnyk, the resolution adopted by the Senate is a framework resolution which sets out the directions for further detailed talks between the authorities of both universities and the bodies appointed by them for this purpose.

Members of the Senate speaking during the session underlined the importance and dimension of the decision to merge, which will result in strengthening the position of both universities through the merger of scientific and didactic resources, as well as infrastructure. - In such a small scientific community, the consolidation is necessary - emphasized Prof. Piotr Wieczorek, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry.

The extraordinary session of the Senate of the UO was attended by the Rector of the State Medical School in Opole, Tomasz Halski, PhD. Addressing the audience he said:  ‘I promise hard work and I assure you that the our team is prepared for it. We have a considerable scientific potential, and employees with large academic achievements. I am glad that, as a school of higher education, we will contribute a lot to the structures of the university, including the field of health sciences,’  he stressed. ‘The new Act on Higher Education has given us great opportunities when it comes to merging, and it is the most appropriate moment to take such a decision.’

Rector Halski added that in the vote on the resolution on the merger, which took place in his institution a few days earlier, 17 senators were in favour, two against and two abstained.

What entails the inclusion of the State Medical School in the structure of the UO  

In accordance with the resolution, there will be established Collegium Medicum at the University of Opole - a unit bringing together teaching and research in the field of medical sciences, health sciences and physical culture. All fields of study in the above areas conducted so far at the University of Opole and the State Medical School in Opole will continue to be taught and organisationally assigned to Collegium Medicum. Within the Collegium Medicum, on the basis of the Institute of Medicine, the Faculty of Medicine will be established, and the Physiotherapy, Medical Sciences and Health Sciences Departments of the State Higher Vocational School will become an organisational unit (e.g. under the name of the Faculty of Health Sciences), as a faculty, Collegium Medicum of the University of Opole.

The resolution also states that the property of PMWSZ in Opole will become the property of the University of Opole intended for the functioning of the Collegium Medicum, the University of Opole takes over the rights and liabilities of State Medical School in Opole, and its students  become students of the Collegium Medicum of the University of Opole.

The Rector of the State Medical School in Opole will take over the function of vice-rector for Collegium Medicum as of the date of its incorporation until 2024.

The University of Opole also ensures the transfer of all employees of the State School of Medicine on the current working and remuneration conditions (basic salary and other components) for a period of five years.

The Senate of the University of Opole will be supplemented by representatives of the Medical School, in accordance with the current Statute of the University of Opole, and the Senate will elect one representative of the Medical School to the first council of the University of Opole.

The resolution also stipulates that detailed conditions for the incorporation, prepared by the authorities of the University of Opole and the State Medical School will be included in an agreement between the two institutions and will become the basis for a jointly drawn up application to the minister responsible for higher education.

Prof. Wiesława Piątkowska-Stepaniak, Vice-Rector for Administration and Development, abstained from voting. In justifying her decision, she stressed that from the very beginning she had been very enthusiastic about the idea of merging the two universities, but she had not had a broader debate on the subject.

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On Thursday, 15 November 2018, a letter was sent to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education informing that the senates of both institutions adopted unanimous resolutions on the planned merger. The next step will be to prepare a joint application to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education regarding the merger.

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