New ombudspersons have been appointed

In the new academic year, Dr Magdalena Gołowkin-Hudała will be the Ombudsperson for Students and PhD Students and Dr Ewelina Wojtarkowska-Forczek has been appointed Ombudsperson for Employees.

Dr Magdalena Gołowkin-Hudała is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Law and Administration, UO. She used to also work as a legal consultant at the Crisis Intervention Centre of the Municipal Family Support Centre. For nearly 20 years, she has also headed the UO Law Clinic. This is a place where people with problems, most often legal ones, but not only, come. Students, with the help of academic staff, provide support to them in difficult life situations.

‘I believe I have extensive experience in working with people in various crises. ‘I am happy to help you, students and doctoral students, solve your problems,’ emphasises Dr Magdalena Gołowkin-Hudała. ‘I invite all those in need of support to contact me by e-mail. I will endeavour to support you personally or refer you to places or institutions that will provide you with support.’

Dr Ewelina Wojtarkowska-Forczek is a lecturer at the Institute of Psychology, UO. She also works as a psychologist at the Internal Medicine Ward at the University Hospital in Opole. Previously, she was also affiliated with, among others, the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow, the Psychiatric Hospital in Toszek, the ‘Markot’ Home for Single Mothers with Children in Zopowych, and the Mental Relax House centre in Turawa.

‘The role I am taking on is very important to me and to the UO authorities due to the growing need to support employees in securing their rights and facilitating communication between different units of our university,’ says Dr Ewelina Wojtarkowska-Forczek. ‘My main goal is to identify the needs, difficulties and resources of the UO employee community.’ I plan to not only provide individual consultations on employee issues, but also to develop a dialogue culture campaign and organise workshops to develop cooperation skills.’

The tasks of the Ombudsperson for Students and PhD Students will include:

• protecting the rights of students and doctoral students as set out, inter alia, in the UO Statutes, the Rules of Study and other internal legal acts in force at the University, and intervening in the event of their violation, including taking preventive measures;
• assisting students and doctoral students in resolving conflicts, in particular by helping them diagnose the problem and choose specific ways to resolve it or resolve the dispute independently;
• promoting alternative dispute resolution methods and recommending mediation through the Mediation Centre operating at the Faculty of Law and Administration;
• providing the UO Rector with information and recommendations concerning necessary changes to the system and the University’s operating procedures.

The Ombudsperson for Employee will be responsible for:

• monitoring compliance with internal UO regulations concerning employee rights and obligations, and proposing changes and improvements;
• representing employee interests before the UO authorities;
• mediating in conflicts between employees and between employees and their superiors;
  
• receiving complaints and requests from employees, ensuring the confidentiality of the complaints and analysing them thoroughly;
• initiating preventive and educational activities, including organising training courses and workshops and building a culture of dialogue;
• promoting academic values, in particular the principles of equality, mutual respect, transparency and responsibility.

The new ombuds have already started their work, and on 22 October 2025, they had a meeting with the Rector of the University of Opole, Prof. Jacek Lipok. The meeting took place in the rector’s office and was also attended by: the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs, Prof. Joanna Ryszka and the UO Chancellor, Joanna Kostuś.

The tasks of both ombuds are part of the HRS4R strategy of the University of Opole. They assume supporting comfortable cooperation between UO employees and providing students and doctoral students with prospects that allow them to look to their professional future with optimism.