University Day

On 10 March 2020, the University of Opole Day, a ceremony of granting an honorary doctorate to Professor Lech Borowc from the Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy of the University of Wrocław, a biologist of world renown, was held with a full academic ritual.

Distinguished guests at an exceptional ceremony

The ceremony was attended by guests representing the world of science, close to the distinguished laureate, representatives of local authorities, cultural institutions, health care institutions, students and staff members of the University of Opole.  The ceremony was attended by guests representing the world of science, close to the distinguished laureate, representatives of local authorities, cultural institutions, health care institutions, students and staff of Opole University. Among the guests were Zbigniew Kubalańca, Deputy Marshal of the Opole Voivodeship, Maciej Wujec, Deputy Mayor of Opole, Łukasz Sowada, Chairman of the Opole City Council, Rev. Andrzej Czaja, Bishop of Opole, Prof. Jacek Gorczyca from the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection of the University of Silesia, Prof. Dariusz Iwan from the Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, Dr Rafał Ruta from the Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy of the University of Wrocław, Prof. Marek Wanat from the Museum of Natural History in Wrocław, Prof. Tomasz Drewniak - Vice-Rector for Science and Development of the State Higher Vocational School in Nysa, Dr Piotr Gurowiec - Vice-Rector for Student Affairs of the Medical School in Opole, Prof. Jarosław Mamala - president of the Opole Science and Technology Park, Prof. Dariusz Skarżyński from the Faculty of Biological Sciences of the University of Wrocław, Prof. Dariusz Tarnawski from the Department of Biology, Evolution and Protection of Invertebrates of the University of Wroclaw, Dr Adam Rostanski from the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection of the University of Wroclaw, Dariusz Madera - Director General of the University Hospital in Opole, and Dr Andrzej Kucharski - Director for Treatment of the UH in Opole.

The former rectors of the University of Opole, Prof. Krystyna Czaja and Prof. Józef Musielok, as well as Prof. Paweł Kafarski, honorary doctor of the University of Opole, were also present at the ceremony.

‘Our ship is sailing’

The guests were greeted by the Rector of the UO, Prof. Marek Masnyk, who, opening the ceremony, recalled some facts from the history of our university.

- Exactly 26 years ago the Parliament of the Republic of Poland passed the act on establishing the University of Opole, today is the first year of our second quarter of the century - said the Rector. - For four years, i.e. from the moment of assuming the function of the rector, I have been eager to recall the sequence of events that led to the establishment of our University.

The Rector briefly mentioned the efforts to establish the University of Opole, as well as its co-founder Archbishop Alfons Nossol, who once expressed the desire of Silesian families by saying:'I want to study home'.

- Today, the mission of our University goes far beyond the dream of Silesian families - said the Rector.    - We have done a lot, but the most important tasks are still ahead of us, because a university is not a project for one generation, it is an ‘institution of long lasting’.  We have a duty to keep it going, to develop, to create again and again. As the largest institution of higher education in the region, we want to maintain and strengthen our leading position and join the competition at the national level. The second quarter of a century of our activity as a university, we entered with new ideas, with a new model of university management. Our ship is sailing, not taking any water, the crew on all decks is working efficiently.

As the Rector stressed, the year 2021 will be extremely important for the university, when the results of evaluation of scientific disciplines will be known.

  - It will allow us to make the best disciplines the flagships of our university - he said.  - We want to achieve success to the best of our abilities, to bring us prestige and pride.       

 Pomology dedicated to biologists

- We dedicate this University Day to our biologists, who have recently hit twenty - added Prof. Masnyk. Speaking about the history of biology at the University of Opole, he pointed out that, among other things, with biologists in mind, the university embarked on the Pomology project, the implementation of which is just beginning - on 9 March 2020, on the eve of the Opole University Day, a contract was signed with a contractor who will design and build the International Research and Development Centre for Agriculture and Food Industry in Prószków/Opole. The Rector emphasised that the Pomology project is a prospect of scientific work and research at the highest level.

47th Honorary Doctorate of the University of Opole

After the opening part of the ceremony, Prof. Marek Masnyk asked the Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, Prof. Małgorzata Rajfur to present the proceedings for granting the honorary doctorate of the University of Opole to Professor Lech Borowiec.

The laudation speech in honour of the Honorable Nominate was given by the supervisor of the doctoral proceedings, Prof. Tadeusz Zatwarnicki from the Institute of Biology of the UO.

Next, the Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, Prof. Małgorzata Rajfur, read out the contents of the doctoral diploma, which was handed out by the Rector to Prof. Lech Borowiec in the presence of reviewers of the doctoral candidate's achievements: Prof. Dariusz Iwan from the Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw and Prof. Jacek Gorczyca from the University of Silesia in Katowice.

The new, 47th Honorary Doctor of the University of Opole Prof. Lech Borowiec, was applauded by the guests of the ceremony.

The last point of the ceremony was a special lecture delivered by Professor Borowiec, in which he talked about the history of his research, which is his life passion.

The musical setting was provided by the University Choir ‘Dramma per Musica’ conducted by Dr Elżbieta Trylnik.