Cooperation without borders: Professor Soboń and Dr Seleznova at the conference in Szymkent

We would like to inform you that on 22 April this year. Professor Janusz Soboń and Dr. Ruslana Seleznova took part in the International Student Scientific and Practical Conference held in the city of Shymkent, Republic of Kazakhstan.

Together with the lecturers National University of Biological Resources and Natural Economy of Ukraine (Kyiv) prepared student papers on current topics related to the digital economy. Professor Janusz Soboń and Dr Ruslana Seleznova acted as research supervisors for the students as part of the joint international scientific project Poland-Ukraine-Kazakhstan.

Professor Soboń and Dr Seleznova also express their hope for further development of international academic cooperation and invite Polish students to actively participate in scientific activities together with students from other countries.

Silence and loyalty in the uniformed services. Psychosocial mechanisms of victims' failure to report bullying - conference findings

There is a strong culture of loyalty and so-called 'conspiracy of silence' among uniformed services such as the police, border guards and firefighters. As a result of this phenomenon, officers rarely decide to report mobbing, as they fear exclusion from their environment, professional consequences and social stigmatisation. About covert psychological violence in the services during the conference on 23 April 2025, spoke Dr Rafał Guzowski, lecturer and programme director Institute for Homeland Security and Criminology.

Bullying - hidden violence in uniform

Bullying is not just a one-off conflict - it is systematic, long-term psychological harassment in the workplace. It manifests itself through humiliation, ridicule, criticism or obstruction of duties. In the services, where discipline and hierarchy play a key role, distinguishing between command and violence can be difficult - but necessary.

Why are the victims silent?

In his paper, Dr Rafał Guzowski from the University of Vocational Training in Wrocław analysed the complex web of psychosocial conditions that cause officers not to report violence. These include:

• shame, guilt and the need to belong;
• fear of losing one's position, entitlements or even one's job;
• disbelief in the effectiveness of the support system;
• strong pressure to "be tough" and avoid "complaints";
• an organisational culture that prizes loyalty to the group, not to values.

What does the research show?

Surveys among police officers in the Lubelskie Voivodeship showed that:

• 30% experienced verbal aggression;
• 17% received absurd tasks in a systematic way.

In turn, a 2014 Interior Ministry report revealed that:

• Over 40% women in the uniformed services felt discriminated against on the basis of gender, maternity plans or lack of availability outside working hours.

Bullying as the theme of an international conference

This topic was further discussed during the international scientific conference organised by our University and entitled 'The European Union.
"Bullying as a destructive aspect of the work environment"..

This event, aimed at representatives of various professions - not just the uniformed services - addressed the universal issues of bullying:

• How do you recognise the first signs of psychological violence?
• What are its implications for individuals and organisations?
• How to prevent and respond effectively?

Renowned experts from Poland and abroad shared their knowledge, and the conference provided a space for the exchange of experiences, reflections and proposals for viable solutions.

Conclusions

Silence is not the absence of violence - it is the result of it. Loyalty, which is intended to protect the common good, is unfortunately sometimes a tool of intimidation and exclusion. If bullying is operating in the institutions set up to protect society, we must ask a fundamental question: Who protects those who are supposed to protect us?

Excellent scientific event at the College of Vocational Training in Wrocław - guest lecture by Prof. Peter Nijkamp and Dr. Karima Kourtit

On 26 April 2025, the College of Vocational Training hosted a unique academic event - a guest lecture by two prominent figures of world science, Prof Peter Nijkamp and Dr Karima Kourtit. The auditorium attracted a large number of students and academics who attended the event with great interest. The lectures delivered by our guests were not only a source of a huge dose of knowledge, but also a inspiration for deeper reflection on the challenges of today.

Prof. Peter Nijkamp on AI in urban planning processes

Professor Peter Nijkamp, one of the world's most influential regional economists, Professor Emeritus of the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and former President of the Regional Science Association International, presented a lecture entitled Artificial Intelligence: Save Our Souls - More Information, Better Planning?. In his speech, the Professor gave an extremely insightful overview of the the role of artificial intelligence in spatial and social planning processesemphasising the importance of using modern technology. His profound erudition, clarity of delivery and unique ability to combine science with practice impressed the audience.

Speech by Dr Karim Kourtit on the governance of modern cities

Dr Karima Kourtit, a distinguished economist and urban planner affiliated with the Open University of the Netherlands and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, spoke next. In her lecture titled 'The urbanisation of the Netherlands. Urban Love in Troubled Cities Dr Kourtit raised issues relating to urban dynamics, migration and innovation in the management of modern cities. Its interdisciplinary approach, based on research and practical experience, opened up new perspectives on the future of urbanised areas to the audience.

The lecture section was followed by a lively session of questions and insights, which turned into a passionate discussion. Students and participants in the meeting were keen to take advantage of the opportunity for one-to-one discussions with the speakersThe atmosphere of mutual exchange of ideas and scientific curiosity continued late into the afternoon. An atmosphere of mutual exchange of ideas and scientific curiosity accompanied us until late in the afternoon.

Guests visited key sites in Wrocław

The following day, Prof. Peter Nijkamp and Dr Karima Kourtit had the opportunity to learn more about the charms of Wrocław. The guests visited the city's most important monuments, starting with the monumental Panorama of Racławicewhich delighted them with its artistic grandeur and rich historical content. During a walk around Ostrów Tumski they admired the majestic St John the Baptist Cathedral - a pearl of Gothic architecture. The tour could not miss a visit to the Leopoldina Hall of Wrocław Universitywhere the baroque interiors and rich history of the city's academic life made a special impression on visitors. Wrocław Market Square with its impressive Town HallThe Pillory and charming townhouses were the next stop on the route to discover the cultural heritage of the capital of Lower Silesia. Among the many impressions, there was also the admiration of the wrocław dwarves - a symbol of the city which, as our guests emphasised, gives it a unique character and atmosphere.

Academics appreciate WSKZ's commitment

Professor Peter Nijkamp and Dr Karima Kourtit emphasised the exceptionally friendly atmosphere of the meeting, the high quality of the questions asked and the the high level of commitment and friendliness of the students of the College of Vocational Training. In their speeches, they also drew attention to the beauty of Wrocław, appreciating its rich history, architecture and unique character. They expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome and their hope for further development of scientific cooperation and further meetings in the future.

Silesian LegalTech - about artificial intelligence in law and business

On Friday, 25 April, the Silesian Museum in Katowice hosted Ślōnski LegalTech. This event was organised for lawyers, entrepreneurs, innovators and anyone interested in the digital revolution in the legal industry. The conference combined the topics of modern technology and law. One of the partners of the event were the College of Vocational Training, represented by Dr Kamil Stępniak.

5 key thematic panels

The following topics were covered at the Silesian LegalTech conference:

Panel 1 - "How should the law keep up with innovation while protecting human beings?";

Panel 2 - "LegalTech in Practice: How Technology is Changing Business Services and the Labour Market";

Panel 3 - 'The New Generation of Lawyers: Innovation, Design and Technology in Practice";

Panel 4 - "Regulation, Technology and Business: how to successfully implement LegalTech in a world of regulatory requirements?";

Panel 5 - 'AI, Automation and the Future of Law: From Theory to Business'.

The participation of the College of Vocational Training in Silesian LegalTech is a confirmation of the following the University's involvement in modern developments in legal and technological education. The presence of Dr Kamil Stępniak among the experts and the panel topics discussed prove that the future of law is inextricably linked to innovation, digitalisation and openness to change. This event was not only an opportunity to exchange experiences, but also an inspiration for all those who want to actively shape the legal world of tomorrow.

Great academic event at WSKZ! Guest lectures by Prof. Peter Nijkamp and Dr Karima Kourtit

We are proud to announce that 26 April 2025 at 16:00 in Hall 1D at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Wrocław will be held guest lectures by two prominent international academics - Prof. Peter Nijkamp and Dr Karimy Kourtit. This highly prestigious event provides a unique opportunity to meet directly with scientists who are setting the trends of contemporary academic debate in the areas of urban development, urban planning, migration and the application of artificial intelligence in social and urban space management.

Prof. Peter Nijkamp - one of the world's most influential regional economists, Emeritus Professor at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, former President of the Regional Science Association International. Author of hundreds of scientific publications, visionary of territorial development and specialist in the application of modern technologies in spatial planning.

Lecture title: Artificial Intelligence: Save Our Souls - More Information, Better Planning?

Dr Karima Kourtit, a distinguished economist and urban planner, affiliated with the Open University of the Netherlands and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on urban dynamics, innovation, migration and data management in the modern city.

Lecture title: Urban Love in Troubled Cities

For whom: The lectures are open to students, PhD students, academics and anyone interested in the contemporary challenges of spatial development, urban planning and technology in the service of society.📍 Location: Hall 1D, Faculty of Law and Administration UWr
Date: 26 April 2025 (Saturday)
Hour: 16:00
Language of lectures: English

Don't miss the unique opportunity to be inspired by some of Europe's most eminent academics. You are cordially invited!

The service of a forensic technician from behind the scenes - learn about the practical aspects of the job at an online meeting!

The College of Vocational Training would like to invite students to a meeting in the series "Let's talk to practitioners!", during which our guest speaker will be Staff Sergeant Rafał Woźniak - a former forensic technician with 30 years' experience who was involved in securing and analysing evidence at crime scenes. What is the work of a forensic science technician like? What traces are crucial for court proceedings? These and other questions will be answered by our guest.

The event will be taken care of by the presenter - retired inspector Tomasz Czaja, a former district police chief in Sztum and an experienced officer with many years of experience.

About our guest

Staff Asp. Rafał Woźniak began his service in the Police in 1995. He gained his first experience in the Prevention Unit in Gdańsk, then as a patrol officer, neighbourhood policeman and investigator in the Tczew-Suchostrzygi Police Station. Since 1999, he has specialised in forensic science, performing the duties of a forensic technician at the Tczew District Police Station. For more than 25 years, he has actively participated in securing and analysing traces at crime scenes, gaining invaluable professional experience which he will share at the meeting.

What will you learn at the meeting?

• What is the process for securing evidence and the importance of proper documentation?
• What tools, techniques and methods are used when working on the scene?
• Why is the precision of a forensic technician crucial to the course of a legal proceeding?
• What skills are required to successfully practise as a forensic technician?

Anyone with an interest in security, forensic science and law is welcome to attend. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the realities of this fascinating work!

Event details

• Deadline: Wednesday, 23 April
• Time: 19:00-20:00 
• Form: online meeting 

The meeting does not require prior registration - all that is required is click the link and attach. 

Bullying as a destructive aspect of the working environment - international conference addressing an important topic for all professional groups

Pressure, stress and sometimes open hostility - bullying is still a serious problem in many workplaces. How can it be recognised, what are its consequences and how can it be counteracted? Answers to these questions will be provided by experts who will appear at the international conference 'Bullying as a destructive aspect of the working environment' organised by the University. The event will take place 23 April 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. The conference will be available at online formand lectures and discussions will be held at the in Polish and English. Who in particular should take part? Check it out!

Are you a university teacher? Find out how to educate and respond to bullying

As a lecturer, you have a real impact on the awareness of future professionals and the atmosphere in the academic environment. The conference is an opportunity to expand your knowledge of bullying and its consequences, as well as to learn how to respond to difficult situations in teaching. It is also space to share experiences and learn about different perspectives on the phenomenon of mobbing in the educational environment.

Do you work in a company or institution? Learn to recognise and combat bullying

Bullying can affect anyone - employees and supervisors alike - and its effects have an impact on the entire organisation. The upcoming conference is an opportunity to improving knowledge of the phenomenon, share experiences and learn about different perspectives on how to counteract toxic behaviour in the professional environment. Participation in the event can help to better understand the mechanisms of bullying and ways to build healthy relationships in the workplace.

Are you a student? Prepare for the challenges of the labour market

Whether you are studying law, psychology, management, administration, internal security or pedagogy, the topic of bullying may be relevant to your future work. The conference is an opportunity to learn about the broader perspective of this phenomenon and its consequences in different professional environments. As a future lawyer, psychologist or educator, you may meet people who have experienced bullying and need support - knowing about this problem will help you to better understand their situation. Attending the event will help you prepare for challenges in the labour market and understand how to build healthy relationships in the workplace.

Framework schedule for the conference

The event is not only aimed at students of Management, Law, Psychology, Administration, Homeland Security or Pedagogy, but also at anyone who wants to better understand the mechanisms of destructive relationships in the workplace and gain practical tools to combat them.

Below is the tentative schedule for the conference (more information coming soon):

• 9.00-9.30: Opening of the conference.
• 9.30-11.00: Inaugural Lecture.
• 11.00-12.45: Session 1 (parallel speeches in English and Polish, up to 10 speeches are expected (speaking time 15-20 minutes).
• 12.45-13.00: Break.
• 13.00-14.30: Session 2 (parallel speeches in English and Polish, up to 10 speeches are expected (speaking time 15-20 minutes).
• 14.30-15.00: Summary and conclusion of the conference.

The conference has an international character and will be held in an online format. In addition to staff from the University, speakers from the following universities will be present:

• Abai Myrzakhmetov Kokshetau University (Kazakhstan) https://www.kuam.kz/;
• Abu Ali Ibn Sino Bukhara State Medical University (Uzbekistan) https://bsmi.uz/;
• International University of Innovation (Kazakhstan)  https://iui.kz/;
• Karaganda Buketov University (Kazakhstan) http://ksu.kz/;
• Peoples' Friendship University named after Academician A. Kuatbekov (Kazakhstan)  https://udn.edu.kz/;
• Public Higher Educational Establishment 'Vinnytsia Academy of Continuing Education' (Ukraine) https://academia.vinnica.ua/;
• Varna Free University 'Chernorizets Hrabar' (Bulgaria) https://www.vfu.bg/;
• Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University (Ukraine) http://vspu.edu.ua/.

Our lecturers as guests of honour at the International Scientific Seminar in Shymkent (Kazakhstan)

We are pleased to share a short report on our recent participation in a scientific event. On the 11 April We had the honour of representing our university at the International Scientific Seminar aimed at researchers, lecturers, practitioners and students.

The seminar, which lasted two days, brought together eminent scientists from across the Central Asiapresenting top-quality scientific presentations. The event was organised by our friends and long-standing partners from Akademik A. Kuatbekov People's Friendship University w Shymkent (Kazakhstan).

We have strong scientific and friendship ties with this city. We have had the opportunity to visit Simkent many times - both in person and remotely. This beautiful, sunny and hospitable city has firmly established itself on the map of our international cooperation.

We were invited as guests of honour the second day of the seminar entitled: 'Trends in education and engineering: competence, innovation and technology'. The following spoke on behalf of our university Prof. Janusz Soboń, Prof. Adam Muszyński and Dr Ruslana Selezneva.

We warmly invite all lecturers and students of our university to participate in next year's edition of this unique event.

At the scene of the crime, or how to become Sherlock Holmes? The next meeting of the series "The law on your own, or practically about the law"

Do you dream of thinking like Sherlock Holmes? It's not enough to put on a coat and take a magnifying glass in hand. You have to learn to see what is invisible to others - to analyse, associate facts and not be fooled by appearances. If you are fascinated by the world of deduction, logic and mysterious cases, the next meeting in our series will help you take the first step towards detective precision.

Expert on difficult topics - meet the presenter of the next meeting

The next webinar in the framework of the "With the law on you, or practically about the law" meetings, which will take place 15 April at 5.30pm, will lead Dr Magdalena Debita - PhD in social sciences, in the discipline of legal sciences, qualified expert and Master of Administration. Specialist in constitutional and criminal law, military law and bioethics. Member of the Interdisciplinary Medical Law Laboratory and Bioethicist, scientific supervisor of the Criminal Law Circle and scientific editor of several scientific journals.

What will you learn at the online meeting?

You are studying Law or Law in business and dream of working as a detective or are you interested in the behind-the-scenes fight against cybercrime? You should not miss it! During the webinar, we will cover topics that combine the theory of law with the practice of daily operations of services and professionals. You will find answers to questions:

• What is the career path of a detective in the police force and what requirements must be met?
• How do private investigators support companies and businesses?
• What is cyberbullying and how to respond to online identity theft?
• What action should you take if you suspect someone has impersonated your data?
• Where and how is online drug trafficking taking place - how to combat it?
• What is worth knowing about the National Cyber Security System Act?

The event will be held via Google Meet.

Conference "Our national micromania and its negative effects in the 21st century".

From March 31 to April 2, professors from the Institute of Criminology and Homeland Security participated in an inter-environmental and interdisciplinary conference organized by the Pedagogium Higher School of Social Sciences in Warsaw and Business School in Nowy Sącz - National Louis University.

The theme of the symposium was 'Our national micromania and its negative consequences in the 21st century'. The spiritus movens of the meeting was Professor Maria Szyszkowska. Proceedings chaired by Prof. R. Borkowski consisted of 25 papers and lively discussion and took place in the beautiful scenery of Nałęczów in the "Ewelina" villa.

Professor Piotr Skudrzyk delivered a paper entitled. "The danger of micromania of humanists", pointing out that the foundation of the resilience and cohesiveness of a nation is a delicate layer of culture. It is formed by the community of academic and non-academic humanists. Humanists should feel the importance of their own role and society the need to support its humanists. Professor Robert Borkowski presented a paper "Laboratory Theatre and Performatics. Grotowski appreciated and underestimated"., speaking not only about experimental theatre, but also about the influence of theatre on the development of performatics as a research perspective in the social sciences.