National International Scientific Conference "Communication and Security in Crisis, Border and Difficult Situations"

On days 5-6 June 2025 the International Scientific Conference on Communication in Crisis and Border Situations was held in Wrocław. The event was organised by Institute of Media and Social Communication of the University of Vocational Training chaired by Prof. Aleksander Woźnyand the conference became a space for interdisciplinary exchanges, reflections and analyses of the mechanisms of conformity, socio-cultural barriers to otherness and the challenges of the aid professions in the face of extreme situations such as armed conflicts, natural disasters or epidemics.

Welcome and opening of the conference

The conference was officially opened on behalf of the University authorities by Dr Irena Malinowska, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the College of Vocational Training in Wrocław, emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue and the need to jointly seek effective solutions for communication in crisis situations.

Inspiring talks and debate

The event started film screening "Waiting for the sky", directed by Alina Mrowinska (2020). The show was held in Sense Factoryfollowed by a moving debate with the documentary's protagonist. dr. n. med. Paweł GrabowskiPresident of the Prophet Elijah Hospice Foundation. The discussion provided an important opportunity to reflect on communication in the face of difficult decisions and borderline situations.

Experts and speakers

The conference was attended by eminent specialists from various fields, as well as students. Speakers included:

• Prof. zw. dr hab. n. med. Andrzej Gładysz - specialist in infectious diseases; 
• Dr n. med. Pawel Grabowski - President of the Prophet Elijah Hospice Foundation;
• Prof. Dr. Aleksander Woźny - Director of the Institute of Media and Social Communication;
• Dr n. med. Krzysztof Szmyd - President of the Lower Silesian children's hospice "Formula of Good";
• Prof. Tomasz Pawłowski, MD, PhD - Head of the Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Disorders;
• Prof. Bozhidar Ivkov - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences;
• Monica Marinova - President of the Tarlov's Cyst Patients Association "Treatment Without Borders" (Bulgaria);
• Dr Oliwia Tarasewicz-Gryt - College of Vocational Training;
• Prof. Dr. Urszula Glensk - Institute of Journalism and Social Communication, University of Wrocław;
• Dr Tetiana Vlasevych - Ivan Franko National University of Lviv;
• Dr Michał Rydlewski - Institute of Journalism and Social Communication, University of Wrocław;
• Dr Jerzy Luty - College of Vocational Training;
• Dr n. vet. Wojciech Hildebrand - Vice President of the Council of the Lower Silesian Chamber of Veterinary Medicine;
• Aleksandra Keller, MA - President of the Kociniec Cat Orphanage Foundation.

Summary and conclusions

At the end of the conference, students and participants summarised the issues raised and pointed out the need to continue discussions and further research in the field of crisis communication. Due to the great interest and positive reception of the event, it was reported that a second edition of the conference will be organised to explore this important topic in even greater depth.

Experts from the Vocational Training College at the G2 Forum in Wrocław

Geopolitics, economy, innovation, energy and business are the main thematic areas of the sixth edition of the G2 Forum, which will take place on 12 June at Tarczynski Arena in Wrocław. The event will be attended by experts from the Higher School of Vocational Training - members of the Security Advisory Team: Maj Gen Jarosław Kaleta, Maj Gen Paweł Dzierżak, Maj Gen Artur Bielecki, Maj Gen Michał Otrębski and Dr Rafał Guzowski.

At the heart of the debate - safety, education and innovation

Experts from our University at the G2 Forum will focus on key aspects of national security - both in the defence and internal dimensions. The discussion will address the geopolitical challenges facing Poland and the need to develop effective strategies to secure the country against threats.

An important element of these strategies is the training of specialist staff. The College of Professional Education provides specialised educational programmes in national security, crisis management and modern technologies used in the uniformed services. Students learn to analyse risks, respond to emergencies and implement solutions to enhance public safety.

G2 Forum - a space for sharing knowledge and experience

The G2 Forum, under the theme 'Turning Points', will bring together nearly 200 speakers from different countries and sectors. The event will be divided into three thematic zones: geopolitics, economy and innovation and Space & Military Zone. Participants will have the opportunity to listen to speeches in the G2 Talks format and benefit from networking and exhibition zones.

A shared vision of development. Meeting of the University authorities with the academic staff of the Faculty of Social Sciences

Already 10 June 2025 at 16:00 a meeting will take place on the Google Meet platform, bringing together the University and Faculty of Social Sciences authorities with academics. This is an important moment to look to the future together.

On the agenda - key areas that shape the Faculty's identity and development strategies. Participants will look at, among other things:

• organisational and functional aspects;
• teaching and research plans;
• the development prospects of the student community;
• cooperation with the socio-economic environment;
• technological solutions and infrastructure facilities.

Who will be present?

The meeting will be attended by University and Faculty authorities, heads of institutes and those responsible for:

• cooperation with the socio-economic environment;
• graduation process;
• evaluation of scientific activities;
• administrative support for the teaching process.

It is not only a presentation of the areas of activitybut above all opportunity to talk, exchanging experiences and jointly building the quality of education and research.

"With the law on you, or practically about the law" - webinar with Dr. Damian Wąsik

On 17 June, as part of a series of workshops "With the law on you, or practically about the law" will be held a meeting entitled "On the need to respect patients' rights in the treatment process - the perspective of patients and medical professionals". The topic will be the importance of patients' rights as an inalienable element of human rights and the need to adapt them to the dynamic development of medicine. It will address the issue of preserving the subjectivity of patients and their autonomy in deciding whether to participate in medical procedures.

The operator, based on the applicable legislation, well-established court case law and his/her own professional experience will present how the basic rights of the patient are implemented, the consequences of their violation and the patients' entitlements. The following will also be discussed the limits of patients' rights and the related duties of doctors, nurses, midwives and paramedics.

Profile of the leader

Dr Damian Wąsik - Doctor of Laws, a long-standing academic lecturer and researcher. Former legal adviser employed in the health sector and court-appointed attorney in numerous cases concerning medical malpractice. Author, co-author, editor and co-editor of more than 200 scientific publications and popular science in the field of medical law and criminal law. Participant in more than 100 Polish and international scientific conferences devoted to legal and medical issues. Plenipotentiary of the Rector of the School of Vocational Training for Persons with Disabilities.

Webinar schedule

During the webinar, the presenter will answer the following questions:

1. How the catalogue of patient rights is formulated in the Polish legal system?
2. What the patient's right is to provide health services in a safe and efficient manner?
3. What information can the patient ask for in the course of treatment, who should provide it and how?
4. How medical confidentiality is shaping up in relation to the patient? What responsibilities do medical professionals have?
5. Is patient consent required in all cases for treatment? When, in what form and to whom should it be given? What are the consequences for medical staff for providing medical assistance without the patient's consent?
6. How the patient's right is shaping up to medical records?
7. What responsibilities do medical staff have in relation to the need to respect the patient's intimacy and dignity and to respect his private and family life during hospitalisation?
8. What is the issue of damage compensation for violation of patient rights?

Following the presentation, there will be time for questions from webinar participants and answers from the presenter.

"Gift of the Heart" - Student Government of the College of Vocational Training with a visit to an orphanage

On the occasion of Children's Day representatives of the Student Government of our University visited one of the local orphanages, donating gifts collected as part of the "Gift of the Heart". The initiative was met with an overwhelming response from the academic community - both students and staff at our University showed that they have really big hearts!

Children's joy and time spent together

Among the gifts donated were games, balls, skateboards, books, toys, sweets, as well as a special gift - The biggest swing we could buy. The joy of the children was immense. The sight of the happy faces and the sparkle in the eyes of the little ones was the best reward for the joint action of the entire JCCC community.

The atmosphere during the visit was full of positive energy, emotion and joy. The shared games, conversations and moments spent together showed, how important such gestures are and how much good they can dowhen we act together.

A day full of smiles and emotions

The biggest joy for the children was the new swingwhich was set up the same day - the smiles on the faces of the little ones and their enthusiasm were priceless! In addition to the swing, the children also received toys, games, books and sweets - all thanks to the huge hearts of our academic community.

The atmosphere was incredibly warm and joyful. The children were eager to unwrap the parcels and their joy was shared by all present. The time spent together, the conversations and games were extremely moving and gave a lot of positive energy to both children and visitors.

Goodness that stays for a long time

Thank you to everyone who added something of their own - we proved that together we can create great joy and leave some goodness behind. This day will definitely stay with us for a long time!

The limits of freedom of expression in the spotlight. Conclusion of the glossary competition

Institute of Law of the University of Applied Sciences settled a competition for a glossary. The Competition Commission has completed the evaluation of the works analysing the Constitutional Court's judgment (ref. SK 54/13) -. concerning the limits of freedom of expression and offence to religious feelings. The level of content of the submitted analyses was very high, and the participants demonstrated an excellent knowledge of constitutional law, a feel for the issues of freedom of expression and the ability to argue in a factual manner.

Competition theme and objective

The theme of the competition was the Constitutional Court ruling of 6 October 2015. - concerning the case of singer Doda. The participants' task was to the preparation of a gloss, i.e. a legal commentary analysing the ruling in the context of human rights and constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression.

Competition winners

• 1st place: Arkadiusz Morka - 83 points / 90 points
• 2nd place: Sebastian Binkowski - 81 points / 90 points
• 3rd place: Catherine Stobieca - 79 points / 90 points

Congratulations to the winners - The works of the prize-winners stood out for both their substantive depth and clarity of argument.

A student voice on an important issue. Competition committee and reflections

We would like to thank all participants for their commitment and the high level of work submitted. We are delighted that so many students in the College of Vocational Training undertook the analysis of the one of the most famous rulings of recent years.

The entries were judged by a Competition Committee consisting of:

• chairman of the commission - Dr Kamil Stępniak,
• deputy chairman of the commission - Dr Damian Wąsik,
• member of the commission - Dr Mirosław Dela,
• member of the commission - Dr Katarzyna Julia Kowalska,
• member of the commission - Dr Daniel Szalbot,
• member of the commission - Dr Natalia Wąsik.

See you in future editions of the competitions - let the voice of the students of our University resound boldly in the debate on human rights and the limits of freedom of expression.

 "Faces of Sadness. Depression in its various guises" - A masterful lecture that makes you think

Last Saturday, as part of a series of masterclasses, a meeting was held on one of the most serious mental health challenges - depression. The theme of the event was a lecture entitled 'Faces of sadness. Depression in its various facets'. The event was initiated by Professor Ryszard Poprawa, to whom we would like to thank him for his involvement in organising the lecture.

Expert perspective of Prof. Dr. Jan Chodkiewicz

The speaker was Professor Jan Chodkiewicz, Ph. - recognised clinical psychologist, certified psychotherapist and specialist in addiction psychotherapy, who has been combining academic work with psychotherapeutic practice for more than 30 years, helping people with addiction problems and their families.

Professor Chodkiewicz shared his extensive knowledge and clinical and scientific experience, focusing on the complexity of the phenomenon of depression.

The different faces of depression and their consequences

The topic of the meeting was not only classical depressionbut also its less obvious 'faces'. The lecture provided an introduction to the issue, presenting both the classic symptoms of (internalising) depression - such as disorders of mood, motivation, cognitive function or somatic complaints - as well as the various variants of this disorder, occurring in different age groups and situational contexts, such as depression in children and adolescents, the elderly, postnatal, seasonal or existential depression.

Male depression, comorbidity and counteracting stigma

Particular attention was paid to externalisation depression, also known as 'male depression'. Professor Chodkiewicz discussed the so-called 'male depression'. gender paradox - juxtaposing the higher suicide rate among men with the higher diagnosis of depression in women - and pointed to specific forms of expression of this variety of depression: impulsivity, aggression, substance abuse or escape into work.

During the lecture issues related to the co-occurrence of depression with other mental disorders were also addressed, the diagnosis of this disorder and the importance of education and anti-stigma in the context of helping people struggling with depression.

We would like to thank Professor Jan Chodkiewicz for an extremely valuable lecture and Professor Ryszard Poprawa for his initiative and organisational support. The event certainly contributed to the knowledge of the our academic community and open up space for further reflection on this important topic.

"Applying AI in Business - How Artificial Intelligence is Changing the Market". A practical online workshop for students of our University.

12 June 2025 (Thursday) from 19:00-21:00 an online workshop for students of the College of Vocational Training will be held. The topic of the meeting will be "Applying AI in Business - How Artificial Intelligence is Changing the Marketplace". The workshop will be led by MA Mehmet Ömürlü collaborating with WSKZ, who will present ways in which artificial intelligence can be used in different areas of companies' operations. The workshop has been prepared with the following in mind students interested in modern technologies and their impact on the labour market.

What will you learn during the workshop?

The aim of the workshop is to present, How artificial intelligence is changing the way companies operate, influences process efficiency and enables the creation of new business models. Participants will learn how AI is used in marketing, HR, finance and data analysis.

The following will be discussed specific toolssuch as chatbots, recommendation systems or process automation. The workshop provides for interactive exercises through which participants will learn about real examples of AI implementation in companies and the challenges that come with it. Particular emphasis will be placed on competences that will be key in the labour market in the coming years.

Technical details

The meeting will take place on the Google Meet platform. Participants can also join by phone on +48 22 163 89 13 and PIN: 185 821 777#.

Direct link to the meeting: https://meet.google.com/sgq-fzzk-kgv and additional telephone numbers https://meet.google.com/tel/sgq-fzzk-kgv?pin=3836374194634.

Don't ignore sadness. Learn the truth about depression - masterclass by Prof. Dr. Jan Chodkiewicz

You are cordially invited to a unique masterclass entitled 'Faces of sadness. Depression in its various facets", which will take place 7 June 2025 at 11:30 am w the 3D Hall of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Wrocław. The lecture will be given by Mr. Professor Dr Jan Chodkiewicz - a prominent specialist in clinical psychology, psychotherapy and addiction psychology. 

The organiser of the event is the Institute of Psychology University of Vocational Training in Wrocław.

Depression - the disease of civilisation of our time

The modern world presents us with numerous challenges, and depression is becoming one of society's most pressing problems. This disease does not only affect individuals - affects entire societies, changing their functioning and psychological safety.

Depression can cause:

• psychosocial factors - chronic stress, low self-esteem, insecurity, low level of social skills;
• biological factors - hormonal disorders, genetic predisposition;
• sociological factors - difficult family situation, poor financial situation, alcohol abuse, violence.

The multifaceted nature of the causes means that depression remains one of the greatest health challenges of our time.

During the lecture Professor Jan Chodkiewicz will address the key issues of the, such as:

• Biological, psychological and social causes of depression;
• recognising the different facets of depression,
• specific problems associated with depression in men,
• effective methods of psychotherapy for people struggling with depression.

The presentation will not only provide an opportunity to expand knowledge, but also to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of the disease and the social challenges of depression in a rapidly changing world.

Who are you, Professor Jan Chodkiewicz, Professor of the University of Łódź?

Professor Jan Chodkiewicz is a respected clinical psychologist, specialist in addiction psychotherapy and certified cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist. For almost 30 years, he has combined his scientific activity with his therapeutic practice, helping addicts and their families.

On a day-to-day basis, Mr Professor works with the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology at the Institute of Psychology, University of Łódź. His areas of expertise include:

• addiction psychology,
• the issue of depression in men,
• cognitive behavioural therapy.

The Professor's scientific output includes:

• Co-author and author of numerous books, including:
  • "Bouncing off the bottom? The role of quality of life in the course and outcome of treatment for alcohol dependence" (Łódź, 2012),
  • "Alcohol addiction. Faces of the problem" (Warsaw, 2020);
• More than 100 scientific articles and chapters in monographs;
• Participation in numerous research projects funded by PARPA, NCPU and NCBiR.

He is also an active member of numerous scientific organisations:

• Polish Psychological Association,
• Polish Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies,
• Polish Society for Research on Addictions,
• Section on Addictions of the Polish Psychiatric Association.

Why take part?

Masterclass by Prof. Dr. Jan Chodkiewicz entitled. "Faces of sadness. Depression in various guises" is an excellent opportunity to:

• broaden their knowledge of contemporary psychological issues;
• better understand the importance of mental health in everyday life;
• gain reliable information on effective forms of help for people in mental health crisis.

It is also a chance to meet an eminent scientist whose knowledge and experience inspire both practitioners and those interested in psychology. 

You are cordially invited to participate!

Thanks to the initiator of the master class project

Special thanks go to Mr Professor Dr Ryszard PoprawaHe is the originator of the entire master class project. It is thanks to his initiative and commitment that we can participate in extraordinary meetings with eminent representatives of the world of science, which broaden horizons, inspire and strengthen the academic identity of our University.

Programme "Safe city - Safe student. Opole Against Trafficking in Human Beings. Scientific and didactic levels of research on human trafficking" as an example of good academic practice

The project is being implemented in 2025 from funds of the University of Opole and the budget of the Marshal's Office of the Opole Voivodeship as part of Small Grants for Universities in the Opole Voivodeship. It is called: "Safe city - Safe student. Opole against trafficking in human beings. Scientific and didactic levels of research on human trafficking". The programme is aimed at the region's student and research community. The project is implemented by the Centre for Counteracting Trafficking in Human Beings of the University of Opole and the La Strada Foundation (CPHLUOiFS) in cooperation with invited experts and practitioners, including lawyers dealing with human trafficking issues.

The need for education on human trafficking

Ease of establishing contacts - including via the Internet - as well as freedom of movement and access to employment, particularly in the summer months - bring young people not only positive aspectssuch as the opportunity to learn about new cultures or make friends, but also risks. One of the most serious challenges remains the contemporary phenomenon of human trafficking - involving forced labour, exploitation for prostitution or organ trafficking. It is therefore essential to conduct educational activities to raise students' awareness on hazard identification, countermeasures and available forms of protection.

Programme structure and objectives

The project involves an educational programme, starting with an initial survey of the students' level of knowledge by means of a questionnaire. On this basis, the following will be developed a didactic programme addressing the identified needs of participants. It will include information materials, multimedia lectures and workshops on human trafficking. The content will include an analysis of the current forms of the phenomenon, legal provisions, ways of counteractingas well as the issue of gainful employment - taking into account regional conditions. The role of public institutions such as the Police, Border Guard, courts or labour inspection will also be discussed, as well as the importance of the activities of non-governmental organisations.

Conference and participation of an expert from the School of Vocational Training

The project will culminate in international scientific conference organised at the University of Opole. Among the speakers will be a regular collaborator of the La Strada Foundation - the Dr. Vytautas Yakimko, assistant professor at the Institute of Law of the College of Professional Training. As part of the programme on 4-6 June 2025. he will conduct some of the guest lectures and educational meetings for students at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Opole.