Inauguration of the 2023/2024 academic year

On September 25, 2023, at noon, in the Leopoldina Auditorium of the University of Wroclaw, a formal meeting of the Senate inaugurating the 2023/2024 academic year was held. The ceremony was conducted by the Rector of our University Prof. Ph. Andrzej Rokita.

Photo. Adam Stępień - Inauguration of the 2023/2024 academic year

The highlight of the ceremony was the conferring of the title of Doctor Honoris Causa on Prof. dr. hab. To Piotr Ponikowski, Rector of the Antoninus Medical University. Silesian Piasts in Wroclaw.

Opening the ceremony, the Rector welcomed the invited guests, with special words for the Honorary Doctorate, the reviewers in the DHC conduction, students, alumni, academics and administrative staff of our University.

The Rector, uttering the Latin maxim “QUOD BONUM FELIX FAUSTUM FORTUNATUM QUE SIT, officially began the new academic year 2023/2024.

The ceremony was honored with the presence of representatives of state, regional and local authorities, parliamentarians, Rectors and representatives of universities, representatives of the sports community and business representatives.

In his inaugural address, the Rector provided highlights of the Academy’s performance over the past academic year.

On the occasion of the inauguration of the academic year, numerous congratulatory letters were received by the JM Rector.

The letter from Prime Minister Mr. Mateusz Morawiecki was read by Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education and Science, Mr. Wojciech Murdzek.

In the opening part of the ceremony, the Deputy Governor of Lower Silesia, Mr. Bogusław Szpytma, and the Mayor of the City of Wroclaw, Mr. Jacek Sutryk, also spoke.

The tradition of the inauguration of the academic year is the matriculation of representatives of the students of the Department of Physiotherapy and the Department of Physical Education and Sports, students of the Doctoral School and students of the University of the Third Age. The matriculation was carried out by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Teaching Prof. Ryszard Bartoszewicz.

Graduation diplomas were presented to representatives of the graduates.

Graduation ceremonies for all graduates will be held on October 21, 2023, at 11 a.m. in the P4 building, named after the founder. Zdzisław Zagrobelny, on the campus of our Academy.

Mr. Rector and the President of the Council of the College of Sciences presented doctoral degrees to representatives of this group:

dr Wiktor Chodor
dr. Gerda Delaunay
dr. Roman Hawro
dr. Aleksandra Kowaluk
dr. Łukasz Kaminski
dr. Adam Karpiński

The ceremony also saw the promotion of a postdoctoral fellow, Ms. Dr. inż. Małgorzaty Kołodziej.

The remaining doctoral and postdoctoral diploma presentations, will take place on October 20 this year. During the Academy Celebration.

The Rector presented congratulatory letters to three female professors who were awarded the title of professor by the President of the Republic of Poland during the past academic year:

Prof. Katarzyna Kisiel-Sajewicz,
Prof. Eugenia Murawska-Ciałowicz,
Prof. Joanna Szczepańska-Gieracha.

Another highlight of the event was the presentation of the Gold Medal for Long Service awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland, Dr. Piotr Oleśniewicz, prof. AWF.

The Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education and Science, Mr. Wojciech Murdzek, and the Lower Silesian Superintendent of Education, Mr. Roman Kowalczyk, who were present at the Inauguration, presented the Medals of the National Education Commission:

Dr. Joanna Chwalczyńska, prof. AWF
Dr. To Czesław Giemza, prof. AWF
Dr. Krzysztof Kałuzny
Dr. Jarosław Nosal.

During the Inauguration, the Rector, Professor Andrzej Rokita, presented the 2021 Medal of Merit for the University of Physical Education, awarded by the University Senate. Polish Olympians in Wroclaw to Mr. James Gostomski from the USA.

Honored athletes and coaches, for their sporting successes in the past year, the Rector, together with Mrs. Vice Rector for Sports, presented their awards. Dr. Agnieszka Pisula-Lewandowska, Director of Student Affairs and Academic Sports, presented the commemorative awards. Honored were:

Konrad Powroźnik – at the World Deaf Swimming Championships in Buenos Aires, won a total of 7 medals including a gold in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay.
Julia Piotrowska – (shooting sports) for obtaining an Olympic qualification in the air rifle competition (Cairo 2022).
Dominika Sztandera – (swimming) for achieving Olympic qualification, two silver medals in the relay and silver and bronze medals individually at the Chengdu 2023 Summer Universiade.
Adam Łukomski – (athletics) silver medal in the 4×400 meter relay of the Chengdu 2023 Summer Universiade, bronze medal in the 4×100 meter relay at the European Under-23 Championships.
Mateusz Jopek – (athletics) silver medal of the European Team Championships (included in the European Games).

The next and most solemn point of the Inauguration program proceeded with the conferring of the honorary Doctor Honoris Causa dignity of the Adam Mickiewicz Academy of Physical Education. Polish Olympians in Wroclaw to Mr. Prof. dr. hab. Piotr Ponikowski. The laudation was delivered by Prof. Ph. Jan Chmura on the basis of the opinions of the reviewers – Professor Andrzej Klimek and Professor Ryszard Piotrowicz, emphasizing the professor’s enormous contribution to the development of science, diligence, consistency in the pursuit of goals and great experience in the activities carried out in the world of science, medicine and education.

Doctor Honoris Causa Mr. Professor Piotr Ponikowski thanked the authorities of AWF Wrocław for the dignity he received and gave an occasional lecture entitled “My adventure with science: why is it worth going against the grain?”.

At the end of the inauguration, Rector prof. Ph. Andrzej Rokita thanked the guests of honor, the High Senate, staff, students and the entire academic community for honoring our event with their presence, and the organizers for preparing it.

The artistic setting of the event, courtesy of the Academy of Music in Wroclaw, was provided by Agnieszka Wilczewska – soprano, Tomasz Łykowski – baritone, Aleksandra Orłukowicz – piano

Traditionally, flowers given to the Rector by students were placed after the ceremony at the plaque commemorating the death of Lviv University scholars.

The Rector’s report, as well as extensive coverage of the Inauguration of the 2023/2024 Academic Year, will be posted on https://zycieakademickie.awf.wroc.pl/ in October.

Media reports:

Photo essay, photo. Andrzej Nowak