From 27 February to 10 March, the Polish–Romanian school Borderlands of Cooperation: Polish-Romanian Spring School Studying the Interference of Culture, Science, and Art took place. The programme was carried out with the key involvement of staff from the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences at UZ (University of Zielona Góra). The Polish part of the school, held at UZ, concluded on 3 March.

The programme had an interdisciplinary character and included workshops, lectures, discussions, and experimental demonstrations. The topics addressed, among others, the exact sciences, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, and the relationships between science, culture, and art. Seven students from the “1 December 1918” University of Alba Iulia participated in the Polish part of the school. Many events were open to a wider audience and gathered international students, academics, diplomats, and invited guests.

The mobility of students and lecturers from abroad, mainly from the “1 December 1918” University of Alba Iulia – the partner of the school – was funded within the PROM project, coordinated by Dr Paweł Truszkiewicz.

An important element of the programme was also the Polish–Romanian Science Festival, which began in Głogów. Among the participants were Gabriel Bartaș, former Ambassador of Romania to Poland, and Bogumił Luft, former Ambassador of Poland to Romania and Moldova. The meetings and lectures focused on Polish–Romanian relations in historical, ethnographic, sociological, and political contexts.

Further events took place in Zielona Góra. On 2 March, a concert performed by students of the Institute of Music at UZ was held at Piekarnia Cichej Kobiety, while experimental demonstrations and science outreach lectures were organized on Campus A.

The Polish part of the school concluded with the Day of Polish–Romanian Solidarity held on 3 March at the University Library. The event was attended by the authorities of UZ, including Vice-Rector Prof. Justyna Patalas-Maliszewska, as well as members of the academic community and invited guests.

The second part of the school took place in Romania at the “1 December 1918” University of Alba Iulia.

The project coordinators would like to express their gratitude for the cooperation and participation in the events, in particular to Gabriel Bartaș and Bogumił Luft.

Special thanks are also extended to: Agnieszka Gandecka, Sinan Gulhan, Adam Iliciow, Tytus Jaskółowski, Stefan Jerzyniak, Artur Kinal, Aura Kozłowska, Sebastian Kruk, Bogdan Mucea, Krzysztof Pikul, Wojciech Pruszyński, Karolina Rożko, Mihai Sebe, Claudiu Stefani, Beata Springer, Maciej Tarkowski, as well as the students of the Institute of Music. We also thank the Bukovinian Highlanders Ensemble “Watra”.

We are grateful for the organizational, logistical, and technical support provided by Anna Akielaszek-Witczak, Katarzyna Krystek, Krzysztof Pikul, Kamila Rabiko, Paweł Truszkiewicz, and Marcin Witczak. Our thanks also go to the partners supporting the events: the Głogów Borderlands Education Association, the owners of Piekarnia Cichej Kobiety, the Municipality of Gaworzyce, and the State Academy of Applied Sciences in Głogów.

Coordinators, Magdalena Pokrzyńska and Sylwia Kondej.

Photos: Magdalena Pokrzyńska and Sylwia Kondej