Strategia UEK

Realizacja celów UEK na rzecz 17 Celów Zrównoważonego Rozwoju ONZ w 2021 roku

 Realization of the Goals of the Cracow University of Economics  in support of UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2021 

 
OVERALL REPORT 

In 2021 CUE has prepared and published the first version of the Goals of the Cracow University of Economics in support of UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The document we adopted stands testament to our readiness to act for the common good, environmental protection as well as social equality and diversity. It defines long-term actions which we have agreed upon.  

The presented report is a summary of actions taken at the Cracow University of Economics, to help reach the SDGs. 

2021 was a very active year in this field. At the end of 2020 the Social and Environmental Development Unit was created, to support university transformation towards sustainability. In 2021 the Unit was very active in the areas of social and environmental activities, policy creation and approval, education of staff and students, research and connecting different stakeholders, in order to make CUE more sustainable. As a result, the pursuit of sustainability at CUE is accelerating. It will not be possible to attain these goals without solidarity and cooperation with numerous entities – not only within the scope of our University but also as part of intensive regional, national and international cooperation. 

Many individuals staff members and organizational units at the University voluntarily undertake initiatives to build good interpersonal relations, protect the environment, support local projects, help the needy, promote good business practices, or shape responsible citizenship among students. Many initiatives regarding work culture, community evolvement, natural environment, business education and collaboration with stakeholders were undertaken. SDGs-related topics were identified and/or added to our research and teaching. CUE faculty, staff and students worked jointly to make the university more responsible, sustainable, inclusive, and available.  

For the calendar year 2021, the Social and Environmental Development Unit is proud to report on the following SDGs: 

SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 

SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 

SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 

SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 

SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation 

SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries 

SDG 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 

SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 

SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 

SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 

SD 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development 

 

 SEPARATE REPORTS 

 

SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 

3.1 Increase accessibility to psychological consultations for members of staff, graduate and undergraduate students 

– In 2020 psychological aid at CUE was reorganized within the Office for People with Disabilities (BON) and in 2021 Psychological Support Centre was established (https://bon.uek.krakow.pl/p,10,cwp). Since then, the offer of psychological consultations and support for those in duress has been evolving, and the Centre also started offering support in English and Russian. The Centre has also prepared a series of workshops for faculty and students regarding mental health issues. 

3.2 Maintain co-financing for sports activities and passes 

– In 2021 CUE spent 300 000 PLN on a range of sporting disciplines, in which CUE staff and students took part within and outside the University. 

– Despite pandemic limitations of varied severity and duration, access to CUE sports facilities was assured continuously throughout 2021. All sports clubs and units functioned, and their members practiced, and several teams took top places at the national level in competitions within the Polish Academic Sports Union (AZS). 

– All sports events organized at CUE remain not ticketed. Throughout 2021 event access was free to all visitors. 

3.3 Expand and modernise the University’s sports infrastructure 

– In 2021 the University invested in modernization of sports facilities  and Forum UEK was opened (a 5 million PLN investment) – a multifunctional sports field supporting not only the development of physical culture but also – through the possibility of organizing meetings and concerts – activities integrating the entire CUE Community 

https://uek.krakow.pl/artykuly/aktualnosci/nowoczesne-forum-uniwersytetu-ekonomicznego-w-krakowie-zobacz-jak-wyglada-fotogaleria  

3.4 Provide a wider choice of healthy meals, as well as increase availability of vegan and vegetarian meals at food establishments and vending machines throughout the campus 

– In 2021 research was conducted on the availability of healthy meals in the student’s canteen and in restaurants and cafes residing on campus. A questionnaire regarding this matter was also sent to all students. Based on that research, an official document with recommendations was presented to all vendors and restaurant owners present on campus. 

3.5 Further first aid knowledge 

– First aid workshops are conducted regularly and available to all staff members.  

– In 2021, the CUE Health & Safety Team conducted 85 workshops for staff in onsite or online mode. 8 major workshops were dedicated to first aid. 

– 3250 students took part in dedicated workshops, in onsite or online mode. Utilising its Moodle platform, CUE provides Health & Safety and first aid information to new students. The course provided information about OHS, fire safety, first aid, all contextualized around the CUE campus and facilities. Students were also provided with a range of legal data and documentation. 

3.6 Conduct a health and healthy eating educational campaign 

– In 2021 a campaign on healthy eating and health was conducted among CUE staff members and students. It was promoted via university social media and official mailing. 


SDG4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 

4.1 Further development for staff members in the form of training sessions, conferences, workshops, seminars, and courses 

– Every year, a set of faculty and staff training is available. This training evolves around the topics of modern ways of teaching, using online tools and applications, mental health, diversity and equality, language training, sports classes etc. The program develops yearly, adding new training, workshops, and seminar topics. 

4.2 Establish preferential terms for staff members to undertake postgraduate courses 

– Cracow School of Business, the postgraduate arm of the University, provides discounts of 10% to all CUE staff when undertaking postgraduate programmes.  

– The Doctoral school on its part-time program provides CUE staff with full coverage of tuition, supervision and formal procedures.  

4.3 Expand opportunities for staff members to take up foreign language courses 

– The CUE Language Center continuously offers a range of foreign languages and, backed by the CUE Foundation, staff development opportunities in languages are available. 

4.4 Expand the internship programme 

– In the academic year 2020-21, 2862 students undertook internships/work placements as part of their educational curricula. With the increase in the number of degrees, the percentage of all CUE students undertaking internships will continue to rise, backed by enhanced annual intakes. 

4.5 Develop degree courses designed in cooperation with the business world 

– In 2020 and 2021, the Social and Environmental Development Unit regularly reviewed the presence of sustainability information and SDGs in the content of courses and degree programmes. 

4.6 Increase the number of hours within the scope of educational courses assigned to practical work 

– The structure of degree programmes, approved by Institute Councils increasingly focuses on the provision of practical classes and a move away from excessive lecture hours – students gain skills and experiences via seminars, laboratories, and practicums that are embedded into the degree curricula. Since 2021, on many CUE degrees, the percentage of practical hours is systematically being enhanced beyond 40% of total contact hours (e.g. Marketing & Market Communication, Management, Modern Business Management). 

4.7 Expand apprenticeship and internship opportunities within the scope of the University’s cooperation with public and business institutions 

– All 2862 students who undertook internships in the academic year 2020-2021 did so in companies and institutions with which CUE has developed a linkage, either in the form of internships contracts or wider cooperation arrangements, such as participation in stakeholder councils at Department, Institute or College level, graduate employment or R&D cooperation. Many organisations are sourced by CUE staff, keen to develop university-industry or university-government linkages for teaching, research, and consulting. 

4.8 Add weight to the importance assigned to the skills of the future and skills helpful on the job market in the educational process 

– The evaluation of degree Intended Learning Outcomes (regulated through the official Polish Qualifications Framework) is an ongoing process – ILOs are defined at the moment of degree design and analyzed during degree redevelopment. Stakeholders are also consulted regarding their (external) perception of the desired future graduate knowledge and skills profile. With the development of IT systems in 2021, ILO-subject matrixes were developed, and the realization of ILOs is monitored through subject-specific reporting. The ILO monitoring system will be enhanced, in terms of the scope of generated data and the level of analysis, as further developments are planned for 2022-23. 

4.9 Support the activities of academic and student clubs within the scope of access to University resources 

– In 2021, through the Council of Science Clubs (https://rkn.uek.krakow.pl), the number of clubs at CUE reached 40. Detailed procedures were developed for Club initiation, foundation, operations and closure. The Council assists in building memberships, access to CUE facilities, budgeting and expenditures, reporting and PR of Club activities. The Council itself, as an overarching body, undertakes a range of activities aimed at promoting student research, sharing best practices, organizing and attending conferences and seeks partnerships with the business and governmental communities. 

4.10 Increase sustainable development awareness within the Cracow University of Economics community (through didactic content, seminars, conferences, etc.) 

– In 2021, research was conducted on the presence of topics related to SDGs, sustainability, ethics, social responsibility, circular economy, and environmental issues in the syllabuses of all courses offered at the university. Also, the database of all faculty-published research was examined to investigate their relations to SDGs. The two research will be conducted yearly. Additionally, there are numerous events related to sustainability organized at CUE (seminars, discussion panels, conferences, workshops). 

4.11 Establish a database of University initiatives for sustainable development 

– Establishing a digital database of CUE initiatives for sustainable development was approved in 2021. Since then, the tool has been under development by CUE IT staff. One important component was completed – the system for identifying SDGs in research outputs of CUE Faculty. 

SDG5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 

5.1 Carry out an analysis of the share of managerial and academic positions held by women 

– Since 2021, a yearly analysis of data supporting Gender Equality Plan is conducted at CUE. All levels and types of positions are analyzed. In 2021, out of 157 senior academic staff, a total of 76 were women. 

5.2 Foster the objectives of the Diversity Charter with particular emphasis on gender equality 

– In 2021 works on the CUE Gender Equality Plan started. A carefully chosen team started the internal analysis of gender equality at CUE. The CUE GEP will be published in 2022. 

 

SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 

8.1 Identify the needs of staff members, graduate and undergraduate students with disabilities within the scope of their place of work or study 

– In 2021, the members of the “CUE available to all” project funded by the National Centre for Research and Development conducted an in-depth analysis among students with disabilities. As a result, a report was published on CUE architectural and educational availability and the support that CUE provides to students with disabilities. 

8.2 Promote the principles set forth in the code of ethics 

– Regularly, principles of the code of ethics are revised and promoted. 

8.3 Promote the University Social Responsibility Declaration signed by the Cracow University of Economics  

– CUE representatives regularly participate in all local and national initiatives gathering socially responsible universities, and universities that signed the University Social Responsibility Declaration. 

8.4 Further the University’s commitment to green public procurement and purchase of fair-trade products 

– In 2021, there were consultations organized to discuss the possibility of implementing green public procurement and fair-trade products at CUE. 

  

SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation 

9.1 Increase R&D infrastructure investments (including laboratories) 

– Since 2020 over 3.8 million PLN were spent on library resources, and the building of the CUE Main Library was renovated (part of a 17.5 million PLN renovation effort). To this, over the period of the pandemic, 2 million PLN were spent on new ICT for staff. 

9.2 Support and expand R&D works 

– 2021 was the final year of the National Research Assessment Exercise, where all universities submitted their research outcomes, funding indicators, links with industry and society in order to receive a “category”, that would then define the funding for the next 4-year period. Institutional resources and efforts were focused on the Exercise, with notable increases in research and related outputs, culminating in the awarding to CUE of categories such as “B+” in the discipline “Economics and Finance” officially confirming CUEs university status and its degree-awarding powers. The next review cycle, started in 2022, will place even greater importance on R&D work and strong linkages with industry. 

9.3 Support innovation and entrepreneurship amongst the University’s community 

– In 2021, to foster cooperation with industry, CUE formed a dedicated, special purpose company. The entity’s mission is to build relations between the internal environment of the University of Economics in Cracow and the economic environment, and to gain the position of a recognizable broker of innovative technologies on the local, national and European market. The company is also expected to act as an incubator for new ideas by staff and students, leading to the emergence of spin-offs and spin-outs. The CUE special purpose company is the second such entity in Poland established at a public economic university 

9.4 Install drinking water fountains on the campus 

– Consultations on the regulations and possibilities of installing fresh drinking water fountains with “Krakow Water” started in 2021. Krakow Water conducted tests of water in all buildings and together with CUE experts – the placement of the fountains was chosen. The fountains will be assembled in 2022. 

9.5 Expand solutions for recycling, upcycling, closing the loop and minimising waste 

– Recycling bins were installed in all buildings on all floors. Additionally, bins for used batteries were installed by every concierge in every building. 

9.6 Expand the „Plastic free rectorate” project 

– Single-use plastic bottles and dining accessories were replaced by reusable glass and metal. 

 

SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries 

10.1 Increase the number of international students from developing countries 

– Despite the pandemic lockdowns, the number of international students at the University in 2021 stood at 633, with the vast majority of them being from developing countries. With the shift to online education, these students did not lose-out on their education and continued to study either from within Poland or, if caught by the lockdowns, from abroad. The University continued to develop its international offer, with a range of English lingual degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and enrolled international students for both the degrees in English and, when the knowledge of Polish was confirmed, for Polish-lingual programmes (in this case, the students usually have a background of the Polish diaspora). 

10.2. Establish academic links with institutions in developing countries, supporting them through mobility of staff and students, partnerships.  

– Furthering its desire to partner with institutions in developing countries and emerging economies, CUE continues to seek out foreign institutions interested in mobility (staff and students), joint programs, research, and funding cooperation. In 2021, with the end of the pandemic in sight, efforts were enhanced at finding new partners and through its international units, CUE began working with potential new partners in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Rwanda, Vietnam, Colombia. Simultaneously, opportunities to partner with institutions from strong economies also emerged, primarily from France and China, creating opportunities for establishing complex multilateral partnerships in the near future. 

10.3 Be increasingly open to students with disabilities 

– The Office for People with Disabilities (https://bon.uek.krakow.pl), continues to develop its offer of support and in 2021 worked with 190 students and 36 staff members, providing a wide range of support services, including enrolment, study, examinations, accommodation, counselling, organizing events for the University community as well as participating in external events. 

10.4 Develop system of support for disabled staff and students. 

– In 2021, the Office for People with Disabilities received state funding of nearly 600 000PLN, which provided major resources for all Office activities, including launching the new Psychological Support Centre, enhancing the support programme of assistants for disabled students, undertaking trips (including participation in sporting events) and trainings. 

10.5 Develop equality policies and monitoring systems, centred on human resource excellence 

– On the 6th of April 2021, the HR Excellence strategy was enacted, and a Steering Committee was formed for its implementation. 

 

SDG 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 

11.1 Support arts and heritage activities of the city, region, country. 

– In 2021, the Art at UEK project was started as an ongoing activity by the University. As part of the project, numerous performances, concerts, exhibitions, debates, lectures and expert panels will be organized (https://uek.krakow.pl/artykuly/wydarzenia/zainaugurowano-projekt-sztuka-na-uek).  

– In 2021, within the framework of the Open Eyes Economy Summit, an art festival was started, which incorporates issues important to the Open Eyes Economy movement. During 6 weeks of events, visitors could enjoy galleries, shows, art auctions, discussion panels, conferences, film shows and meetings with artists (https://oeaf.pl/edycja-2021/). 

11.2 Provide access to educational resources for people who are not CUE students and for local communities. 

– CUE annually organizes events in the arts, which are open to the public. 

– The Main Library (https://bg.uek.krakow.pl) offers access to the public and, through CUEs membership of the Cracow University Consortium, access is possible to all member organizations across the city of Cracow. 

– The Third Age University (https://utw.uek.krakow.pl) is a project providing mature students with learning opportunities in a wide range of topics within CUE competences, such as economics, management, policymaking, and sustainability.  

– CUE operates its Children University (https://ud.uek.krakow.pl), aimed at educating children in a range of topics and societal postures, including responsible citizenship. 

11.3. Support sustainability projects by local communities, city authorities, regional governments. 

– Contributing to local initiatives is part of CUEs responsibility towards the community. One multi-year effort is the bicycle commuting project, where CUE staff switch their travel habits to bicycle transport to and from work. Also, pedestrian access is prioritized on the CUE campus. 

– At CUE, the Department of Spatial Development and Urban Studies (consisting of 3 departments and two degrees) is devoted to planning and cooperates with local authorities regarding city planning and development. 

– The Malopolska School of Public Administration (MSAP) is engaged in research and consulting for local authorities, including topics of planning and development. 

– In 2021, Forum UEK was opened (a 5 million PLN investment) – a multifunctional sports field and underground parking space, built on an inner-campus brownfield site. The Forum supports not only the development of physical education and sports, but also – through the possibility of organizing meetings and concerts – provides a space for activities integrating the entire CUE Community 

(https://uek.krakow.pl/artykuly/aktualnosci/nowoczesne-forum-uniwersytetu-ekonomicznego-w-krakowie-zobacz-jak-wyglada-fotogaleria). 

 

SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 

12.1 Establish paper, light bulb and toner consumption indicators within the scope of given units 

– A program of efficient use of paper, light bulbs, and toners was created. A program of investments in sustainability in this manner was accepted by CUE officials and it will be implemented in 2022. 

12.2 More efficient use of water and electricity 

– A program of efficient use of water and electricity was created in 2022, together with investment plans. 

12.3 Increase investment in renewable energy sources 

– Consultations on renewable energy resources is being conducted (with representatives of the city, producers of technologies, and NGOs) 

12.4 Decrease CO2 emissions, smaller carbon footprint 

– The works on calculating and reducing CUE carbon footprint have started. 

 

SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 

 13.1 More green areas within the Cracow University of Economics campus 

– The green areas at CUE campus are constantly evolving. More green fields are prepared, and new greenery is being continuously planted. Plans to reduce parking spaces and create a “Garden for Professors” were commissioned to an architect.  

13.2 More educational efforts to further climate change knowledge and awareness 

– CUE actively participates in PRME and Global Compact Poland’s efforts to climate change education evolvement. CUE representatives are taking an active part in both organizations’ round table talks and report writing. 

 

SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 

 

16.1 Increase the role of stakeholders (internal and external) in university operations 

– Stakeholders are given access to university operations through a range of collegiate bodies: 

  1. CUE Senate, which includes representatives of all employee categories (administrative, academic, research, management) and students;
  2. CUE Student Parliament, that provides self-governance for the student body, and which participates through representatives in the functioning of many university bodies;
  3. CUE Board of Trustees, through which representatives of external stakeholders contribute to university operations.This Board was formed in March 2021 for the first time and will function until September 2024. Prof. Majchrowski, the President of Cracow is a member, strengthening the linkages between city authorities and CUE.

– At lower levels of the University, stakeholders have been engaged through College Councils, where education programmes are evaluated and discussed, graduate profiles formed, cooperation with employers fostered, together with the transfer of knowledge between academic and the business/governmental community. In April 2021, the Business Council by the College of Management & Quality Sciences was formed (https://knzj.uek.krakow.pl/o-kolegium/rada-biznesu/). 

16.2 Support institutional development at local, city, regional and national levels 

– The CUE Centre for Public Policy conducts research, consulting, and contributes to the development of public policies at all levels. A major theme of research in 2020 and 2021 was the impact of the pandemic, the development of cities and the impact of renewable technologies.  

– Through the Department of Knowledge Transfer and Projects, CUE provides expert knowledge to government units.  

16.3 Support strengthening of government, policymakers, lawmakers through cooperation and outreach 

– Since 1995 the GAP Symposium (Sympozjum GAP) operates as a public debate platform between academia, government at various levels, wide range of stakeholders. In 2021, the 52nd Symposium focused on topics of policies towards seniors and the economic impact of the pandemic (https://sympozjumgap.pl/sympozjum52/). 

– Since 2015, the Open Eyes Economy Summit (OEES), provides a platform for discussions about modern economic and political issues at local, national and international levels. In 2021, the 6th Summit provided an international venue for discussing issues of democracy, demography, economics and business operations, multigenerational and multicultural issues in organisations (https://oees.pl/poprzednie-edycje/). 

16.4 Collaborate with government on important issues 

– The Malopolska School of Public Administration is a unit dedicated to research, projects, consulting focused on Administration and governance at local, regional, national levels. An example from 2021 is the research on the Quick Reaction Instrument, from which a series of publications emerged in 2021-22. 

– The College of Economy and Public Administration, through its institutes and departments, is actively involved in research with governmental partners at all levels. A notable proportion of Faculty have government experience and continue to support government activities at various levels. 

– Prof. Majchrowski, the President of Cracow joined the CUE Board of Trustees in 2021 as a member, strengthening the linkages between city authorities and CUE. 

16.5. Contribute to the development of highly skilled governmental human resources 

– Various organisational units of the University (including Malopolska School of Public Administration and Cracow School of Business CUE Institutes) offer a wide range of trainings, postgraduate and MBA programmes for policymakers and lawmakers (such as MBA in Community Management). The 2021 pandemic complexities did not prevent the offering of programmes, as CUE units operated on fully online or mixed modes of instruction, depending on the situation and governmental decrees. 

– The conferences and symposia organised by CUE, all involved government representatives, policymakers as speakers, and were open to attendees from all levels of government and policymaking. The online format, dominant in 2021, only helped to enhance the number and geographical location of participants.  

 

SDG 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development 

 

17.1 Promote and initiate intersectoral cooperation 

– Since 1995 the GAP Symposium (Sympozjum GAP) operates as a public debate platform between academia, government at various levels, and a wide range of stakeholders. In 2021, the 52nd Symposium focused on topics of policies towards seniors and the economic impact of the pandemic (https://sympozjumgap.pl/sympozjum52/). 

– Since 2015, the Open Eyes Economy Summit (OEES), provides a platform for discussions about modern economic and political issues at local, national and international levels. In 2021, the 6th Summit provided an international venue for discussing issues of democracy, demography, economics and business operations, multigenerational and multicultural issues in organisations (https://oees.pl/poprzednie-edycje/). 

– Since 2005, the MBA Congress (Kongres MBA) brings together representatives of business with government policymakers and researchers, providing a venue for discussing issues important to the locality, nation and the world. In 2021, the 17th Congress focused on issues of resilience, sustainability in times of crisis and development-focused future orientation were discussed by business leaders, researchers and politicians (https://kongresmba.pl/poprzednie-edycje/). 

17.2 Develop national and international cooperation within the scope of science, technology, and innovation 

Cooperation with partners, both domestic and foreign, plays an important role in the development of the University. It has an impact on the improvement and modernization of didactics, as well as on increasing the research potential. The Cracow University of Economics actively cooperates with about 200 foreign centers.