Cel: RELACJE

Strategic objective III

Increase the University's role and strengthen its image as an institution open to cooperation with the environment, creating knowledge and innovative solutions, providing high-class expert services, including medical ones, socially engaged and culture-creating.

The Nicolaus Copernicus University is a leading academic partner for cooperation in sustainable development and innovation for cities, local government and business, especially in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region. Strong commitment and high priority given to the development of relations with Toruń, Bydgoszcz and the region has met with appreciation and generated valuable social and economic initiatives.

The University offers a wide range of research and expert services that are attractive to external entities. It is a strong commercialisation centre thanks to successful implementations of R&D results. The NCU effectively protects intellectual property, enabling the implementation of research and development projects in cooperation with significant business entities and the local government. The Centre for Academic Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer facilitates the creation of innovations and their transfer to the economy, conducts patenting and strengthens academic entrepreneurship. These activities actively support innovation and project managers as well as special purpose vehicles supporting University spin-off companies.

The Nicolaus Copernicus University continues its culture-forming role as an animator and patron of important cultural events in the region. The University is also a natural center for disseminating knowledge by promoting attitudes of active participation and conscious reception. It runs the University School of Secondary Education, the Open University, the Children University and the University of the Third Age. The NCU serves the community as a highly credible advisory institution promoting rational decision-making methods.

Operational objectives and key actions

III.1 Develop dialogue and cooperation standards with external partners.

III.1.1 Develop and implement a comprehensive policy for the University's relations with external stakeholders.

III.1.2 Improve the terms and forms of cooperation with external entities by regularly analysing the needs if individual groups of stakeholders and the level of satisfaction.

III.1.3 Select and develop effective channels of multidirectional communication with stakeholders.

III.1.4 Ensure the highest quality of relations with key partners in the socio-economic environment through dedicated representatives and central and faculty teams monitoring and supporting these collaborations.

III.2 Increase the transfer of knowledge and the scale of innovative projects conducted by the NCU as part of social and business partnerships.

III.2.1 Identify the potential of the University's infrastructure, research and staff competencies for implementation activities and expert services.

III.2.2 Prepare a comprehensive, interdisciplinary offer of scientific and educational cooperation between the University and its socio-economic environment oriented towards the challenges of the future, the needs of the society, the economy and the labour market.

III.2.3 Manage the NCU's service portfolio and value proposition by updating the offer of cooperation with external stakeholders.

III.2.4 Create new opportunities for commercialisation and expert services by providing information on research and international best practices in areas of interest to partners.

III.2.5 Develop cooperation with business environment institutions of key importance for the region.

III.3 Raise motivation and develop adequate competencies of staff, students and doctoral candidates to deepen their relations with the environment.

III.3.1 Encourage openness to external relations, pro-innovatice and entrepreneurial attitudes in the University community.

III.3.2 Systematically motivate the staff, students, doctoral candidates and persons undergoing training to cooperate with the socio-economic environment by taking into account evaluation and reward mechanisms.

III.3.3 Develop the competencies of the university community members in entrepreneurship and innovation, project management, self-organisation, and social and communication competencies.

III.3.4 Support innovation and innovation-oriented activities of University staff through mentoring, networking and other activating forms.

III.3.5 Enhance students' and doctoral candidates' development linked to cooperation with entities from the social and economic environment and facilitate a flexible combination of studies and work.

III.4 Ensure organisational conditions for effective cooperation between the University and the social and business environment.

III.4.1 Develop and adequately equip a specialised team for supporting the activities to initiate and manage the cooperation of the NCU as part of partnerships.

III.4.2 Implement transparent and simple procedures for undertaking and conducting cooperation with the socio-economic environment and a clear division of responsibilities and competencies in this regard.

III.4.3 Shorten decision-making and settlement time and ensure cost-competitiveness within joint ventures.

III.4.4 Organise legal support for cooperation initiatives with the socio-economic environment and review the management of industrial property rights within this cooperation.

III.4.5 Increase the implementation readiness of the results of research work by obtaining external funds and allocating NCU special funds for this purpose.

III.4.6 Enhance diverse forms of academic entrepreneurship through a permanent incubation programme.

III.5 Strengthen the University's image as a knowledge-creating, socially engaged and culture-forming institution.

III.5.1 Implement the programme to promote the NCU image by adjusting the promotion instruments to the defined target groups.

III.5.2 Regularly disseminate knowledge by emphasising that the NCU is taking up the challenges of the future, supports the sustainable development of local communities, and harmonises with the natural environment and the urban ecosystem.

III.5.3 Take initiatives and co-create social, cultural and sporting events that integrate the NCU community and the citizens of Toruń and Bydgoszcz.

III.5.4 Strengthen the University's position as an essential animator of culture and arts in the region and the country, including support for the development of student culture.