On Friday, 15 May, the international school From Chaos to Harmony in Complex Systems officially came to a close. During a ceremonial event held at the Rectorate of the University of Zielona Góra, certificates were awarded to participants of the third and final edition of the programme. This event marked the culmination of a three-year series (2024–2026) of Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs), funded through the Erasmus+ Programme and co-financed by the European Union.
It is worth noting that the inauguration of this series in 2024 also constituted the first BIP implemented at the University of Zielona Góra. Over the course of three years, the initiative successfully established a unique international platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas concerning complex systems theory. The conclusion of the programme coincided with a particularly significant occasion—the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the University of Zielona Góra (2001–2026).
The three-year programme cycle consisted on the following editions:
1. 2024: Hidden Order in Various Complex Systems
2. 2025: Dynamics of Interactions in Various Complex Systems
3. 2026: From Chaos to Harmony i Complex Systems
The programme maintained a stable international partnership structure throughout its duration, bringing together institutions from Central Europe, Southern Europe, and the Baltic region. The following partner universities participated in the three editions:
“1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia (Romania)
University of Prešov (Slovakia)
Klaipėda University (Lithuania)
St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria)
Jabok – Higher Vocational School of Social Pedagogy and Theology, Prague (Czech Republic)
Bogdan Vodă University in Cluj (Romania)
The organisational model developed over the three-year period was founded on a strong commitment to interdisciplinarity. The core organising committee consisted of representatives of three leading academic units and was coordinated by Dr Sylwia Andrzejczak-Grządko (Institute of Biological Sciences), Professor Sylwia Kondej (Institute of Physics), and Dr Magdalena Pokrzyńska (Institute of Sociology).
The implementation of the schools was further supported by staff members from the Institute of Astronomy, Institute of Mathematics, Institute of Psychology, Institute of Pedagogy, and Institute of Sport, Tourism and Human Nutrition.
Teaching activities were delivered by an international team of academics, researchers, and practitioners. Key contributors included:
Representatives of the Natural and Physical Sciences (University of Zielona Góra)
Sylwia Andrzejczak-Grządko (Biology), Gopal Bhatta (Astronomy), Jacek Bojarski (Mathematics), Paweł Czechowski (Biology), Alicja Dubicka-Czechowska (Biology), Martyna Dalecka (Sport Sciences), Andrzej Drzewiński (Physics), Beata Gabryś (Biology), Agnieszka Gandecka (Tourism Studies), Bartłomiej Hes (Sport Sciences), Leszek Jerzak (Biology), Stefan Jerzyniak (Physics), Sangeetha Kizhakkekalam (Astronomy), Sylwia Kondej (Physics), Sebastian Kruk (Physics), Maciej Marć (Physics), Navaneeth Padikkalakandy (Astronomy), Maria Przybylska (Physics), and Karolina Rożko (Astronomy and Philosophy).
Representatives of the Social Sciences and Humanities (University of Zielona Góra)
Dorota Bazuń (Sociology), Marzanna Farnicka (Psychology), Sinan Tankut Gülhan (Sociology), Artur Kinal (Sociology), Magdalena Pokrzyńska (Sociology), Dorota Szaban (Sociology), and Andrzej Zygadło (Pedagogy).
International Experts and External Partners
Alina Kalashnikova (Ukraine – Sociology), Bogdan Mucea (Romania – Sociology), Claudiu Stefani (Romania – Sociology), Yasin Turan (Türkiye – Sociology and English Philology), Zdenko Širka (Czech Republic – Theology and Philosophy), Jarosław Skorulski (Gardens of Art Foundation in Zatonie), and representatives of the Association „Głogowska Edukacja Kresowa”.
University of Zielona Góra Student Volunteers
Students from various disciplines provided comprehensive support for the organisation and implementation of the schools. These included representatives of Social Design, Sociology, Biotechnology, and Physics programmes: Kacper Banaszkiewicz, Justyna Bondaronok, Hubert Borek, Grzegorz Borowicz, Wiktoria Chojnacka, Alexandru Corpade, Michalina Gniewosz, Jakub Glapiński, Mateusz Grzanowski, Aleksandra Gudzowska, Marharyta Hinkul, Julia Kaczmarek, Julia Kamińska, Barbara Konys, Jagoda Kudlińska, Nikoloz Kurtskhalia, Antonina Mamczur, Hanna Matuszek, Tatiana Martyniuk, Elpida Oikonomou, German Ostrovski, Taisiia Pianykh, Amelia Proc, Iwona Sasiak, Joao Silva, Kacper Ślipko, Piotr Szafiński, Piotr Turowski, Melis Vafa, Julia Wlazło, Kornelia Wojciechowska, and Dawid Żegleń.
Across the three editions of the complex systems school series, a total of 65 students from partner institutions and 32 lecturers and experts (including five lecturers from abroad) participated in the programme. The organisational process involved 32 student volunteers from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Zielona Góra. The entire cycle was implemented with the active support of the staff of the University’s International Relations Office.
The three-year BIP cycle devoted to complex systems at the University of Zielona Góra demonstrated that contemporary higher education requires the transcendence of traditional disciplinary boundaries. By integrating diverse academic perspectives within a single educational framework, the programme enabled an international academic community to develop a holistic understanding of an increasingly dynamic and interconnected world.
The initiative significantly strengthened the internationalisation of the University of Zielona Góra, consolidating its position as an important hub for academic networking within the European Higher Education Area. In 2025, the programme was recognised by the Erasmus+ National Agency (Poland) as an exemplary model of good practice.
