From 28 May to 3 June 2026, the second part of the international Polish–Turkish School, organised within the framework of the PROM Project, took place at Abdullah Gül University in Kayseri, Türkiye. This phase of the programme constituted a continuation of the first part, which had been held in March at the University of Zielona Góra.
The project was coordinated on the Polish side by Dr Magdalena Pokrzyńska, in cooperation with Professor Sylwia Kondej (University of Zielona Góra). The Turkish component of the programme was coordinated by Dr Yasin Turan from Abdullah Gül University.
The event brought together students from the University of Zielona Góra representing a range of academic disciplines, including Sociology, Special Education, Logistics, and Biotechnology. During their stay, participants attended lectures and workshops and engaged in meetings with students of Abdullah Gül University as well as local residents of Kayseri who were enrolled in language courses offered by the university. As a result, the programme provided a valuable platform for intercultural dialogue and the exchange of experiences.
An important component of the school was a series of academic lectures and scholarly meetings. Particular attention should be given to the online lecture delivered by Professor Barbara Literska, Vice-Rector of the University of Zielona Góra, devoted to the work of the Polish composer Tadeusz Baird. The lecture enriched the academic programme of the school and highlighted cultural connections between Poland and Türkiye, recalling that Baird’s music was used as an artistic interpretation of poetry by Nâzım Hikmet, one of the most distinguished Turkish poets of the twentieth century.
The programme also included numerous meetings with representatives of the International Office of Abdullah Gül University. These sessions provided an opportunity to exchange experiences related to university internationalisation and to discuss prospects for future cooperation. Ms Kamila Rabiko from the International Relations Office of the University of Zielona Góra delivered an online presentation introducing the university’s educational offer and its international activities.
The visit to Türkiye also provided an opportunity to meet Utku Özkan and Elif Şahin, former students of Abdullah Gül University who had previously studied and completed Erasmus+ placements at the University of Zielona Góra during the 2021/2022 academic year. Thanks to their engagement, the University of Zielona Góra delegation was also able to visit a unique private educational institution in Kayseri offering education from preschool through secondary school level.
The school had not only an academic dimension but also a significant social and cultural component. Participants explored the history and heritage of Cappadocia, visiting, among other sites, its famous underground cities and remarkable geological formations. Joint excursions and social activities fostered integration among participants and provided deeper insight into Turkish culture and everyday life.
Both parts of the programme, implemented with the support of the PROM Project (the head: dr Paweł Truszkiewicz), enabled students to gain new academic and intercultural experiences, engage with a different cultural environment, and strengthen cooperation between the University of Zielona Góra and Abdullah Gül University. The initiative constituted another international school organised as part of the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the University of Zielona Góra.
