On 23 June 2026, the International Conference "Transforming Regions for a Sustainable and Beautiful Europe" took place at the University of Economics in Katowice, organised as part of the 2nd BAUHAUS4EU Forum. The event was one of the key points of the Forum programme and was open to the wider academic and regional community.
The conference was devoted to the transformation of regions, sustainable development, and innovation in Europe. It became a space for dialogue between representatives of the world of science, business, public institutions, regional environments, and socio-economic partners. Participants discussed the challenges facing European regions, the role of universities in transformation processes, and the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation in building more resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and beautiful places to live.
The conference was held as part of the international BAUHAUS4EU Alliance - a European University for Resilient, Sustainable, Inclusive and Beautiful Regions, of which the University of Economics in Katowice is the only Polish member. This year’s edition of the Forum brought together representatives of 10 partner universities from 9 European countries, as well as invited partners and stakeholders from European, national, and regional institutions.
The event began with the official opening. The guests were welcomed by:
- HM the Rector prof. dr hab. inż. Celina M. Olszak,
- dr Łukasz Gołota - Deputy Director of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange,
- dr Ing. Tonia Schmitz - Secretary General of the BAUHAUS4EU Alliance.
We want to create a truly European academic community - open, inclusive, resilient to challenges, and capable of generating positive change in the regions we serve. The name Bauhaus reminds us that innovation is born where different perspectives meet. It also reminds us that creativity flourishes when different disciplines, cultures, and ideas come together around a shared goal. I believe that this Forum creates an excellent opportunity not only to discuss our achievements so far, but also to reflect on our ambitions and plans for the future - said HM the Rector prof. dr hab. inż. Celina M. Olszak in her speech.
Next, the participants listened to expert speeches. Dr hab. Rafał Żelazny, prof. UE, President of the Katowice Special Economic Zone, presented the perspective of 30 years of activities aimed at creating jobs and supporting innovation in the industrial heart of Poland. Marcin Nowak, Chief Operating Officer at DL Invest Group, spoke about the history of Silesia’s transformation.
The next point of the programme was an expert discussion in the form of a fireside chat, moderated by dr. hab. Marcin Baron, prof. UE. The discussion was attended by representatives of business, the energy sector, consulting, and the innovation ecosystem:
- Anna Ossowska, EMEA Division Operations PC&L Manager at Faurecia,
- Jan Bondaruk, Deputy Director for Environmental Engineering, Central Mining Institute,
- Lubomira Murray, Partner, CEE Alternative Delivery Models Leader at PwC.
The discussion made it possible to look at the transformation of regions from the perspective of the economy, technology, responsible development, and cooperation between different sectors.
The first conference panel, entitled "University alliances as game changers in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) - Insights from new and experienced alliances", was devoted to the role of university alliances in the European Higher Education Area. The discussion was attended by:
- Magdalena Sikorska, Secretary General EUNICE Alliance,
- Tonia Schmitz, Secretary General BAUHAUS4EU Alliance,
- Agata Mannino, Coordinator Across Alliance,
- Christine Fernandez-Maloigne, Head of the international section Atypie-Friendly.
The panel was moderated by Katarzyna Aleksy, Director of the Higher Education Programmes Department at the Foundation for the Development of the Education System.
After this part of the conference, an award ceremony was held for the photography competition organised as part of BAUHAUS4EU.
The second panel, "What kind of university does Europe need today? Insights from global, regional and student perspectives", focused on the question of the model of university that contemporary Europe needs. The discussion was attended by:
- Maurizio Tira, Full Professor of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Brescia,
- Amir Asif, Vice-President for Research & Innovation from York University,
- Erika Augustinsson, innovation strategist at Region Blekinge,
- a Student Council representative.
The panel was moderated by HM the Rector of the University of Economics in Katowice prof. dr hab. inż. Celina M. Olszak.
The conference "Transforming Regions for a Sustainable and Beautiful Europe" showed how important a role universities, university alliances, and partnerships between science, business, administration, and regional communities can play in transformation processes. The meeting became an opportunity to exchange experiences, present different perspectives, and discuss the future of European regions in the spirit of the values of the New European Bauhaus: sustainability, inclusiveness, and beauty.
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