COMPETITION

The aim of the competition within the Science Hub of the University of Lodz platform, UNIC edition, is to select twelve scientific projects of an applied nature or implementation activities carried out in cooperation with a partner organisation and responding to its needs. This initiative is intended to strengthen international cooperation within the European network of universities - UNIC in the field of cooperation with the environment.  

Submitted projects can be implemented as part of theses, dissertations and other teaching activities, as well as within the activities of student science clubs.

In the UNIC edition, we particularly encourage the submission of projects that:

• are interdisciplinary in nature,
• support the realisation of a selected sustainable development goal,
• help increase the adaptive capacity of the city of Lodz in the socio-economic area in the face of key challenges such as:
  • Lodz's depopulation, 
  • Strengthening the involvement of the city's inhabitants in adapting to the effects of climate change, 
  • Integration of socially excluded groups, 
  • Increasing equal access to good quality, sustainable and affordable social and health services, 
  • Strengthening the acceptance of diversity and its promotion among the urban community, 
  • Intensify action on spatial order and reduce urban sprawl, 
  • Strengthening public participation, 
  • Development of residents' social capital and education for the city as a common good, 
  • Improving public transport, 
  • Adaptation of research on urban issues to the needs of urban management practice.

Meeting the listed criteria is not mandatory, but is rewarded with points, which increases the chances of a project qualifying for implementation within the Science Hub UŁ. Submitted projects must be completed by 30.05.2026.   

The competition invites teams consisting of:  

• at least one person studying at the University of Lodz (full-time or part-time, bachelor's or master's degree),
• at least one person supervising students from the University of Lodz,  
• at least one person studying at another university in the UNIC network (full-time or part-time, Bachelor's or Master's degree),  
• at least one person supervising students from another university in the UNIC network,  
• a person representing a partner organisation external to the University of Lodz. 

The period of recruitment for the competition is 26.05.2025 to 31.05.2025. 

Entry to the competition is made by sending a completed application form and its attachments by the team member who acts as the supervisor from the Univerisity of Lodz. 

The application form should briefly present, among other things:  

• Description of the external partner's needs concerning the implementation of the project (part to be filled in by the person representing the partner organisation).
• Description of the project including objectives, research methodology and expected outcomes of the project (part to be filled in by the supervisor from the University of Lodz). 
• Justification of the interdisciplinary character of the project. 
• Description of relevance to sustainable development goals.  
• Justification of the project's impact in the context of challenges for Lodz as a post-industrial city. 

• The commission will select the projects that meet the requirements set out in Annex 2 and score the highest number of points.
• In case of an equal number of points, the order of submission will be decisive. 
• The results of the competition will be announced by 5.06.2025 on the Science Hub of the University of Lodz website in the UNIC Edition tab and communicated to the teams at the e-mail address of the supervisor from the University of Lodz indicated in the application.
• Between 23 - 26.06.2025, the organiser may approach the next ranked but unselected teams with a proposal for collaboration if the signing of a contract with one of the selected teams has not taken place. 

1. The members of the teams selected in the competition will sign agreements setting out the terms and conditions of the collaboration. 
2. Subsequently, members of the teams will be invited to participate in training sessions on the implementation of the cooperation. The detailed date will be announced later.  
3. The teams' projects will be implemented according to the description in the application form and a signed agreement containing the scope and schedule of the project developed in the team.  
4. Upon the completion of the implementation, the team will prepare a Project Report. A template of the Project Report is attached as Appendix No. 7. 
5. Before signing the Report, we recommend consulting with the relevant Ambassador of the Science Hub  - UNIC edition.
6. The signed Project Report is sent electronically (as a scan) by the supervisor from the University of Lodz to science.hub@uni.lodz.pl, to the information of the respective Science Hub Ambassador of the University of Lodz - UNIC edition. The original hard copy of the Report is to be to the International Hub, University of Lodz.
7. At the end of the process, team members will be asked to participate in an evaluation survey.  

During the project we provide:

• Team members who are students at the University of Lodz:   
  • Participation in a training course to develop key competences when working with an external partner: communication, team cooperation, project work using the Design Thinking method.   
  • Certificate of participation in the project. 
• Team members who are students at UNIC network universities: 
  • Participation in a training course to develop key competences when working with an external partner: communication, team cooperation, project work using the Design Thinking method.   
  • Reimbursement of travel expenses for a 3-day stay in Lodz. 
  • Accommodation in the Conference and Training Centre of the University of Lodz.      
  • Certificate of participation in the project. 
• Team members acting as supervisors from the University of Lodz: 
  • Participation in a training course to develop key competences when working with external institutions: communication, team collaboration, project work using the Design Thinking method.  
  • Certificate of participation in the project. 
  • Single remuneration of not less than PLN 5,000 gross (upon submission and approval of the Project Report).  
• Team members acting as supervisors from UNIC network universities: 
  • Participation in a training course to develop key competences when working with external institutions: communication, team collaboration, project work using the Design Thinking method.
  • Reimbursement of travel expenses for a 3-day stay in Lodz. 
  • Accommodation in the Conference and Training Centre of the University of Lodz.
  • Certificate of participation in the project. 
• Partner organization:   
  • The results of an implemented project that responds to the real needs of the subject.   
  • Participation in a training on the principles and process of cooperation with the University of Lodz on multilateral projects.   
  • Certificate of participation in the project.