COMPETITION

The competition is open to scientific projects of an applied nature or implementation activities carried out by a team whose task is to solve a challenge/problem relevant to a partner organisation external to the University of Lodz. 

One of the two areas into which the project fits should be specified: sciences and natural sciences or humanities and social sciences. 

Preference is given to projects that are:  

• Interdisciplinary - requiring knowledge and tools from more than one discipline. 
• Projects that will result in the development of practical solutions of economic and social importance to support sustainable development.
• Responding to the challenges of Lodz and a region experiencing deindustrialisation.

All projects submitted to the competition must be completed by 30.05.2026. 

The competition invites teams consisting of (jointly):  

• 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. 

A public or private entity external to the University of Lodz. These may include, for example, entrepreneurs, local government units, cooperatives, associations, NGOs. 

Yes, it is possible to increase the number of students from the University of Lodz in the team, with the obligations indicated in the Regulations to be fulfilled by each of them. The number of students from UNIC cannot be increased. 

Yes, the number of supervisors from the the University of Lodz can be increased, with the obligations indicated in the Competition Regulations to be fulfilled by each supervisor. In the case of supervisors from the University of Lodz, the remuneration provided for in the competition (not less than PLN 5,000 gross) is shared equally between all supervisors from the University of Lodz. The number of supervisors from UNIC cannot be increased.

• Implementation of the submitted project in collaboration with the supervisor (Univerisity of Lodz), the supervisor (UNIC), the student (UNIC) and the partner organisation. 
• Participation in the training. 
• Keeping in touch with the organisers to report on the progress of the project. 
• Providing general information about the project for dissemination on the website and through other communication channels of the Univerisity of Lodz. 
• Participating in the evaluation survey. 

• Implementation of the submitted project in collaboration with the supervisor (Univerisity of Lodz), the supervisor (UNIC), the student (the University of Lodz) and the partner organisation. 
• Participation in a 3-day residential meeting in Lodz on a date agreed by the team. 
• Participation in the training.
• Keeping in touch with the organisers to report on the progress of the project. 
• Providing general information about the project for dissemination on the website and through other communication channels of the Univerisity of Lodz. 
• Participating in the evaluation survey. 

• Supervise and support the implementation of the submitted project in cooperation with the partner organization. 
• Coordinate the activities of the other team members. 
• Participation in the training.
• Keeping in touch with the organisers to report on the progress of the project. 
• Providing general information about the project for dissemination on the website and through other communication channels of the Univerisity of Lodz. 
• Participating in the evaluation survey. 

• Support in the implementation of the submitted project. 
• Providing general information about the project for dissemination on the website and through other communication channels of the Univerisity of Lodz. 
• Participating in the evaluation survey. 

• Implementation of the submitted project in collaboration with the supervisor (Univerisity of Lodz), the supervisor (UNIC), the students (the University of Lodz & other UNIC netowork university) and the partner organisation. 
• Participation in the training.
• Keeping in touch with the organisers to report on the progress of the project. 
• Providing general information about the project for dissemination on the website and through other communication channels of the Univerisity of Lodz. 
• Participating in the evaluation survey. 

The organiser covers the cost of travel for people between cities in the UNIC network (excluding first class and business class). The timing of the trip depends on the internal arrangements of the participants, but we aim to meet all team members during the trip. 

The organiser provides up to three nights‘ accommodation with breakfast for one supervisor from UNIC and up to three nights’ accommodation with breakfast for one student from UNIC. 

No, each team can only submit one project in each edition of the competition.  

A supervisor (University of Lodz) can only participate in one team. For student team members (University of Lodz, other UNIC universities), supervisors from the UNIC network and partner organisations, there is no similar restriction. 

To enter the competition, you must form a team, agree on the details of the project and complete an application form. The form should contain the details of the team members, it is allowed that the team does not yet have a foreign student (UNIC) as a member. However, such a person must become a member of the team by the date set for the conclusion of the cooperation agreement.   

The team in the form should include, among others:  

• description of the project (objectives, research methodology, expected results of the project) - part to be completed by the supervisor;
• a description of the needs of the external partner organisation for the implementation of the project;
• justification of the interdisciplinary character of the project;
• relevance of the project in the context of sustainable development goals and relevance to Łódź in the context of the challenges of post-industrial cities. 

When completing the application form, please note the attachments: 

• Letter of Intent from partner organization - (Annex 3),   
• Declaration by the supervisor (UNIC) - (Annex 4),  
• Student declaration (University of Lodz) - (Annex 5)  
• Student declaration (UNIC) - (Annex 5) – optional annex when submitting the application form.  

Entry to the competition is made by the Supervisor (University of Lodz) by sending the completed application form and any annexes via the form.

Please send scans of documents as pdf files.  

Recruitment for the competition runs from 26.05.2025 to 31.05.2025. 

The committee will select projects that meet the requirements set out in Annex 2. In the event of an equal number of points, the order of submission will be decisive. The evaluation of projects is based on several key criteria:

The project must meet the following formal conditions:

• Be submitted on time by a team consisting of at least: one supervisor (Univeristy of Lodz), one student (Univerity of Lodz), one student (UNIC), one supervisor (UNIC), one partner organisation. 
• The application form must be correctly completed and include the required annexes. 
• The project must be scientific and applied and solve a real problem relevant to the partner organisation. 
• The planned completion date of the project must not exceed 30.05.2026. 
• Projects that do not meet the formal criteria are automatically excluded from the competition and are not subject to substantive assessment. 

Criteria that are optional but have a point bonus:

• Interdisciplinarity of the project.
• Alignment with sustainable development goals.
• Justification of the importance of the project in the context of the challenges of Lodz as a post-industrial city.
• Level of formalisation of cooperation: is a declaration of participation of a foreign student (UNIC) attached

The results of the competition will be announced by 5.06.2025 on the Science Hub of the University of Lodz website under the UNIC Edition tab www.sciencehub.uni.lodz.pl of the ‘Science Hub University of Lodz’ project and communicated to the teams at the e-mail address of the Supervisor (University of Lodz) indicated in the application. Between 23-26.06.2025, the organiser may approach the teams ranked consecutively, but not selected, with a proposal for collaboration if the signing of a contract with one of the selected teams has not taken place. 

The members of each team selected in the competition are obliged to sign an agreement, by all parties, with the organiser. The template of the agreement is attached as Annex No. 6. Failure to sign the agreement within 16 days of receiving information on qualification for the competition is tantamount to resignation from participation in the competition.  

In addition, it is a condition of participation in the competition that the team declares that it will take part in the training intended for students, supervisors and representatives of external partner organisations.

Upon completion of the project, the team prepares a Project Report. A model of the Report is attached as Annex 7.

We encourage you to read the guidance (question below) on what to include in the report so that it properly reflects the amount of work carried out in the project. 

Before signing the report, we recommend consulting its contents with the Ambassador of the Science Hub of the University of Lodz - UNIC edition. 

The signed project report is sent by the supervisor from the University of Lodz:

• electronic version (scan) to: science.hub@uni.lodz.pl, to the attention of the responsible Ambassador of the Science Hub UNIC edition;
• original in hard copy to the International Hub, University of Lodz.

1. Discussion of the implementation of the various stages of the project included in the adopted schedule, description and scope of studies and other work carried out.

The course of the project should be described in a chronological and comprehensible manner, including the research methods used and their nature in general terms. 

2. Description of the results of the project with their interpretation, summary or recommendations for the partner organisation 

• How has the implementation of the project affected the entrepreneur/institution? What has changed or will change as a result of the project? 
• How has the implementation of the project affected or will it affect the end users of the developed solution? 
• How was the project in line with the Sustainable Development Goals? 
• How did the project relate to the challenges of post-industrial cities? 
• How was the interdisciplinary research collaboration realised in practice? 

If possible, please include in the body of the report a short opinion from the partner on the cooperation carried out. The opinion can be provided in the form of a certificate, an acknowledgement or a thank you on the letterhead of the external partner. Alternatively, it can be sent in the form of an email, a screenshot of which will be included in the report. 

3. Discuss whether there has been a solution to the problem/challenge raised by the partner organisation. If unsuccessful, analyse the reasons 

• Substantive effects of the project and its impact 
• What need has the project been able to address?  

After the submission of the Project Report, all project team participants will receive links to complete the evaluation survey electronically. In addition, participants in projects implemented within Science Hub at the University of Lodz can expect to receive invitations to participate in interviews conducted to summarise project outcomes and experiences. 

After the submission of the project report and the completion of the evaluation questionnaires, all project participants ( students, supervisors and representatives of the partner organisation) will receive by e-mail certificates confirming their participation in the project. 

After the submission of the project report and the completion of the evaluation questionnaire by the Supervisor employed at the UŁ, the administration of the Science Hub of the University of Lodz project UNIC edition will contact you to complete the formalities related to the payment of remuneration. The Supervisor shall receive a salary of no less than PLN 5,000 gross. 

In the case of participation of more than one supervisor from the University of Lodz in the team, the remuneration is divided equally between all of them.