MEET THE POLISH TEAM
Ewa Kurantowicz (project coordinator)
Ewa is a Professor at the University of Lower Silesia, Wroclaw, Poland, Faculty of Education, Institute of Pedagogy and Special Pedagogy, Department of Andragogy and Counseling. PhD in 1996, University of Wroclaw; Habilitation 2008, University of Gdansk (Humanistic Sciences, Pedagogy). She is an active member of the European Society for Research on the Education of Adults (ESREA), member of Steering Committee (2000 – 2012) and co-convenior of the research network Between Global and Local. Adult Learning and Communities (from 2006), member of the editorial board of The European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults (RELA) (from 2011) and a member of the Publishing Council of the ULS University Press (2004-2014). She is also an active member of IRNYET International Research Network on Youth Education and Training (2006 – 2010). She served as a Vice-Rector for Research and Development responsible for the development of policy for ULS, cooperation with ULS’ graduates, the employees, the Ministry of Science and HE and local authorities (2012 – 2017), in 2018 she became a Rector of the University of Lower Silesia. She was involved in ADEPT JEP Teacher Education Project (1998), a European PRILHE Grundtvig Project (Promoting Reflective Independent Learning in HE 2004-2006), Hanse Passage INTERREG IIIC 11LLL Project, Strategies of LLL: Access and Implementation (2006) and the last one Transversal – Lifelong Learning Program research project RANLHE (Retention and Access: Learning Experiences in Higher Education) (2008-2010); EMPLOY – Enhancing the employability of non-traditional students in HE (2014 – 2017). She directed the Polish component of all these projects. From 2014 to 2016 she has been leading the international European project Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership for HE – Promoting LLL in HE by implementing innovative practices in RPL – EDUPRO and currently she is a leader of the project EU_CUL – Exploring European Cultural Heritage for fostering academic teaching and social responsibility in Higher Education (2018-2021) – European project Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership for HE. At the national level she has received a research grant from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education for 2009 – 2011 – Learning routes in Adult Learning Centers which focused on teaching and learning practices in educational institutions of continuing education in Lower Silesia region in Poland (team work with A. Nizinska). In 2010 she worked as an expert in research projects for the European Commission, DG Education and Culture Impact assessment of ongoing reforms in education and training on the adult learning sector coordinated by Research Voor Beleid, Netherlands (team work with A. Nizinska); in 2010-2011 she was also an expert of the Ministry of Higher Education in the area of “Lifelong Learning and Higher Education Institutions”.
Maria Reut
Maria is dr hab., philosopher, pedagogue, Professor at the University of Lower Silesia, Faculty of Education, Wroclaw, Poland. She deals with philosophy of education, philosophy of culture, philosophy of art, issues of interpretation, hermeneutics, concepts of narrative (also narrative in art), philosophy of dialogue. As part of the study of narrative as a philosophical, ethical and literary category, she also deals with issues of drama and theater. She had the opportunity to learn about the latest trends and discussions on this subject by participating in conferences (see list of selected publications) and symposia, as well as festivals of the Union of the Theaters of Europe, including Rome, Turin, Paris, Thessaloniki and Athens. In DSW she organizes a series of seminars “Humanities debates – theses, clues, interpretations (see: http://www.denaryhumanistyczne.dsw.edu.pl). Co-author of the concept and program of social, educational and artistic ventures at the DSW under the patronage of the European Capital of Culture – Wrocław 2016. Chairperson Program Board of the modern art studies, whose education program combines knowledge in the areas of humanities, social sciences and the field of art The program of education is realized in cooperation with renowned artists and organizers of cultural life and with many artistic and social institutions, among others with the BWA Gallery, the Center of Audiovisual Technologies (former Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych), Wro Art Center, Infopunkt Nadodrze, and the Centrum Krzywy Komin. She participated in the preparation of a panel discussion program on the topic: “Philosophical anthropology and phenomenology and hermeneutics. What can studies of man and his world offer to research on European integration?” during the 1st European Congress (Warsaw, September 2014). She is the author of texts and conference speeches, among others in the field of philosophy of the humanities, critical and hermeneutic pedagogy, philosophy of culture, philosophy of art, dealing with the issues of understanding and interpretation, identity, narrative, drama, the concept of tragedy, philosophy of literature. Selected publications: „Wyzwanie rzucone czasowi”. Troska, odpowiedzialność, tożsamość, w: K. Łukasiewicz, I.Topp (red.), Przyszłość w kulturze, Praca Kulturoznawcze XV, Wrocław 2013, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego; Sokratejskie pytanie, wyobraźnia narracyjna i światowe obywatelstwo, „Teraźniejszość, Człowiek, Edukacja”, 2014/2; Cynizm i współczesność – kilka wstępnych odsłon, w:M. Jaworska-Witkowska (red.), Wartościowanie w humanistyce, Toruń 2015, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek; “Etyka praktyczna”, otwartość i dramat rozumienia: uwagi o relacji filozofii i pedagogiki, Kwartalnik Pedagogiczny, 2017 (1).
Agnieszka Paczkowska
Agnieszka holds an MA in History of Art (2001) and in Pedagogy (2003). For over 15 years she has been working for international companies in the departments of Human Resources and Learning & Development. Agnieszka is interested in the process of adult learning especially in informal groups as well as peer learning. She completed many courses for trainers and facilitators. Agnieszka is also a certified coach of ICF.
Marta Gontarska
Marta is a trainer and advocate of global education. She runs projects related to global education, diversity and inclusion for The Anti-discrimination Education Assotiation (civil society organization). She has been involved in development issues since 2007, including in particular women's rights in development, policy coherence for development and critical and postcolonial global education. She is the author of reports and analyses on development cooperation and global education, as well as many educational materials, including the co-editor of the scientific monograph "Global Education. Polish Contexts and Inspirations" (ULS Publishing House). She has many years of experience in conducting workshops and training in global education. She also cooperates with many organizations in Poland and abroad, like Institute of Global Responsibility, Amnesty International Poland, CONCORD Europe. She is an active member of the educational group in the "Grupa Zagranica" - a federation of organizations dealing with development cooperation, democracy support, global education and humanitarian aid.
Magdalena Fit
Magdalena obtained her degree in public administration in 2008 at the University of Wroclaw. Since then Magdalena has worked at the University of Lower Silesia. She was also employed as an administrative staff in the following research and educational projects realised by the University of Lower Silesia: RANLHE – Access and Retention: Experiences of Non-traditional Learners In Higher Education Lifelong Learning Programme UE (2007 – 2010), Index Plus - funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (2011-2012); EDUPRO - Promoting LLL in HE by implementing innovative practices in RPL; EMPLOY - Enhancing the employability of non-traditional students in HE (ERASMUS +).