Seminar CeNT 22.05.2020

18 maja 2020

The Centre of New Technologies invites to a webinar by

Anna Malik, PhD

Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw

Title: New players in glia biology: VPS10P proteins as sorting receptors in astrocytes.

Date: 22th May 2020 (Friday)

Time: 12:00 pm

Virtual seminar: here

Password: cent (the password will be filled in automatically)

Please use the „Join by browser” option. The Webinar link is also on CeNT webpage (https://cent.uw.edu.pl/en/blog/anna-malik-phd-nencki-institute-of-experimental-biology-warsaw/). Please find The information for webinar attendees attached.

Information for webinar attendees

Host: Dr Savani Anbalagan

VPS10P domain receptors – How to sort out brain health and disease

VPS10P domain receptors are intracellular sorting receptors primarily recognized for their roles in neuronal cells. They direct cargo proteins to their destined localization in subcellular compartments of the cell. Sorted proteins include signaling receptors and transporters but also secreted growth factors and morphogens. Protein sorting by VPS10P domain receptors controls functional integrity and viability of neurons, while receptor dysfunctions are linked to acute, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases. Now, the dogma of exclusive neuronal expression of VPS10P receptors in the brain was challenged by several studies, drawing our attention to receptor activities in non-neuronal cell types, i.e. astrocytes and microglia, in pathologies of central nervous system. Here, I will present major concepts in VPS10P research, but I will also focus on the newest advancements regarding non-neuronal functions of VPS10P receptors in the brain.

BUW resumes lending and free scanning services

15 maja 2020

As a result of easing restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, readers can partly use the University of Warsaw Library (BUW) resources. As of 18th May, BUW resumes lending, free scanning services, and individual appointments with readers.

Starting from 18th May (until further notice), students, doctoral candidates and employees of UW can lend books and scan materials. The Circulation Desk of the library will be temporarily located in the restoration room on the ground floor of the building (room 085). It will be open to readers from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm (except public holidays). If you would like to lend books, please follow the rules published on the BUW website.

Individual appointments with readers are possible, however, it is obligatory to agree with the BUW employees the purpose, date and time of appointments. Making an appointment in advance is mandatory.

Free scanning

As of 18th May, students, doctoral candidates and employees of UW, who have an active library account at the library, have no overdue library (BUW) materials and no fees charged by the University of Warsaw Library, can order scanning of the materials. More information >>

Safety rules

All readers are obliged to apply the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate recommendations and comply with the principles during their stay at the University of Warsaw Library. Find out more >>

The return date for all books borrowed so far is postponed to 30th May.

Source: www.en.uw.edu.pl

4EU+ educational projects: call for proposals

Academics working in the 4EU+ universities can submit project proposals regarding education that would engage students and doctoral candidates. All projects have to involve at least three 4EU+ member universities and fall under one of the four 4EU+ flagship programmes.

The collaboration within 4EU+ will be marked by a shared approach to higher education that is being developed. For now, its main features are:

Challenged-based, addressing key challenges and problems that our societies are facing, often in an interdisciplinary way, and engaging with the public;
Student-centred, allowing and encouraging students to develop a personalised learning pathway, following their curiosity and questions and engaging in active learning;
Knowledge-centred, understanding learning as research and asking academics to integrate their research into their teaching;
Competence-oriented, cultivating a set of competences and skills that each 4EU+ student should be able to demonstrate.

Academics of 4EU+ are invited to submit project proposals that can have various forms, e.g. workshops and other short-term intensive learning experiences (summer/winter schools), seminars, joint courses and modules, core curricula, or joint study programmes. All of them need to be daring and innovative.

Project proposals need to be rooted in the 4EU+ Flagship Programmes:

Health and demographic change in an urban environment;
Europe in a changing world: Understanding and engaging societies, economies, cultures and languages;
Transforming science and society by advancing information, computation and communication;
Biodiversity and sustainable environment.

Proposals for educational projects should be submitted between 15th June and 1st July.

At first, they need to be are handed in digitally to the local 4EU+ office. At UW, the office responsible for the collaboration with the 4EU+ universities is the Office for International Research and Liaison (please e-mail: marta.brelih-wasowska(at)adm.uw.edu.pl and marta.jaworska-okninska(at)adm.uw.edu.pl).

Proposals are evaluated by the responsible Flagship Programme Committee and then approved/rejected by an expert group on education and the 4EU+ Secretary General.

The local EU+ officers will inform the applicants about the outcome, alongside with further information on the development of the project in practical terms (also finances).

More information >>

Source: www.en.uw.edu.pl

Second online meeting with Prof. Jolanta Choińska-Mika

14 maja 2020

The adjusted academic schedule, conducting remote exams, and online thesis defence are only a few examples of subjects raised during an online meeting with the UW Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Quality of Teaching, Prof. Jolanta Choińska-Mika.

More than 250 questions regarding teaching and learning at the University of Warsaw and student matters had been sent by members of the UW community before the meeting. During the two-hour Q&A session, Prof. Choińska-Mika informed about the way of dealing with various aspects of education in the coming months. She underlined that safety remains a priority for UW. If there is a possibility to move classes, exams and other activities online, we all should follow this to limit unnecessary transportation and congregation of people. The Vice-Rector also acknowledged an effort of both academics and students in conducting good quality online classes.

The academic schedule

The exam session has been extended until 23rd August and divided into 3 blocks, lasting the same amount of days. Take a look at the adjusted timetable >> The UW Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Quality of Teaching ensured that the university authorities made it possible to individualise the examination session department by department. The majority of units opt for the first and second block of the exam session. However, the situation varies from department to department. One should follow the information posted on an individual website of a unit.

The 2020/2021 academic year is being prepared to be on-site teaching and learning. However, it all depends on the situation due to coronavirus.

Remote examinations and certification of language skills

It is possible and recommended to conduct online exams. However, it is essential to reach a consensus on that. When there is a case of digital exclusion, students or doctoral candidates cannot participate in a given activity, lecturers should attempt to find an appropriate solution and be flexible. All UW academic teachers and students have their Google email accounts, therefore it is possible to use, e.g. Google Meet.

However, there are also practical classes, being part of curricula, that will have to be conducted on-site, e.g. laboratory classes.

On 25th May, there will be detailed instructions on conducting language exams, that certify language skills.

Admissions process

The UW timetable is adjusted to the changing situation. The phase of admissions for BA studies is extended. August and September constitute two months when the admissions will be conducted. The University of Warsaw will move deadlines, so BA and MA students will have an opportunity to defend their theses, submit their applications, and become students or doctoral candidates of UW.

Residence halls

Those who live in the UW residence halls will pay the reduced accommodation fee. If you face financial problems due to the coronavirus, please not that you can apply for special grants. More information >>

In case of any difficulties, please contact the head of your unit or deputy dean for student affairs. If you need psychological support, feel free to contact the UW Psychological Counselling Centre. More information >>

Watch the simultaneous interpretation of the meeting that was held on 14th May on the University of Warsaw YouTube channel.

Source: www.en.uw.edu.pl

Admissions to Doctoral Schools for the 2020/2021 academic year

13 maja 2020

Four doctoral schools at the University of Warsaw are now open to applications. University graduates who would like to pursue their scientific career can apply to their preferable doctoral school, register in the Internet Recruitment of Candidates (IRK) and submit required documents until 28^th June.

Doctoral Schools of UW offer four-year education in various disciplines in humanities, social sciences, exact and natural sciences as well as indisciplinary fields. Each doctoral candidate in doctoral schools is obliged to follow their Individual Research Plan. They carry out research in an individual unit their supervisor is employed. They take part in university-wide classes and classes organised by a school, e.g. methodological workshops or specialisation seminars offered by particular disciplines. Doctoral candidates’ progress and supervisors’ work are subject to mid-term evaluation. All UW doctoral schools offer full educational programmes in the English language.

Doctoral schools at UW

Doctoral School of Humanities
Doctoral School of Social Sciences
Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences
Interdisciplinary Doctoral School

Visit the website of doctoral schools >>

All doctoral candidates in doctoral schools receive a scholarship in the amount of PLN 2371.70 for the first two years of studies (before the mid-term evaluation) and PLN 3653.70 in the next two years after the mid-term evaluation. The scholarship is reduced by 11% due to compulsory insurance.

Application process

At the beginning of admissions to a doctoral school of the University of Warsaw a candidate should find a supervisor who will be ready to take care of them and their research project. The supervisor’s name and their declaration of readiness to take up the function should be submitted in the Internet Recruitment of Candidates system.
Looking for a supervisor, one can use a special browser that contains a list of academics who want to act as supervisors.

The closing date for applications is on 28^th June. Due to the epidemiological situation, the application schedule may be subject to change. The relevant information will be posted on the website of doctoral schools and IRK.

Information on admissions to doctoral schools is published on the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School, however it also refers to other schools.

Source: www.en.uw.edu.pl

Online information meeting on legalization of stay in Poland

12 maja 2020

Dear Students,

Welcome Point UW would like to invite you to the online information meeting on legalization of stay in Poland. Meeting will be led by Association for Legal Intervention and will deal with issues such as:

process of application for the temporary residence permit,
extension of legal stay during a coronavirus pandemic,
all the necessary documents required,
special solutions for foreigners during the period of state of epidemic,
…and much more.

The meeting will be held on 18th of May 2020 (Monday) at 12 p.m. and will last approximately 90 minutes.

To attend you only need to register:
https://forms.gle/5Ft4KjFTGGWDWtPL6

Welcome Point has also prepared the educational campaign ‚5 steps to legalise your stay in Poland’ in which we will answer all your questions. Every day we will publish information that will help you legalise your stay on the event page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/681771625944473/

Best regards,
Welcome Point UW
welcome@uw.edu.pl www.welcome.uw.edu.pl

Online meeting with the UW Vice-Rector

08 maja 2020

On 14th May at noon, Prof. Jolanta Choińska-Mika, the UW Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Quality of Teaching, will be answering frequently asked questions on the current study-related matters, e.g. upcoming examination period, exams and credits, as well as changes to the academic calendar. The meeting will be held live on the UW profile on Facebook (in Polish) and will be interpreted simultaneously into English on the UW YouTube channel.

During live streaming on the UW Facebook profile, Prof. Jolanta Choińska-Mika, the UW Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Quality of Teaching will meet with members of the UW academic community, particularly students and doctoral candidates who would like to know more about upcoming months.

If you have a question, you can either ask it via this online form or write a comment while online transmission. The Vice-Rector will respond to some of them during the meeting. The stream will be saved on the UW profile afterwards.

The simultaneous interpretation of the meeting will take place on 14th May at noon on the University of Warsaw YouTube channel.

It will be held in Polish with English translation.

See the event on Facebook >>

Source: www.en.uw.edu.pl

Adjusted academic schedule

06 maja 2020

Prof. Marcin Pałys, the rector of the University of Warsaw, introduced changes to the current academic year. They particularly refer to educational classes of the summer semester, and the summer examination period.

Due to the extraordinary circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic, classes for students, doctoral candidates and post-diploma learners of the University of Warsaw were moved online. However, some of them could not be conducted remotely (e.g. laboratory classes), that is why the academic schedule 2019/2020 needed to be updated.

Changes to the current academic schedule:

Postponing the end of educational classes from 10th June to 2nd August 2020. It only refers to these classes which programme could not be carried out earlier.
Postponing the last day of the summer examination period from 5th July to 23rd August 2020 and organising the summer examination period in three blocks:

1st block: 15th June – 5th July 2020;
2nd block: 13th July – 2nd August 2020,
3rd block: 3rd August – 23rd August 2020.

If the curriculum is completed before 2nd August, then credits or exams can be held earlier, e.g. in the first block of the examination period. The decision on this matter is taken by the head of the unit (after taking into consideration the situation in a given field of study). Information on the block in which the summer exam period will take place will appear on the unit’s website by 31st May 2020.

The organisation of foreign language exams from 15th June to 2nd August 2020. A detailed schedule of foreign language exams will be announced by 25th May 2020 by the Coordination Board for Language Proficiency Certification.
The organisation of resit exams in foreign languages is postponed from 31st August to 13th September 2020;
Dates of holiday blocks.

More information is available here (in Polish) >>

Source: www.en.uw.edu.pl

Rules for conducting online exams

The UW rector decided on the rules for conducting remote exams. In a new rector’s order, there is information regarding, e.g. IT tools that can be used to control the course of exams and their registration.

According to the rector’s order, exams will be carried out with the use of IT tools which enable to control the course and registration of exams as well as to ensure the security of personal data of students and examiners. The order is in line with the Law on Higher Education and Science (introduced in the amendment as of 16th April 2020). The Law allows universities to conduct remote examinations but introduces the necessity of their registration.

To conduct online exams following IT tools can be used:

Tools available on the Kampus e-learning platform run by the Digital Competence Centre of the University of Warsaw (CKC UW),
Google tools available as part of G Suite for Education, a suite of tools designed to empower educators and students as they learn and innovate together, especially Google Meet to examine students and doctoral candidates orally.

Data security

IT tools for conducting online examinations need to secure data, including the protection of personal data of examiners and students. The head of a unit may apply to the rector to use a different IT tool than those mentioned in the order, given that they receive a positive opinion from the Inspector for Personal Data Protection at the University of Warsaw.

Examiners are responsible for preparing and conducting exams. They are supported by exam coordinators, appointed for a given field by heads of units.

Heads of units will announce lists of subjects that reach completion as online exams, together with information on the form of their conduct and IT tools, at least seven days before the start of the examination period or a date of the examination scheduled before the examination period.

Lecturers who run particular classes are responsible for informing students about conducting assessments in a remote form (along with information about IT tools, form and range) at least seven days before the end of courses.

Records of exams

The records of remote oral exams are stored for fourteen days from their completion. It is recommended to record using Google Meet. Then the recording is saved to the individual Google disk of the recorder and is not stored on a private computer.

Only recordings of exams or other forms of gaining course credits are permitted.

Detailed information on conducting online exams and gaining course credits are available in the rector’s order as of 4th May (the document is in Polish) >>

Source: www.en.uw.edu.pl

Updated academic calendar

Prof. Marcin Pałys, the rector of the University of Warsaw, introduced changes to the current academic year. They particularly refer to educational classes of the summer semester, and the summer examination period.

Due to the extraordinary circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic, classes for students, doctoral candidates and post-diploma learners of the University of Warsaw were moved online. However, some of them could not be run remotely (e.g. laboratory classes), that is why the academic calendar 2019/2020 needed to be updated.

Changes to the current academic calendar:

Postponing the end of educational classes from 10th June to 2nd August 2020. It only refers to these classes which programme could not be carried out earlier.
Postponing the last day of the summer examination period from 5th July to 23rd August 2020 and organising the summer examination period in three blocks:

1st block: 15th June – 5th July 2020;
2nd block: 13th July – 2nd August 2020,
3rd block: 3rd August – 23rd August 2020.

The organisation of foreign language exams from 15th June to 2nd August 2020. A detailed schedule of foreign language exams will be announced by 25th May 2020 by the Coordination Board for Language Proficiency Certification.
The organisation of resit exams in foreign languages is postponed from 31st August to 13th September 2020;
Dates of holiday blocks.

More information is available here (in Polish) >>

Source: www.en.uw.edu.pl