On October 10th, 2017 the meeting with the representatives of the City of Hobart (the Capital of Tasmania, Australia) has taken place in the Rectorate of the University of Silesia. The meeting was organized in the frame of World Cities project governed by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission.

The aim of the World City project is to boost the exchange of information and good practices in regional and urban development among the representatives of cities around the globe. Each appointment assumes the exchange of experience between the cities of the European Union member countries and of the countries outside of EU. 

Katowice, being the only Polish city participating in the project, organized a meeting which focused on the problems modern metropolities face. Some of the issues mentioned were the impact of climate changes and ecology awareness on the metropolitan area, metropolitan management, but also start-ups, innovations and cultural activities. Thus, the event made an opportunity to emphasize the role of the University both in the city and in the region, as well as to highlight the importance of the relations between the university’s authorities and city government.

The meeting emphasized the role of universities in adapting the urban tissue to the needs of the society. It also underlined the importance of raising global issues, such as climate changes and human interference in the environment, and their impact on the society.

The representatives of the City of Hobart were: Mr. Jeff Briscoe, Ms. Katrina Graham, Mr. Neil David Noye, Mr. Peter Lawrence Carr, Mr. Andrew Francis John Legg and Mr. Raul Daussa.

The University of Silesia was represented by Prof. Tomasz Pietrzykowski – Vice-Rector for Domestic and International Cooperation, Prof. Jacek Jania – Head of the Chair of Geomorphology, the initiator of establishing of Centre for Polar Studies, representatives of the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection: Prof. Piotr Świątek – Vice-Dean for Science and International Cooperation, Prof. Piotr Skubała and Prof. Gabriela Woźniak, as well as the representatives of the Observatory of Urban and Metropolitan Processes of the University of Silesia: Prof. Robert Pyka – Vice-Director of the Institute of Sociology, and Ms. Zuzanna Neuve‐Eglise. The University of Silesia was also represented by the Department of International Relations: Ms. Joanna Laskowska - Head of the International Students Admissions Office, and Mr. Giga Gogosashvili of the International Students Admissions Office.

Photos by: Press Office of the University of Silesia