On 6 February 2017 the meeting of Silesian Universities Network took place in the Rectorate of the University of Silesia. The meeting summarized the activities of the network in the years 2014-2016, the period in which Prof. Mirosław Nakonieczny served as the network’s President.
Another objective of the meeting was to choose the new President of SUN. The position was granted unanimously to Vice-Rrector for Development and Sports of the Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Prof. Grzegorz Juras. Thus, the leadership of the Silesian Universities Network in the term 2017-2019 had been passed over to The Academy of Physical Education in Katowice.
The aim of the meeting is to promote the higher education of the Silesian Region both in Poland and abroad, mutual help, exchange of experiences and information. The network comprises of nine Silesian universities: Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, University of Bielsko-Biala, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Phisical Education in Katowice, Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Czestochowa University of Technology, Medical University of Silesia, University of Economics in Katowice and University of Silesia in Katowice.
The initiatives of the Silesian Public Universities result in various activities concentrating on:
- internationalization of academic units,
- integration of the programs of social service provided to foreign students,
- programs aimed at presenting the culture of the region, development of priorities related to the process of lifelong learning, particularly with respect to the improvement of professional competencies of the academic staff as well as education outside the university, offered to the regional community,
- joint social and cultural undertakings aimed at international students pursuing part of their studies at the universities of the Consortium,
- joint educational undertakings directed at the academic staff working at European affiliate universities, aimed at promotion and focused on sharing the worked out procedures and experience, as part of the internationalization process.