The Higher Education Review

Jerzy Zajac is a professor at the faculty of Mechanical Engineering, CUT. He currently serves as the Vice-Rector for Education of the University. He received his MSc, Ph.D., and DSc from CUT. His main research activities are split into two categories viz. manufacturing & production systems and underwater robotics. He has focused on modeling, simulation, optimization and control of manufacturing systems; information integration in production systems; and underwater bio-inspired robots.

Rich architecture, engaging museums, mysterious cafés and a number of eminent institutions of higher education are some of the many features, which describe the gorgeous and lively cultural capital of Poland, Krakow, also spelled as Cracow. Being a tourist destination, the city is filled with people who are not only welcoming by nature to the outsiders, but also never backs off to provide them with end-to-end support. Owing to the city's long-treasured academic reputation and tradition, yearly numerous foreign students flock to the land to pursue meaningful and quality education. Cracow University of Technology (CUT), holding the legacy of educating engineers instilled with modernity and openness to change for the past 70+ years, is counted as one of the renowned University for hosting optimum international students. Currently rendering education to around 14.5 thousand full-time and part-time students, the University over the years has churned out about 78 thousand students who are contributing positively to the world by demonstrating their potentialities.

The University for making the learning process for international students an easy one offers a wide range of English-taught 11 programmes and diplomas that are internationally recognized. "Apart from the classroom, our students have access to online

platform Moodle which leads to e-learning system enabling them to access study materials any time," points Prof. Jerzy Zajac, Vice-Rector for Education, CUT. However, the most popular courses that are chosen by Indian students at CUT are from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology and Faculty of Architecture. "Indian students are one of the most valuable groups of the international community at our University, thanks to their hard-working, open-minded, focused attitude which reflect in their grades," adds Vice-Rector. The University's Faculty of Architecture earned a prestigious accreditation of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education and the IFLA Europe - International Federation of Landscape Architects.

"CUT is a University that believes in constantly extending associations with educational institutions around the world so that varied activities including research, placement, and training can be carried out without any hurdles"

Vice-Rector shares, "We have a very strong cooperation with the industry. Given this, the students who study at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering get amazing opportunities to cooperate with the best Polish and foreign companies and scientific units, i.e. CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland), GSI (Darmstadt, Germany), Caterpillar (Peoria, USA), Delphi Poland SA, Soley (Cracow, Poland), "Wieliczka" Salt Mine (Poland) and many more. The University also enjoys the widely developed structure of international cooperation, where besides Erasmus+ agreements with over 370 universities, CUT boast of more than 100 bilateral agreements with universities in over 60 countries such as USA, Canada, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Japan, China, and Russia. Moreover, CUT has double diploma agreements with Cranfield University, Fachhochschule Münster and Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg” adds Vice-Rector.

Devoted to Excellence

CUT is a University that believes in constantly extending associations with educational institutions around the world so that varied activities including research, placement, and training can be carried out without

any hurdles. "CUT maintains a cordial relationship with India. We have bilateral agreements with Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology and Kalasalingam University, from which we had exchange students and scholars in previous semesters," proudly says Vice-Rector. The University, however, focus more on adopting practical approaches while delivering education than theory, where the expert faculty members go out of their way to engage the students intimately in the teaching and learning process along with encouraging them in participating in sound research and hands-on training.

"We take the onus on us to cooperate with companies in Poland and abroad for facilitating the students for internships and job purposes. CUT has a strong partnership with IBM, Nokia Solutions and Networks, Budimex, Santander Bank which enables students to practice, internship and also helps in optimization of classes and training," claims Vice-Rector. The students of CUT's Faculty of Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science are in fact motivated to indulge in developing mobile apps with the assistance of experienced professors letting them gain productive experiences.

On the other side, as a student-friendly university, CUT looks after all the needs of the international students from arranging international standard accommodation in dormitories to encouraging them to be a part of cultural and sports events, student's club which organizes international days and functions of every nationalities coupled with 80 student science clubs where students can broaden their experience, hobbies, join conferences or study trips. "CUT offers Rector's scholarship for the best students (only who graduated from high school or BSc. studies in Poland) who finished the first year of study, have high GPA or were successful in academic, artistic or sports contests," mentions Vice-Rector. All the international students who have graduated from CUT till date are the living testament to the quality and facilities that the University has been providing. "On the employment front, our Career Office supports students regarding individual needs, organizes simulated job interviews and promotes students and alumni on the labor market," concludes Vice-Rector.