University of Leaders
- Basic data of the project
Project title: University of Leaders
Form of implementation: a series of training courses/editions on the leading thematic areas: “Leadership and team building” and “Social communication”.
Contractor: Wroclaw University of Economics and Business Branch in Jelenia Góra
Project location: Wroclaw University of Economics and Business in Wroclaw Branch in Jelenia Gora, ul. Nowowiejska 3, 58-500 Jelenia Góra
Cooperating organizations: Wroclaw University of Economics and Business Branch in Jelenia Gora Karkonoska Agencja Rozwoju Regionalnego S.A., Towarzystwo Karkonoskie
Project addressees: young people at the age of 14-16/ students of 8th grades of elementary schools and 1st grades of secondary schools (high schools, technical schools) – the choice takes into account the desire to combine in the project young people from two levels of education and provides work with students with a similar cognitive level; beneficiaries of the task are residents of the districts of Karkonosze, Wałbrzych, Lwówecki and Jelenia Góra and Walbrzych (at this stage it is not possible to determine the exact area of residence of the recruited young people); people characterized by leadership skills – leaders in their social groups; 40-50 people
Purpose of the project: to shape the intellectual potential of young people by strengthening their social competence in the conditions of academic education and thus preparing them to initiate, participate in and implement social campaigns
Project duration: September 2023-January 2024 and subsequent editions
Persons involved on the part of the contractor and cooperating organizations: Ph. Piotr Rogala, prof. UEW – Dean of the Branch; dr hab. Agnieszka Sokołowska-Durkalec, prof. WUEB – substantive director of the project; Mariusz Synówka – originator, project coordinator, Karkonosze Society, Anna Nowak-Kowalska, MA – administrative support of the project.
Contact person: (name, position, phone number, e-mail address): Anna Nowak-Kowalska, Branch Office Manager, 694950371, [email protected]
- Justification of the need for the project
In the dynamic contemporary socio-economic conditions, including numerous symptoms of a crisis in the effective building of ethical human and relational capital, especially in social groups whose members are young people with the specific characteristics of Generation Z and Generation Alpha, there is a need to promote and actually implement a continuous and methodical process of lifelong learning along with the formation of social competencies (including so-called soft competencies). An additional argument in favor of strengthening the intellectual potential of this social group, is its dominated by digitization and computerization and virtual space, the pattern of decoding knowledge and social behavior.
In addition, the construction of a responsible society requires the earliest possible, as far as the levels of education of children and young people are concerned, the identification of individuals who stand out for their leadership abilities and their orientation to the principles of ethical action in public, institutional and organizational spaces. The juxtaposition of the need to support individualization in the discovery and improvement of leadership qualities with collective coexistence in an ethically aware and educated society, justifies the need to form leadership competencies from the perspective of team-building skills, as well as the new face of social communication. The culmination of these relationships is the redefinition of the components of the leadership model of the future and interpersonal communication, especially in view of the need to keep up with the dynamics (often ahead of) the processes of the modern world. Axiology and discernment of the situational context, for example, can be a weapon in competing with the effects of artificial intelligence – a breakthrough in current times.
An excellent place to acquire the latest and specially dedicated theoretical and practical knowledge for this group of young people is a university. In addition, the contractor for the project in question, offers an intimate environment, individualized teaching process.
All of these challenges are also accompanied by the need to recognize the need to maintain equitable accessibility to the aforementioned educational initiatives, which is why the pilot editions of this project, should also take place outside of large academic centers and taking into account students from smaller towns and rural areas.
The project also assumes constant cooperation with all external stakeholders, i.e., among others: cooperating organizations (Karkonosze Regional Development Agency, Karkonosze Society), addressees (students) and their guardians (parents and teachers), principals of elementary and secondary schools, the Jelenia Góra Delegation of the Board of Education of the Board of Education of Wrocław, the Department of Education of the City Hall of Jelenia Góra, social organizations, representatives of selected local government units and profit organizations (enterprises of various sizes and industries), etc.
Ensuring the success of the project’s implementation is the effectively implemented 1st edition of the training course, entitled: “Leadership and Team Building”, which took place in March-June 2023, in the form of full volunteer work of the project’s creators and implementers. The idea to implement the University of Leaders in this form was the result of observing young people and analyzing their involvement in the implementation of several previous projects. Selected young people were invited to participate in the first edition, who had already become known as individuals with above-average interest in cooperating in the creation and implementation of tasks for the benefit of their communities (not just school communities). Their creativity, enthusiasm, ability to work in a group of peers and cooperate in intergenerational relations were recognized.
- General characteristics, key deliverables and organization of the project object
The subject of the project is the implementation of a training course entitled: Leaders’ University, which is a unique and thus elite, non-commercial venture, providing young people with the opportunity to develop individual and team intellectual potential by strengthening social competence in the conditions of academic education. The cyclical nature of the project and the duality of the leading thematic areas are assumed: “Leadership and Team Building” and “Social Communication” in the fields of human resource management, competence management, talent management, organizational behavior formation and marketing.
Following on from the experience of the first edition of the training, the implementation of the objective of this project should ensure the acquisition of selected social competencies, including primarily leadership, conscious building of emotional intelligence, critical and creative thinking, preparation for working under stress, conscious creation of a personal brand, teamwork, as well as improvement of public speaking skills, effective formal and informal interpersonal communication, etc. There will also be a place for the formation of initial entrepreneurial and managerial competencies. It is planned to achieve the above-mentioned competencies at the basic (introductory) level with suggested future development in further education. Participation in the semester-long training series is expected to strengthen the comprehensive leadership qualities of young people necessary for leadership in the groups of which they are and will be members. It is expected that the development of such competencies can inspire the development of youth involvement in their communities, the development of these groups, and thus continue the development of individuals.
An additional effect of the project is that young people will gain experience of the specifics of studying in a higher education institution, along with learning about the symbols and artifacts of academic organizational culture.
The organization of the training assumes a full cycle of 4 months (about 40 didactic hours) starting with the inauguration ceremony and the end of the event with the distribution of diplomas and awards. Classes are held on Saturdays, usually every 2 weeks. Training materials are provided to pre-students in paper form after each class. The training ends with an oral exam, taken before an examination board.
The students (called pre-students), numbering approx. 40-50, are recruited by mentor teachers (principals, educators, school counselors). The selection of schools invited to the first and subsequent editions of the University of Leaders is consulted with the Director of the Board of Trustees’ Delegation in Jelenia Gora of the Board of Education in Wroclaw, Ms. Jolanta Studniarek.
The training program, specially dedicated to the age group of the students in question, is developed in consultation with and after approval of the guardians of the youth (representatives of the teaching staff and parents).Substantive supervision of the project is provided by the substantive director. Coordination of the project with particular attention to communication with stakeholders is handled by the project coordinator. Administrative support of the project is handled by selected employees of the Branch Office. The entire event on the part of the contractor is patronized by the Dean of the Branch.
Classes are held at the university, both in the form of lectures and workshops. Both forms are implemented using modern methods and teaching tools. The team of lecturers consists of recognized specialists in the subject matter, mainly research and didactic employees of the Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, as well as – in subsequent editions – practitioners (including: management practitioners): HR managers, coaches, psychologists, therapists, business trainers, representatives of public institutions, etc.
