The launch of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master programme interCultural Leadership in the Digital Era (CLIDE) was marked by the Joint Integration Week organised at the Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management of Nicolaus Copernicus University. The event, held from 14 to 18 September 2026, marked the official beginning of studies for the programme’s first cohort.
The Joint Integration Week served as the official start of studies for the first CLIDE participants. Nine students took part in the integration week and began their academic journey with the programme in Toruń. The first CLIDE cohort consists of 16 students representing 15 countries across four continents: the United States, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Georgia, Mexico, Spain, Vietnam, the Philippines, Finland, Kyrgyzstan, Brazil, India, and Indonesia. Throughout the week, participants had the opportunity to get to know one another, establish connections with representatives of the partner universities, and become familiar with the organisation and structure of the programme.
The week's programme included numerous integration activities, team-building workshops, games and quizzes, information sessions, the signing of student agreements, a welcome barbecue, and guided tours of Toruń. It was designed to help students adapt to their new environment and lay the foundations for future collaboration in international teams. Staff members of the Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management were actively involved in organising and delivering the programme, including Dr Lidia Chylewska-Barakat, Dr Magdalena Kalińska, and Dr Andrzej Lis, who conducted selected workshops and sessions for the students.
fot. Andrzej Romański
The highlight of the Joint Integration Week was the official opening ceremony of the CLIDE programme, held on 17 September 2026 at the Academic Centre for Culture and Arts “Od Nowa”. Hosted by Mr Bartosz Bagniewski, the event brought together representatives of all universities forming the programme consortium: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, the University of Granada (Spain), the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in Steyr (Austria), Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics (Ukraine), and Hassan II University of Casablanca (Morocco).
Among the distinguished guests were:
- Prof. Houssine Azeddoug, President of Hassan II University of Casablanca,
- Prof. Mustapha Lkhider, Vice-President of Hassan II University of Casablanca,
- Prof. Fatima Zahra Alami, Dean at Hassan II University of Casablanca,
- Prof. José Alberto Castañeda García, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Granada,
- Prof. Emilio Berrocal de Luna, Director of Master's Programmes in Social and Legal Sciences, Arts and Humanities at the University of Granada,
- Prof. Andreas Auinger, Dean of the School of Business and Management at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria,
- Prof. Volodymyr Vovk, Director of the Scientific and Educational Institution of Management and Marketing at Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics,
- Radosław Podgrudny, Head of the Institutional Capacity Development Team at the Programmes for Institutions Office of NAWA,
- Natalia Rososińska-Kozub, Specialist at the Regional Cooperation Team of the Erasmus+ InnHUB Innovation Centre in Toruń.
The ceremony was opened by Prof. Magdalena Barwiołek, Vice-Rector for International Relations at Nicolaus Copernicus University, who emphasised the importance of the programme for the further internationalisation of the University. She was followed by Dr Aranka Ignasiak-Szulc, Vice-Dean for International Cooperation at the Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management, who presented the concept and objectives of the CLIDE programme. Representatives of the partner universities from Morocco, Spain, Austria, and Ukraine also addressed the audience.
A particularly significant moment of the ceremony was the presentation of congratulatory letters to the students of the inaugural cohort. It was highlighted that the programme had attracted exceptional interest from candidates around the world, with only the most outstanding applicants selected from more than 1,100 candidates.
Another important part of the event was the inaugural lecture delivered by Prof. Aldona Glińska-Neweś, devoted to intercultural management. The lecture reflected the core mission of the programme, combining leadership development with preparation for working in an international and digitally driven environment.
CLIDE is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master programme delivered by a consortium of five universities from Poland, Spain, Austria, Ukraine, and Morocco. The programme focuses on educating future leaders capable of managing intercultural teams and organisations in the context of ongoing digital transformation. Students will study in several countries, gaining both academic and professional experience in a truly international environment.
The Joint Integration Week was not only the beginning of studies for the first CLIDE cohort but also the starting point of an international community built around the programme. The week spent in Toruń enabled students to establish their first connections, meet programme partners, and embark on a shared educational journey that will lead them through universities in Poland, Spain, Austria, Ukraine, and Morocco over the coming semesters.
