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During the Third Metropolitan Debate in Olivia, Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk, discussed the competitiveness and strength of the metropolis and how to attract contractors and employees to Pomerania; Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia; Prof. Iwona Sagan from the University of Gdansk; Joanna Witkowska , Director of the Provincial Labour Office in Gdańsk and Maciej Grabski, President of Olivia Business Centre.

“In order to maintain the pace of development of our region, we simply need to recruit employees from abroad. There is no other way. But in order for them to want to come to us, we need to provide them with access to schools, culture, offices and, of course, provide them with housing. Without foreign workers, we will only go backwards – says Joanna Witkowska, director of the Provincial Labour Office, one of the speakers during the 3rd Metropolitan Debate in Olivia. It is important to be aware that in a few years’ time employers will have to recruit professionals not only from Ukraine, but also from exotic African countries. That is why state and local government institutions should already be taking social action against discriminatory behaviour and supporting openness. “We can still recruit Ukrainians and Belarusians to work, but this resource will be exhausted sooner or later. Therefore, we have to be prepared for the fact that we will need people from very exotic countries, outside our cultural and, above all, religious circle. So we have a huge educational work ahead of us, which will open our minds to everything that is different. Today we can see that this can be a big challenge – said Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk, during the debate.

The world’s metropolises are characterized by multiculturalism and tolerance. So, if we want to think seriously about creating a metropolis in Pomerania, we must first ensure friendly living conditions for foreigners and their families. – We do not exist alone. Let’s look at Berlin. It is considered to be one of the friendliest cities for the development of creativity. Metropolises are always colourful, multicultural and open to otherness. If we go to one of the world’s metropolises, we will feel at home there. Is this the result of a deliberate state policy? No, these are natural socio-economic processes that require human potential. We must remember that people who come to work here want to settle here. So we need to create a friendly place for their whole families. There needs to be some kind of public service offer for them. These are the people who are also customers, consumers and who will drive the economy – believes Prof. Iwona Sagan from the University of Gdansk.

^{Fig. Piotr Hukało}

On the other hand, Maciej Grabski, President of Olivia Business Centre, noted that the acquisition of employees from distant countries will take place only in a few years. He stated that it is worth taking advantage of the human resources potential that is still in Poland. There is no shortage of regions in the country whose inhabitants would like to move to Pomerania. – First, let’s use what we have in the country, and then let’s reach for employees from exotic countries. There are workers in other regions who would be willing to live with us, but we need to provide them with the right conditions. Let’s remember that employing Poles from other areas is a cheaper solution for employers than employing foreigners. said Maciej Grabski, President of the Management Board. He also pointed out that ensuring the availability of housing is an element conducive to the recruitment of employees and influencing the development of the region. And it’s not just about making it easier to buy a place.

President Grabski also believes that Pomerania should fight for some pro-development impulse, financed from central funds. – A large programme would be useful, it could be aimed at improving the quality of education at universities, or maybe it would be of a university-military nature? To this end, it would be worthwhile to apply for a government grant – adds Maciej Grabski.

^{source: “The third metropolitan debate at Olivia Business Centre. Metropolises are always multicultural, colourful and open to otherness”, Dziennik Bałtycki, author: Agnieszka Kamińska}

More about the Third Debate, including video materials, on the website of Dziennik Bałtycki

 

 

The Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce has its headquarters in Olivia Business Centre, in the Olivia CONNECT space, and for years has been supporting domestic companies in conducting business activities, in the development and implementation of international projects. As part of the Transport Week conference, the eighth edition of which was devoted to port infrastructure development projects in Europe and the opportunities offered by the New Silk Road – the event is once again held under the patronage of Olivia Business Centre – we talk to Bogdan Ołdakowski, member of the board of RIGP and president of Actia Forum sp. z o.o., the organizer of Transport Week. The main themes of “Olivia’s Conversation” are m.in. foreign expansion of Pomeranian companies, the vision of Pomerania’s development and the role of the developing TSL industry (transport, forwarding, logistics) in this process.

ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF COMPANIES IN POMERANIA

Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre Communication Expert): Do Pomeranian entrepreneurs have reasons to be satisfied? According to the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce, what are the main challenges facing companies in 2018?

Bogdan Ołdakowski, President of the Management Board of Actia Forum Sp. z o.o. organizer of the Transport Week conference, member of the board of the Regional Chamber of Commerce (RIGP).:Yes. Last year was a good year for the economy in Poland. The positive effects of rapid economic growth can also be seen in Pomerania, the revenues of companies are growing, and exports are also growing, although the growth rate is not as fast as in previous years. Undoubtedly, the challenge this year is to find people to work. Problems in the labour market can be seen almost everywhere. This, of course, in addition to the shortage of manpower, translates into an increase in pressure on wages, which increases the costs of economic activity.

INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION OF POMERANIAN COMPANIES

M.B.: How do you generally assess the potential of Pomeranian companies and their preparation for international expansion? How does the TSL industry fare in these professions?

B.O. The Pomeranian region is characterized by a great openness to cooperation with international markets. This is due to many factors, including the characteristic coastal location of the region, which has always encouraged people to travel, to look for markets “overseas”. I rate the preparation of Pomeranian companies for their presence on international markets highly. Of course, you can always point to some problems, such as the collapse of the off-shore market (the extraction of oil and gas from the sea in the world), which has benefited many companies. The TSL industry is also doing well internationally. By its very nature, this industry operates on international markets, but the domain of activity of many companies in this industry is Pomerania, because here we are dealing with a very fast-growing market.

RIGP SUPPORT

M.B.: How does the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce really help its members in development and promotion abroad? What benefits do RIGP members receive and why is it worth being an active participant in meetings and trainings organized m.in? in Olivia’s conference spaces?

B.O. There are many companies in RIGP and it is mainly thanks to their services that other entrepreneurs have a chance to take advantage of professional help. RIGP also implements projects aimed at helping companies on international markets, such as the Pomeranian Export Broker project, in which it is one of the partners. From the point of view of a company interested in a specific market, it is worth simply attending seminars or trainings to learn about the details of running a business, e.g. in Norway or Iran. For those who want further help, we offer professional advice. The Pomeranian Export Broker project can also co-finance the costs of trips to fairs, conferences, etc. Let us not forget that the Chamber can offer specific assistance in financing business activities. I would like to invite you to the Chamber.

THE ROLE OF GDAŃSK IN THE INDUSTRY

M.B.: Moving on to the Forum prepared by Actia for the 8th time. Transport Week conference, one of the most popular events dedicated to the TSL industry. What is the role of Gdańsk and the entire Pomerania region on the international market today? I mean the cooperation of our companies with companies from the Baltic Sea region, Europe and the world?

B.O. The role of Gdansk and Gdynia has increased significantly in recent years, mainly due to the development of the ports of Gdansk and Gdynia. Such a cut-off date was 2004, i.e. Polish’s accession to the EU. The rapid economic development of the country and trade exchange was reflected in the rapidly growing transshipments in ports. At the same time, also thanks to EU funds, there have been major investments in transport infrastructure, which has further strengthened the position of ports. Along with the increase in the amount of cargo in ports, so does the transport industry, which – to put it simply – handles trade and cargo. It is an industry that creates a lot of jobs, mainly in the vicinity of ports. On the scale of the Baltic Sea, the role of Pomerania is a leading role, and on a European scale, the ports of Gdansk and Gdynia are one of the fastest growing medium-sized port centres in Europe.

POMERANIA 2030

M.B.: And if we wanted to boldly describe what the vision of Pomerania in 2030 will look like in the logistics and transport industry? What will we have then, what do we not have today, and what do we still need to spend a lot of effort and energy on today?

B.O. If I were to try to come up with a vision of Pomerania 2030, the scale of the port business and the TSL industry will probably be much larger. Larger ships will enter here, ports will have a larger, more modern infrastructure. One of the key issues to be resolved is the road and rail infrastructure, both in direct access to ports and further on the so-called “roads”. Hinterland. So if we are talking about an effort, it should be directed towards both the development of ports and the development of land infrastructure. At the same time, the development is not only expansion, but also intelligent management of it and traffic.

THE NEW SILK ROAD

M.B. One of the topics of the conference will be a discussion on the development of the New Silk Road. How do you assess the opportunities for further development for the Baltic and European logistics sector?

B.O. This topic is present at many meetings and conferences. The policy of the Chinese government within the framework of the so-called The New Silk Road is mainly about strengthening China’s investment presence in the world, including Europe. Chinese investments are also carried out in ports, e.g. in Greece or Portugal. It should be remembered that the transport route between Europe and Asia, in particular China, is the largest scale of trade in the world. Therefore, it can be said that Chinese investments in European ports are a natural direction for achieving the goals of the Silk Road. However, the scale of investment in Europe is still small. It remains to be seen whether Chinese capital will be invested in ports to a greater extent.

INNOVATION IN BUSINESS

M.B.: Having been observing the development of the TSL sector for many years, do you think that there is room for creating demand for innovations and new types of services and the development of start-up forms?

B.O. Absolutely. The port industry, or more broadly TSL, is a fast-growing industry and at the same time considered to be quite conservative. The simultaneous development of the industry and its state of technological advancement creates opportunities for the implementation of many innovative projects or the so-called start-ups. In general, we have been observing the process of the so-called digitization or digitization of this industry, which in consequence is to increase the efficiency of logistics solutions for the transport of goods.

TRANSPORT WEEK GALA IN OLIVIA

M.B.: As part of the program of the 3-day Transport Week 2018 event, you have also planned a special meeting for all guests, which took place in a unique place – Olivia Sky Club, from which you can watch the panorama of the entire Bay of Gdańsk. It is from this place that you can also see the sea transport routes. Could you tell us what the guests experienced on this special evening?

B.O. First of all, the guests had the opportunity to have a good time in the Olivia Business Centre, with a view of the Bay. Such meetings provide an opportunity for informal talks and initiating business contacts. Generally, guests who visit Gdańsk or Gdynia once every few years are amazed by the pace of development and places like Olivia. On behalf of the organisers of Transport Week, I would like to thank you for your hospitality this evening. It is worth noting that during the meeting, the “Baltic Transport Journal” presented awards to companies for their special achievements in the transport industry in the Baltic Sea. Among the winners were m.in. companies from Pomerania: DCT Gdansk and the Port of Gdansk Authority.

POMERANIA – A WINDOW TO THE WORLD

M.B.: Listening to your experiences presenting the development of Pomeranian companies and their connections with the world, as well as observing the intensive growth of transport-related industries – focused in Gdańsk – it is safe to say that our window to the world is more and more open!

B.O. Oh yes! Pomerania and Gdansk, the windows to the world have always been wide open.

–/–

^{Bogdan Ołdakowski, CEO and founder of Actia Forum Sp. Ltd. Since 2006, he has also been the Secretary General of the Baltic Ports Organization. Also the President of the Management Board of the Baltic Press Sp. z o.o. and the Motus Foundation. From 1996 to 2003, he worked for the Port of Gdansk Authority SA in various positions. During this period, he participated in the work of the Baltic Ports Organization (BPO), the European Seaports Organization (ESPO) and other international organizations. In the years 2000-2003 he worked as an advisor at the Gdansk Airport. Lech Wałęsa Sp. In the years 1994-1998 he was associated with the consulting company GEOMOR, where he ended his cooperation as a member of the management board and managing director. He participates in the work of industry and economic organizations, member of expert and advisory groups, m.in. Member of the Board of the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce, member of the European Sustainable Shipping Forum and the European Ports Forum – advisory groups to the European Commission. Participant of many consulting projects in the field of maritime sectors, ports, infrastructure, transport, energy, environmental protection. Organizer, speaker and host of international conferences and forums. A graduate of the University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Biology, Geography and Oceanology. During his studies, he received a scholarship from the Tempus Program. After graduating, he received a scholarship from the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark. He completed Postgraduate Legal and Management Studies at the Faculty of Management and Economics of the Gdańsk University of Technology and managerial courses: Port Management and Organization organized by Ports of Stockholm. He also completed the Baltic Leadership Programme organised by the Swedish Institute. He is active in sports: tennis, football, skiing. He is interested in jazz, literature and contemporary painting.}

–/–

^{About Olivia CONNECT. The CONNECT project was created to stimulate and facilitate cooperation between all residents of Olivia Business Centre. Its overarching goal is to create an environment conducive to business development and to initiate projects whose joint implementation is conducive to the expansion of the Pomeranian region. Numerous non-governmental organizations, m.in. associations and foundations, as well as business support institutions, have their headquarters in Olivia CONNECT. Among the residents of Olivia CONNECT are, m.in: infoShare Foundation, Marek Kamiński Foundation, Marek Kamiński Institute and Inspiring Examples Foundation, as well as the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Pomeranian Association of Entrepreneurs Lewiatan, GUP Job Office, the Interizon ICT Cluster and the BPO Education Centre – Sopot University of Applied Sciences.}

TRANSPORT WEEK GALA 2018 IN OLIVIA

OLIVIA IS A PARTNER OF TRANSPORT WEEK 2018

READ MORE OF OLIVIA’S TALKS

5th birthday of Tri-City Geek Girls Carrots in o4 Olivia Business Centre coworking

The fifth birthday of Karotek in the Tri-City is behind us. The meeting, which gathered a large audience in Gdańsk’s Olivia Business Centre, was an opportunity to celebrate the jubilee of Geek Girls Carrots together. We are very glad that among the participants of the jubilee meeting there were many familiar faces – participants of previous events, befriended experts and people related to the IT industry, but also new guests, whom we hope to meet more than once during events under the aegis of GGC.

Links to Facebook Live Streaming: Part 1, Part 2

, Part 3

After the main organizer Anna Czoska welcomed the gathered guests, Kasia Gola

gave a lecture on trends on the border of fashion and technology

. The second speaker of the evening, Natalia Talkowska

talked about the use of modern visual media in conveying ideas and information

in a way that is of interest to buyers. Thanks to this speech, we are already sure that Snapchat and Pinterest are not only for collecting pretty photos, but can be tools in serious business ventures.

The culmination of the evening was an exceptionally substantive and engaging debate moderated by Monika Bogdanowicz with OBC with the participation of Urszula Gołowicz (software tester), Dominika Makuch (programmer), Lidia Krystoforska (scrum master), Anna Marchwicka (UX designer) and Martyna Wędzicka (designer). The panelists were given a special task of dealing with stereotypes of IT as a “male industry”. These stereotypes have been built for years by the media, especially by Western films and TV series, where computer geniuses are still mostly men, and characters like Lisbeth Salander reach a wide audience thanks to Swedish creators. However, the changing environment in the IT industry is constantly evolving, and despite the current employment disparities, the positives of diverse teams are increasingly being recognized – they are usually more efficient, faster, less prone to conflicts, and have a greater potential for innovation. Fortunately, there are so many opportunities for development in the field of new technologies that everyone can participate in their creation. The invited panelists also talked about these opportunities – about their path to IT, motivation, inspirations, overcoming prejudices, discipline and necessary good habits, as well as endless learning.

Programming is still a profession in which we are wrong. It is not yet a fully mature industry, there are no fully laid processes in it. The knowledge needed to grow this industry is vast, and there are no people who know everything. Programming is about, among other things, questioning one’s own skills, questioning one’s competence is part of a programmer’s life – Dominica

In horticulture, it has been discovered that the most fertile or living areas are on the border between different environments, such as forest and arable land, so that they combine the power of both. This is also the case in the world, in team building – the greater the diversity, not only of gender but also of personality, the stronger the team is, although of course attention should be paid to building a common space for cohesive functioning. NASA, for example, has an interesting team building system based on differences – if we’re the same, we’ll be too weak – Lidia

In this job, I appreciate a kind of IT “snobbery of knowledge” – it is not good if someone has already stopped learning. Without it, you can survive in this industry, but not succeed – Ursula

I have experienced that not only having a mentor, but also being a mentor for someone is very developing and shows that we can do more, even if we think that a given path has already been “” a dozen times, something else can be squeezed out of it – Anna

Being a part of the GGC community is all about inspiration. Karotki give support and a sense of being in a community of people who want to start working in IT or have already started it and have their own experiences and can share them – Lidia

^{Photos courtesy of Geek Girls Carrots Tricity}

The jubilee meeting lasted until late in the evening, as the participants and guests let themselves be carried away by networking over coffee and carrot cake, as well as additional attractions accompanying the event.

Geek Girls Carrots would like to thank everyone for coming and all those who are very supportive of them virtually and could not be present. “We are very grateful for your support and look forward to many more anniversaries together,” they add.

Partners of the event:

Pracuj.pl Dynatrace Jamel Interactive

Helion Speednet Atena Solwit

O4 Coworking MedioGrafia – photos, content, social media

Geek Girls Carrots Tricity Team:

Anna Czoska, Katarzyna Wrzałka, Jowita Kessler, Aleksandra Kubacka, Ida Wilczek

How to combine helping with joy and self-development? See more than meets the eye? What makes us help more willingly and with conviction? It’s sensitivity. It is an emotion, a sense of strength that appears when someone weaker, inspiring, or another is next to you. And we can do something for him. Even… telling his story.

On 10-12 April, the Sensitive Festival will take place in Gdańsk . It is under the patronage of Olivia Business Centre! Not only will the official opening of the Festival take place in Olivia, but also a charity auction of graphics for the benefit of the charges and projects of the Leave Your Trace Foundation, and in particular for the implementation of the application hospiCare in children’s home hospices all over Poland. The main partner of the exhibition, apart from Olivia Business Centre, is the Gdańsk Business Centre Club Lodge.

Press and film reports nominated for awards in this year’s edition of the Sensitive Festival, which will take place in the Tri-City on 10-12 April, have already been selected. In Olivia Business Centre, Gdynia Film Centre and Shakespeare Theatre you will be able to take part in: an exhibition of the best Polish graphics, screenings of reportages and film documentaries and a ceremonial gala of awarding statuettes for the most sensitive artists. Over the course of 3 days, you will also be able to participate in discussion panels with prominent Polish reporters, talking about difficult and inspiring topics.

Festival of good emotions

The Sensitive Festival was created to combine art, emotions and sensitivity with helping terminally ill children and Children’s Home Hospices in an interesting and inspiring way. How? Among other things, through the
hospiCare
application, which is being created for them, which facilitates the work of medical teams and caregivers of young patients. All proceeds from the festival will be donated to help them – the charges and partners of the Leave Your Trace Foundation, which is also the organizer of the festival.

Festival programme

The opening of the festival will take place on 10 April at the Olivia Business Centre. It will be accompanied by the opening of the exhibition BEST POLISH GRAPHICS, organized in cooperation with professors of the Academies of Fine Arts in Wrocław and Gdańsk. On that day, Olivia will host a CHARITY AUCTION of graphics for the beneficiaries and projects of the Leave Your Trace Foundation, and in particular the implementation of
the h
ospiCare
application in children’s home hospices all over Poland. The main partner of the exhibition, apart from Olivia Business Centre, is the Gdańsk Business Centre Club Lodge.

– It is always worth supporting the development of attitudes that encourage us to be more sensitive and to look carefully at people and their needs. Such activity makes us more open to the world, we look at the bigger picture, we feel more, so we can do more. This is an extremely important activity that contributes to building social capital, which is still, unfortunately, a scarce commodity. says Monika Bogdanowicz, Corporate Intelligence Manager Communication in Olivia Business Centre. – At Olivia, we do and want to do important things, hence our involvement in the Sensitive Festival. Once again, we can become a space for integration and building relationships between people, and in addition, the goal of the meeting in Olivia of representatives of many communities is noble. We help together. I am convinced that the celebration of sensitivity, and I mean the opening of the Festival in our country and the festival itself, will not leave anyone passive.

The culmination of the festival is the Final Gala, which will take place on 12 April at the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre. This year, in addition to the award ceremony, the culminating event will be a panel discussion on whether the work of a reporter can change the world. It will be attended by m.in. Katarzyna Włodkowska and Anna Śmigulec from “Duży Format”, Ewa Żarska from “Polsat News” and Kamil Bałuk from the Institute of Reportage. Last year, it was hosted and hosted by Grażyna Torbicka and Janusz Daszczyński.

– Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this festival, the Sensitive Festival, which seems to be a very obvious idea. And yet, no one had thought of it before. A big round of applause for the organizers for such an authentic idea – said Grażyna Torbicka opening the final gala last year. Of course, the art of film or press reportage is supposed to sensitize, but there is more to it than that, to show the special themes that make us interact with art, but we also know that this art serves a purpose. Something real and very important.

During the Sensitive Festival, there will also be plenty of inspiration for children and young viewers.

– We search the web for things that can help children better understand their everyday problems: intolerance, violence, hate, addictions, otherness or the death of a loved one. A short YouTube video will reach them much better than a “sermon” from a parent or educator. And it is to teachers and parents that we want to give ideas on how to show a difficult topic in an attractive way – says Durga Szymańska , the main coordinator of the Festival. – We want to inspire young people to show their own films about their own problems and achievements. That is why this year’s accompanying project was created called the Sensitive Festival KIDS.

The screenings for young people will be accompanied by a lecture and a conversation about life, passing away and death. It will be led by Katarzyna Kałduńska, an extraordinary nurse from the Pomeranian Hospice for Children in Gdańsk who works with departing children and their families. She conducts workshops for young people and schools, teaching them what is difficult for us to talk about and what is taboo in our culture. They will also be enriched by a discussion panel about the value of life and everyday life seen from a wheelchair and through the eyes of a healthy teenager taking care of a sick friend. The protagonists of the panel are Kuba Płaziński – a protégé of the Leave Your Trace Foundation and the Pomeranian Hospice for Children in Gdańsk and his friend Kacper, while the guest is Łukasz Pilip, a journalist of “Duży Format”, who works with young heroes of difficult stories on a daily basis.

Sensitive Creators

The quality of the works submitted to the festival is very high – this applies especially to press reports. Therefore, the jury has a very difficult task to select the winners of each category. The prize for the winners of each of them are statuettes by Marcin Rząsa, a sculptor from Zakopane, who prepares them especially for this occasion.

The organizers also appreciate exceptional people who selflessly help others. Sensitive Person is a special category, created to honor people involved in helping those in need. Without expectations, but with mindfulness. Without the need for publicity – from the heart. Unique, dedicated, helpful, irreplaceable. Sensitive to others. After consultations with Tri-City hospices and families of sick children helped by the Leave Your Trace Foundation, exceptional people from different backgrounds and with different types of sensitivity will be selected and awarded.

What is important, the hosts, artists, participants and organizers work at the Festival voluntarily – taking nothing in return but the joy and satisfaction that comes from helping people combined with the development of their sensitivity.

“We would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts all the companies and people who have left their mark in creating and implementing the idea of the Sensitive Festival. It is impossible to name each of them, but we believe that, just like us, they have great satisfaction and will continue to be with us. We would especially like to thank the Gdynia Film Centre, the Shakespeare Theatre and the Olivia Business Centre. Thanks to your trust, the Festival can change the world at least a little bit – says Paula Rettinger-Wietoszko.

Honorary Patronage

The festival was held under the honorary patronage of the Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship Mieczysław Struk, the Mayor of Gdynia Wojciech Szczurek, the Mayor of the City of Sopot Jacek Karnowski and the Mayor of the City of Gdańsk Paweł Adamowicz.

How to take part in the Festival and help?

Tickets for film screenings are available at the Gdynia Film Centre’s box office, and every zloty from the tickets will help change the world for the better.

 

Sensitive Festival:
http://wrazliwy.pl/

KIDS Sensitive Festival:
http://www.kid.wrazliwy.pl/

hospiCare:
http://hospicare.pl/

Colleges prepare students for life in a world that doesn’t exist. This bold thesis is put forward by the organizers of the Competitive Education conference entitled: “University Idea. Digital Transformation” and invite representatives of the scientific community and business practitioners to the discussion. The conference is held under the patronage of Olivia Business Centre.

“The essence of higher education does not consist in (…) it is about inculcating factual knowledge, but about training the mind to arrive at what cannot be found in textbooks,” Albert Einstein claimed. These words still ring today, in times of digital transformation that is rapidly advancing not only in science and technology. Digital transformation affects each of us, in every area of life – from everyday communication and entertainment, through education, work, to complex business processes. Are we ready for it? How does it affect us? What opportunities and threats does it bring? How to take full advantage of the opportunities it gives us in the educational, academic, business and personal spheres?

Answers to these questions will be sought by authorities and experts invited by the organizers to participate in the conference: prof. Jerzy Hausner (Cracow University of Economics), prof. Dariusz Filar (economist and writer), Henryka Bochniarz (President of the Lewiatan Confederation), prof. Witold Bielecki (Kozminski University), prof. Julita Wasilczuk (Gdańsk University of Technology), Anna Grosiak (Business Development Director at Siemens Sp. z o.o.), Dr. Andre Helin (President of the Management Board of BDO), Piotr Voelkel (founder of the VOX Capital Group), Krzysztof Kwiatkowski (Supreme Audit Office), Jakub Wojnarowski (ACCA) and guests from abroad: Joanna Bochniarz (Center for Innovative Education, Brussels), Alain Heureux (Brussels Creative and Creative Ring) and Tom Clark (Center for Innovative Education, Brussels). The event is planned in an attractive formula combining a lecture, a “power speech” and an Oxford debate, in which the audience will also have a voice.

“We live, learn and work in a world where change is happening at an unprecedented speed. We don’t have time to think more deeply about where we’re going. It is precisely in order to force us to stop and think – that we, as conference organizers, put forward a bold thesis: “Universities prepare students for life in a world that does not exist.” We want to make representatives of the business and academic communities listen to each other’s arguments for and against, articulate their own opinions and be open to the thoughts of others, and then get involved in programming and implementing the necessary changes in education. says Ewa Sowińska, ESO Audit Partner, member of the Conference Programme Board.

Changes in education are necessary. It is estimated that 60 per cent of the population is in the EU. Children who are currently starting school will work in professions that do not yet exist. Within 10-15 years, about 40 percent will disappear. Professions. This will happen as digital transformation and automation continue. There will be new professions – today we can’t even name them.

“The current education system still focuses on the ability to memorize textbook knowledge and narrowly understood subjects – it does not show the interpenetration of various fields of science. It’s a system that was created for a different era. As a society and decision-makers, we don’t seem to notice that this era has already passed into history – says Barbara Stepnowska, PhD, Director of MBA Studies at the Gdańsk University of Technology, member of the Conference Program Council.

The World Economic Forum’s report “New Vision for Education. Unlocking the Potential of Technology”, lists 16 skills and traits that are crucial for the 21st century, requiring improvement not only at the school or university stage, but throughout life. These are, m.in, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, creativity, communication and collaboration skills, curiosity, taking initiative, adaptability, leadership skills, perseverance, and social and cultural awareness. Is there a chance that the Polish education system will also focus on their shaping and development?

“The digital revolution brings many unknowns. A lot depends on the accuracy of predictions and readiness for change. Do universities really prepare young people for life in a world that will not exist in a moment to exist? Is the business world still stuck within organizations that won’t be needed? These are no longer the archaic considerations of a few years ago about economic transformation, labour mobility, flexible forms of employment and flexible working time. These are fundamental questions – who will we be, and even more importantly – who will we not need – adds Dorota Sobieniecka, director of the Gdańsk Business Club, member of the conference Programme Council.

The conference, organised by the MBA Studies of the Gdańsk University of Technology, the Faculty of Management and Economics of the Gdańsk University of Technology, the Gdańsk Business Club, ESO Audit and the GAP Foundation, will be held on 18 April as part of the Open Eyes Economy on Tour series. in the Main Building of the Gdańsk University of Technology. Details of the event, including the program, can be found at http://fwd.edu.pl/konkurencyjnaedukacja/. Admission is free – registration is required.

The event was held under the honorary patronage of:

Minister of Science and Higher Education and Rector of the Gdańsk University of Technology.

Once again, Olivia Business Centre hosted students who, as part of the Inspiring Examples Foundation, spent a few extremely attractive hours in Olivia. This time we hosted students from the second class of SOiO Conradinum. They impressed us with their commitment, creativity and teamwork skills. They met every challenge that was set before them during the workshops conducted by the Possible Group. As part of the visit, the students had the opportunity to learn about the work of some of our Residents. They were very impressed by the view from the 20th floor of the Star building and the O4 coworking space. The next visit of enterprising youth will take place in June. Olivia invites you!

We invite you to see the photo report from the visit of 🙂

The 2nd Metropolitan Debate is behind us. Representatives of the government, local government officials and experts discussed mobility in Pomerania in Olivia.

On Friday, 2 March, politicians and experts met in Olivia to talk about the future of transport in Pomerania. For the inhabitants of the entire region, the metropolis is first and foremost a hope for improving communication, and efficient communication was the leitmotif of the discussion in Olivia. The 2nd Metropolitan Debate in Olivia was attended by:

• Kazimierz Smoliński, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure
• Ryszard Świlski, Member of the Board of the Pomeranian Voivodeship
• Edyta Damszel-Turek, Director of the Gdańsk Development Office
• Magdalena Kołodziejczak, Head of the Pruszcz Gdański Commune
• Krzysztof Rudziński, CEO of InnoBaltica
• Marcin Wołek, councillor of Gdynia, communication specialist

The debate was opened by the President of Olivia Business Centre, Maciej Grabski, and the organizer and originator of the series, the editor-in-chief of “Dziennik Bałtycki”, Mariusz Szmidka. “If you want to, you can do it, which is why our ambition is to create a strong metropolis in Pomerania,” he stressed.

Discussion, led by ed. Jarosław Zalesiński, began with the most important, according to the participants, priorities in the field of transport for the metropolis in Pomerania. Minister Smoliński emphasised that the main problem in Poland is the unfavourable structure of transport. – Even 40 years ago, 80 per cent. The transport of goods was carried out by rail, today the road transport of goods dominates to almost such an extent. If we do not change this, we will never catch up with Western Europe. We need to develop rail and water transport. People are getting richer, there are more and more cars, the construction of new roads will never keep up. Statistics show that we are more and more willing to travel by rail, but there are still plenty of blank spots on the maps of connections, also in Pomerania. A lot of public connections in Kashubia have been eliminated in recent years – Translated into.

During the meeting, the significance of the future act on the metropolis in Pomerania was discussed, as well as the role and effects of the existing inter-municipal cooperation. A lot of emotions were stirred up by: the issue of a common ticketing platform for Pomerania, which is being developed by InnoBaltica, the pilot metropolitan act for Silesia and spatial planning, which is not conducive – especially in the municipalities neighbouring the Tri-City – to the active use of public transport.

_{Photos courtesy of Dziennik Bałtycki, author: Piotr Hukało}

 

MORE ON THE WEBSITE OF THE METROPOLITAN DEBATES SERVICE

COVERAGE OF THE DEBATE ON THE WEBSITE OF DZIENNIK BAŁTYCKI

FULL VIDEO RECORDING OF THE METROPOLITAN DEBATE

First this year, but already 7^th Meetup in English for foreigners living in Tri-City has come to an end. We meet to get to know each other better, learn together and from one another, exchange experiences, establish contacts, relationships, friendships…

On the 5^th of March Olivia Sky Club hosted more than 60 people from more than 10 countries. Among them, there were such distant countries as Malaysia, USA and not so distant ones like Belarus, Ukraine, Great Britain, Croatia and Ireland… In our opinion, Ewa Szabuniewicz, an experienced HR Manager from BEST S.A., proved with her presentation that multitasking simply… doesn’t work. Angelina Wormus, Finnish American from Alexander Mann Solutions, who has already lived in 14 countries (!) told us – this extremely interesting conversation was moderated by Izabela Diesterheft from Interizon – about disadvantages and advantages of nomadic lifestyle and the reasons for her relocation to Gdańsk. Małgorzata Zalewska from InvestGDA was convincingly confirming the truth about public speeches, which was put into words by W. Churchill in the following way: “A good speech should be like a woman’s skirt; long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest”.

– The number of foreigners who live and work in Tri-City has substantially increased in recent years. And is still increasing – said Izabela Diesterheft , CEO of ICT INTERIZON Pomeranian Cluster, an originator and organiser of the event – I know how difficult it is to settle in a new place, especially abroad because I was in such a situation. In a completely foreign city, without my friends and family, I was building everything from scratch. I was getting to know new places and was gradually founding my favourite ones… I understand people who came to Pomerania from different parts of the world. That is why I wanted to offer them what I needed at that time: opportunities to meet, get to know each other, the region and the city in which their new life has begun. On one hand meetups are a great opportunity to present us and our potential to the increasing group of participants – and there are nearly 400 Polish and English speaking people from Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia in our group – what surely helps expats penetrate into Pomeranian environment. On the other hand, we emphasize how important they are for us, that we want to learn from them, but also help them by showing, how to find yourself and move around in our Pomeranian reality.

So… as always, we were integrating and exchanging knowledge. In a good company and in a place full of good energy, whose mission is development – Olivia Business Centre. In addition, with a new partner of the initiative, Invest in Pomerania, which talked about joining the project in the following words:

– We have decided to co-organise meetups because we want to support the creation of an international community in Tri-City and in a wider scope – in the region. As part of Live more. Pomerania project, we are promoting Pomeranian Voivodship as a good place not only for a holiday trip, but also for living and working. We hear many opinions that on the Internet there is not much information about our region, especially in English. That is why, we are working on an Internet website, which will include all the most essential news to make it easier for people to relocate here – said Katarzyna Dziewicka from Invest in Pomerania. – But we don’t want to be active only online, we want to meet face-to-face, talk about great things in our region and what we still have to work on. Visit Live more. Pomerania project’s profiles on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and of course see you during the next meetup!

– Foreigners constitute an increasingly larger group of employees and residents of Olivia. We really want them to feel as good as possible, that is why, from the very beginning, we have been supporting Meetups in English. During such meetings, our expats have an opportunity to meet persons from other countries, who also chose Tri-City to live and work there. We invite them to joint Olivia’s community, exchange experiences, ideas and to signalise problems. We want our metropolis to be a friendly place and real home for them. The situation in the labour market is also significant. Staff from outside Poland can be a very positive factor in the growth of companies, which are active in our country. We are glad that we create this project with our residents: INTERIZON Pomeranian Cluster and Invest in Pomerania – summarises Agnieszka Zglinicka, Project Director at Olivia Business Centre.

Partners of the event: ICT INTERIZON Pomeranian Cluster, Invest in Pomerania with the initiative: Live more. Pomerania; Olivia CONNECT, Olivia Business Centre.

The next meeting will be held in a month! You are invited already today 🙂

 

Transport Week Gala is behind us. Once again, Olivia hosted the world!

“Baltic Trendsetters Club Certificates” in the hands of two Gdańsk companies – Port of Gdańsk SA and the state-of-the-art Polish container terminal, DCT. Among the winners of this prestigious award, which is granted by “Baltic Transport Journal” to the companies, which drive the development of the Baltic Sea Region while carrying out unique undertakings that influence logistic and transport industry, there were also Adampol from Podlasie (for its project carried out with Port Gdańsk SA), OT Logistics from Szczecin, Finnish Port of Helsinki and Finnlines, Swedish Ports of Stockholm, Tallink&Silja Line and Skangas located in Norway.

The award gala was held on March 7, in Olivia Business Centre. Olivia Sky Club gathered people, who manage key European logistic and transport companies, terminals and ports, entrepreneurs connected with broadly understood transport and logistic services in the Baltic Sea Region and in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as, the representatives of academic communities.

The certificates were collected: on behalf of Port Gdansk SA and Adampol company by – Adam Kłos, Commercial Director Port Gdansk SA; DCT company – Cameron Thorpe, Chief Executive Officer; OT Logistics – Zbigniew Nowik, President of the Board, Port of Helsinki – Satu Aatra, Planning Manager Urban Planning; Finnlines – Agnieszka Waleńciak, Line Manager, Finland-Poland Service; Ports of Stockholm – Gun Rudeberg General Counsel and Head of Environmental Affairs; Tallink&Silja Line – Janek Stalmeister, Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Tallink Grupp.

The ceremony was part of the Transport Week conference. This year’s 8th^{edition was} devoted to the projects of port infrastructure development in Europe and the opportunities offered by the New Silk Route. Once again, Olivia Business Centre was the partner of the event. Nearly half a thousand participants from more than 100 companies and institutions located in 21 countries participated in the conference.

– From the very beginning, Olivia Business Centre has been supporting projects and initiatives, which lead to the development of the region and the condition of transport and logistic sector undoubtedly influences the economic position of the Pomeranian region. Anyway, it refers not only to Pomerania, but also the whole country. The development of transport infrastructure, optimisation of sea, road, inland waterway transport, modernisation of ports and terminals, are the key themes of the Transport Week conference, which are crucial also from Olivia’s point of view – the biggest business hub in Northern Poland, in which currently more than 500 companies run their businesses, also from logistic industry – emphasises Agnieszka Zglinicka , Project Director in Olivia Business Centre, the host of the event in Olivia – We are paying close attention to the initiative of New Silk Route. It is said that Poland can benefit a lot thanks to the project, which connects China and Europe via transport corridors. Our location alone aids this solution. According to experts, Poland can become a guide on EU markets for Chinese exporters – she added.

 

 

 

The first one this year is behind us, but it’s already the 7th. Meetup in English for foreigners living in the Tri-City. We meet to get to know each other better, to learn from each other, to exchange experiences, to establish contacts, relationships, friendships…

On 5 March, Olivia Sky Club hosted over 60 people from over 10 countries. Among them were as far away as Malaysia and the USA, and not as far away as Belarus, Ukraine, Great Britain, Croatia or Ireland… Ewa Szabuniewicz , an experienced HR Manager from BEST S.A., during her speech, proved in our opinion that multitasking simply… doesn’t work. Angelina Wormus, A Finnish-American from Alexander Mann Solutions, who has already lived in 14 countries (!), talked – an extremely interesting conversation was conducted by Izabela Diesterheft from Interizon – about the pros and cons of the nomadic lifestyle and the reasons for moving to Gdansk. Małgorzata Zalewska from InvestGDA convincingly confirmed the truth about public speaking, which W. Churchill put it this way: “A good speech should be like a mini-skirt: long enough to exhaust the subject and short enough to arouse interest.”

– The number of foreigners living and working in the Tri-City has increased significantly in recent years. And it’s constantly increasing. says Izabela Diesterheft , CEO of the Pomeranian ICT Cluster INTERIZON, the originator and organizer of the campaign – I know how difficult it is to acclimatize to a new place, especially abroad, because I have been in such a situation myself. In a completely foreign city, without friends or family, I built everything from scratch. I got to know new places and gradually found my favorite ones… I understand people who came to Pomerania from different parts of the world, so I wanted to offer them what I needed at the time: the opportunity to meet, get to know each other and get to know the region and the city where a new life began. On the one hand, meetups are a great opportunity to present us and our potential to a growing group of participants – and we already have almost 400 Polish and English-speaking people from Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia in the group – which certainly helps expats penetrate the Pomeranian tissue. On the other hand, we emphasize how important they are to us, that we want to learn from them, but also help them by showing them how to find themselves and move in our Pomeranian reality.

Therefore… Traditionally, we have integrated and exchanged knowledge. In good, excellent company and in a place full of good energy, which is inscribed in the mission of development – Olivia Business Centre. On top of that, with a new partner of the initiative, Invest in Pomerania, who says the following about joining the project:

– We joined the co-organization of meetups because we want to support the building of an international community in the Tri-City and more broadly, in the region. The Live more. Pomerania we promote Pomerania as a good place not only for a holiday trip, but also for living and working. We hear a lot of voices saying that there is not much information about our region on the Internet, especially in English. That’s why we’re working on a website with all the necessary information to make it easier for people to move here – says Katarzyna Dziewicka from Invest in Pomerania. – But we don’t want to operate only online, we also want to meet in person, talk about what we have in the region that is cool and what we still need to work on. We invite you to the profiles of the Live more project. Pomerania on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and of course see you at the next meetup!

– Foreigners are a growing number of Olivia’s resident employees. We want them to feel as comfortable as possible here, which is why we have been supporting Meetups in English from the very beginning. During these meetings, our expats have the opportunity to meet people from other countries who have also chosen the Tri-City as their place to live and work. We invite them to join Olivia’s community, exchange experiences, ideas, and signal problems. We want our metropolis to be a friendly place and a real home for them. The situation on the labour market is also important. Staff from outside Polish can be a very positive factor in the growth of companies operating in our country. We are glad that we are creating the project together with our residents: Pomeranian Cluster INTERIZON and Invest in Pomerania – sums up Agnieszka Zglinicka, Project Director at Olivia Business Centre.

Partners of the event: Pomeranian ICT Cluster INTERIZON, Invest in Pomerania with the initiative: Live more. Pomerania; Olivia CONNECT, Olivia Business Centre.

Next month, another meeting! We invite you today:)

^{Fig. Joanna Frota Kurkowska // oliviacentre.com}