Academic Excellence of Lublin University of Technology – Development of Education Quality and Teaching Potential

Project title: Academic Excellence of Lublin University of Technology – Development of Education Quality and Teaching Potential

Program name: European Funds for Social Development 2021-2027

Agreement number: FERS.01.05-IP.08-0243/25-00

Project implementation period: 01.01.2026 – 31.12.2028

Project value:  1 997 953,20 PLN

Funds granted for Lublin University of Technology: 1 938 013,20 PLN

Principal Investigator: dr Ewa Łazuka, profesor uczelni

Abstract: The project aims to systematically enhance the quality of education and strengthen the competencies of academic staff and doctoral candidates across all major disciplines represented at Lublin University of Technology: Mechanical Engineering, Automation, Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Space Technologies, Information and Communication Technology, Environmental Engineering, Mining and Energy, Management and Quality Studies, Architecture and Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, Geodesy and Transport. These disciplines are subject to the national evaluation of research quality, which requires maintaining a high level of teaching, up-to-date study programmes, and organizational coherence of educational processes. Strengthening the competencies of academic staff is therefore essential to ensuring the quality of learning outcomes, the attractiveness of study programmes, and the ability to maintain or improve the scientific category of individual disciplines.

The project provides for the development of the Internal Education Quality Assurance System through the establishment of an Education Quality Assurance Team, responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and improving teaching processes. This unit will support academic staff in preparing and updating study programmes, selecting teaching methods, developing learning outcome assessment tools, implementing e-learning solutions, and monitoring compliance with regulations and education quality standards. This will enhance the coherence and efficiency of the university’s educational system and improve the organization of units responsible for teaching, which is also important for the quality of evaluated disciplines.

The second area of the project involves the development of teaching, digital, environmental, substantive, and universal design competencies among 120 academic staff members and 20 doctoral candidates. This support will be provided through training, internships, and study visits, enabling the updating of knowledge and skills in line with developments in science, technology, and labour market needs.

In the area of teaching competencies, the project includes training in activating teaching methods, teaching in English, learning analytics, e-learning course design, and principles of inclusivity. These aspects are relevant to all technical and interdisciplinary fields, particularly where laboratory, project-based, and team-based courses play a significant role. High-quality teaching affects student learning outcomes and the position of disciplines in the evaluation process.

Digital competencies will be strengthened through training in computational tools (MATLAB, Python, R, SQL), artificial intelligence technologies, cybersecurity, e-learning systems, and AR/VR solutions. These competencies are essential for delivering courses aligned with the requirements of Industry 4.0 and 5.0 and for updating programme contents in disciplines such as Information and Communication Technology, Automation, Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Space Technologies, Mechanical Engineering, as well as Environmental Engineering, Mining and Energy.

Training related to the green transition will include renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, low-emission technologies, circular economy, energy management, infrastructure adaptation to climate change, and climate-related issues. These topics are particularly important for the disciplines of Environmental Engineering, Mining and Energy, Architecture and Urban Planning as well as Civil Engineering, Geodesy and Transport, but are also relevant in the fields of mechanics, transport, and management. They support the alignment of teaching with national and European environmental policies and the needs of a low-emission economy.

Training in universal design will address digital accessibility, inclusive teaching methods, WCAG standards, and adaptation of educational spaces. These topics enhance the accessibility of education and improve the organization of teaching processes, which is also relevant from the perspective of discipline evaluation.

A separate component of the project concerns the development of substantive (subject-specific) competencies among 50 participants. The training will cover modern manufacturing technologies, mechatronics, energy engineering, biomedical engineering, material diagnostics, environmental simulations, and engineering project management. This is particularly important for technical disciplines, where it is necessary to maintain the relevance of course content and ensure the alignment of teaching with scientific and technological progress and research findings.

The project also includes integrated study visits, enabling the analysis of good practices in teaching quality and the organization of educational processes at other national and foreign universities.

The main results of the project include:

– establishing and implementing a permanent structure supporting the quality of education,

– strengthening teaching, digital, environmental, accessibility-related, and substantive competencies of academic staff,

– increased coherence of activities in the area of education quality assurance,

– development of modern, interdisciplinary teaching forms,

– better alignment of learning outcomes with labour market needs,

– improved accessibility and inclusivity of education.

The implementation of the project will enhance the quality of education across Lublin University of Technology and strengthen the potential of disciplines subject to national evaluation, increasing the university’s capacity to educate specialists meeting current socio-economic requirements.

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