Anna Maria Jarosławska, Head of the International Office, was awarded in the 'Stars of Internationalisation 2023' competition organised by the Perspektywy Educational Foundation. She was recognised, among other things, for her non-standard approach to promoting the university and her commitment to integrating the academic community with foreign students coming to Wroclaw Tech.

The competition rewards individuals with outstanding achievements in the internationalisation of Polish universities. The chapter that selects the winners includes representatives of institutions and organisations involved in the development of international contacts. Honorary patronage of the competition was assumed by Professor Arkadiusz Mężyk, President of CRASP. The awards were presented in six categories during the conference 'Foreign Students in Poland 2023' organised at the Medical University of Białystok.

"Rising Star 2023" - Anna Maria Jaroslawska

The Department of International Cooperation at Wroclaw Tech has been in charge since 2020. She is the coordinator of the "Study in Wrocław", "Study in Poland", NAWA "Welcome to Poland - Cool Wroclaw Tech" and "Spinaker - Create and Switch" projects. She is also active in IROs Forum and NAFSA Association of International Educators.

Her international adventure began during her studies with the Erasmus+ programme and a trip to the UK.

"It was then that I experienced first-hand what homesickness, culture shock and differences were like due to our backgrounds and the environment we lived in. At the same time, I was fascinated by the diversity of international student life and the opportunities it offered" says Anna Maria Jaroslawska.

In her breaks from studying, she hitchhiked. In this way, she visited, among others, Spain, the Balkans and France, and after her studies, also Taiwan, Sri Lanka and Colombia. The trip of a lifetime for her was to South America, where she visited Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru within a few months. By her own admission, the travel bug was instilled in her by her parents.

"It was their openness to the world and other cultures that encouraged me to participate in international exchanges and learn languages, of which I know several. I use this in my work and value the opportunity to create international projects and work with foreign students and staff" explains the winner.

Smile, directness and commitment

Anna Maria Jaroslawska - photoOne of her ways of connecting with students from outside our country is to be active on social media. It turns out that such direct communication with candidates is extremely effective.

"Our potential students first build a virtual relationship with us, so they already feel comfortable before they arrive because they know who is on the other side of the screen. Then, on the spot, they see friendly and familiar faces, which is very important in the first days of adaptation" emphasises Anna Maria Jaroslawska.

Interviews with students or live meetings with faculty members are very popular, and this form of contact helps with work. Students watch the recordings, from which they get most of the answers to their questions. The series of live meetings run by DWM is not only a promotion of the university and its faculty, but also a source of information about events and support for any viewer.

"I believe that the key to getting young people interested in studying in Poland may be the truly international campus and the sense of security that foreigners find in multicultural Wrocław" says Anna Maria Jaroslawska. "The magnet that attracts candidates to study at PWr is the opportunity to pursue their passions and develop in any field, not just science".

Team play

The biggest professional success Anna Maria Jarosławska considers her team, with whom she works so effectively in the International Office.

"There are more than 20 people working at our office who are very committed to attracting international students, but also to nurturing and supporting staff who are involved in or are part of internationalisation". She emphasises and adds that the aim for the near future is to strengthen cooperation with the European university network Unite!, which we joined in 2022.

"This is a big challenge for me and my team, but also an opportunity for the university to grow. There is a lot of work ahead of us and I believe it will be of great benefit to our entire community" he adds.