Research potential
The University of Gdansk is the largest university in the Pomeranian region. In many fields of science – such as biology, biotechnology, chemistry, oceanography or quantum physics – it ranks among the national top. It also remains a leader in marine-related research. The best confirmation of the UG’s extremely active scientific activity is its participation in almost 280 European and global projects in just 12 years (from 2002 to 2016). Currently, the university is involved in 82 international projects with a total budget of approximately PLN 214 million and 228 national projects with a total budget of PLN 169 million.
The UG’s research projects cover a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines – from social sciences and humanities, through economics, to natural sciences and science. Much of the research carried out is geared towards the search for innovation.
It is innovation and focus on knowledge transfer to the economy – combined with the high quality of education – that has contributed to the University’s inclusion in international rankings: QS World University Ranking, the Shanghai ranking, or the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking (among the top 400 young universities from around the world).
World-class specialists
The research conducted by the scientific and research staff of the University of Gdansk significantly shapes the university’s image in the international environment. There are currently 1,810 researchers working at the 11 faculties of UG, representing 21 disciplines. In the list of the top 2% of scientists in the world published by Stanford University in 2021, as many as 15 researchers from the University of Gdansk were included!
The achievements of scientists specializing in biomolecular and biomedical research, who are working on new therapeutic methods and innovative diagnostic technologies, are particularly talked about. Equally spectacular successes have been achieved by quantum physicists – it is worth recalling that it was our Institute that gave birth to the Gdansk School of Quantum Computing, and today the number of citations of articles published by researchers in prestigious scientific journals exceeds 1500. Prof. Marek Żukowski from the International Centre for Theory of Quantum Technologies at the University of Gdansk belongs to the research team of Prof. Antony Zeilinger, Nobel Prize winner in physics in 2022 (who, incidentally, is also an honorary doctor of the UG). In addition, it is impossible to overestimate the achievements of researchers from the Institute of Oceanography and the Institute of Geography, collaborating with scientific centres from almost all countries in the world.
Looking for a specific solution
or technology?
Modern
infrastructure
Cooperation with business and UG implementations. The University of Gdansk places particular emphasis on the usefulness of research results and on building relationships between the scientific community and the business community, as recipients with a keen interest in implementing innovations. Systematic monitoring of research results, orientation towards their patenting and commercialisation, as well as high activity in the preparation of analyses and expert opinions make our University an attractive partner for modern companies. The activities of the research teams and the numerous implementations of technology have also made the university a natural business incubator for entities developing activities in the fields of biotechnology, biology and chemistry.
Cooperation between UG and other centers. The University of Gdansk (along with four other universities from Poland) won a competition announced by the European Commission and was included in the European Universities network. It also belongs to the consortium of the European University of the Seas (SEA-EU) – together with centers from France, Germany, Spain, Croatia, Malta, Italy, Portugal and Norway. In parallel with the implementation of international projects, we are strengthening our relations with centers from our region – we are joining forces by acting in the Daniel Fahrenheit Association of Universities in Gdansk together with the Gdansk University of Technology and the Medical University of Gdansk.
European and international UG grants. The innovative nature of the work of the research teams has led to the University of Gdansk obtaining funding from the Framework Programmes, Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe for as many as 96 projects. Three projects granted the most funding are: ‘Structural transformation for responsible life sciences research’ (STARBIOS 2), ‘Metagenomics as a source of innovation’ (Virus-X) and the prestigious European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant) ‘Investigating the mechanism of DNA repair in human mitochondria’. Researchers from our university have also received grants from the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, European Territorial Cooperation, BONUS, POLONEZ, BEETHOVEN CLASSIC, Erasmus+, or the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).
UG’s participation in centers of excellence. The University received funding of PLN 76 million from the Programme of the Foundation for Polish Science – International Research Agendas. The funds are earmarked for the launch of the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science, led by Prof Ted Hupp and Prof Robin Fahraeus, and the International Centre for Theory of Quantum Technologies (ICTQT), led by Prof Marek Żukowski. In addition, the University of Gdansk carried out projects within the framework of European centers and networks of excellence – research included marine ecosystems, biodiversity, blue biotechnology, but also biomedicine and sustainable urban development. Next institutes, departments and facilities are gaining Centre of Excellence status, which is a European quality certificate.
UG’s technological facilities. For the transfer of technology from science to the economy, both highly qualified scientific and research staff and access to modern infrastructure are important. The University of Gdansk has made huge investments in this area – new buildings of the Faculties of Chemistry and Biology were constructed for nearly PLN 240 million, and a new building of the Institute of Biotechnology – one of the most modern scientific and didactic facilities in Poland – was built for PLN 60.5 million. The work included the creation and equipping of modern chemical and biological research laboratories, a physico-chemical measurement laboratory and a technology hall for research and teaching in the field of chemical and environmental engineering. The university has also gained facilities for bioinformatics research, biomolecular analysis, a phytotron complex, a laboratory with enhanced purity and containment requirements, an isotope laboratory and laboratories for developmental research.”
