UPWr students with scholarships to study abroad

• Marta Marcinek is currently studying an Erasmus+ exchange in Hannover, Germany.
• Maria Karpeta is taking part in an Erasmus+ programme at the University of Veterinary Sciences in Brno.
• Student Klaudia Marzec is currently on an Erasmus+ exchange in Bologna.
• Adrianna Czupryna has been on a semester exchange in Brno since February 2023.
• Maria Malinowska and Weronika kuźnia are studying in Budapest.

The Student Scholarship Programme is implemented on the initiative of the Mayor of Wrocław and run by the Wrocław Academic Centre. In the summer edition, scholarships were awarded to 45 students (from seven Wroclaw universities) going to study abroad. This year, the programme's scholarship beneficiaries were allocated an amount of PLN 121,500.

Applications are assessed by a scholarship committee, appointed by the mayor. The average grade for the last completed semester of studies and the presentation submitted by the applicant are taken into account. The amount of the scholarship is PLN 500 per month, and it may be collected for a maximum of nine months.

Studies in Hannover

– There are a number of things that go into winning a scholarship, including a high average grade, academic achievements and achievements within the academic community. In my case, my average and activities during my studies were positively evaluated. I am currently working as an IVSA Europe Project Manager, where I am globally active – we organised a symposium in Turin for example. I am on the board of the Lancet Student Science Club and I have published a scientific article on complications after the extraction of cheek teeth in horses. Apart from that, last year I took first place in a student event – mentions Marta Marcinek, a veterinary student and scholarship holder of the programme run by the Wrocław Academic Centre.

Marta is currently on an Erasmus+ exchange programme in Hannover, Germany. Thanks to the scholarship, she can subsidise her stay at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, which she is very happy with. She has a lot of practical classes, travel classes and her own patients. - I've always wanted to be a veterinarian, plus I've been riding horses since I was a child, so I decided to combine these two passions to work with these animals – says Marta and emphasises that going abroad, on an Erasmus+ exchange for example, is an invaluable experience for a student, during which you can learn a lot, both about another country and about yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone.

Erasmus+ at the University of Veterinary Sciences Brno

Veterinary student Maria Karpeta received a scholarship from the city of Wrocław for her work on cancer cell lines at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.  – In my fourth year of studies, under the supervision of Dr. Marta Henklewska and Prof. Bożena Obmińska-Mrukowicz, I worked with cancer cell lines – mainly osteosarcomas. As a result of these studies, I was able to analyse the production of nitric oxide in stimulated and unstimulated cells of mouse macrophage lines as well as cells of tumour lines – says Maria, who is currently on an Erasmus+ exchange at the University of Veterinary Sciences Brno where I am pursuing my tenth semester of veterinary medicine. – Based on this trip, I applied for a scholarship – she adds.

In the summer, she will be doing a clinical internship at the Estonian University of Life Sciences in Tartu – also as part of the Erasmus+ programme. But this is not her first internship abroad. Previously, she had the opportunity to work at the Granada Veterinary Clinic in Los Angeles, in the United States, where she volunteered. Thanks to the scholarship, she also intends to take part in a graduate traineeship from the Erasmus+ programme, aiming for the Scandinavian countries or the UK.

Erasmus+ in Bologna

Klaudia Marzec, another scholarship holder of the programme, is a master's student in environmental protection at UPWr, who has distinguished herself not only with a high average, but also by participating in many short but intensive scientific events.

In July and September last year, she participated in the short-term scientific exchange "Erasmus + Blended Intensive Program in Food Sustainability & Climate Changes" in Parma. During this event, she attended lectures on agriculture, environmental protection and food technology given by professors from four universities: Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Parma, University of Extremadura and University of Angres.

Last year, she also participated in a training course entitled 'School of Climate Justice' run by the One World Association- SCI Poland, where she conducted a workshop for an international group on climate justice as a conclusion of the training.

– I take an active part in Erasmus + short-term programmes. The last such programme I took part in was in April 2022 in Lyon, on children's rights in Europe. Additionally, I have been volunteering in the Tatra National Park since 2018. In 2019, I was voted Volunteer of the Year, and in 2018 and 2020 I received an award for my work for the Tatra National Park – lists the student, who is currently on an Erasmus+ exchange in Bologna.

Semestral exchange in Brno

Adrianna Czupryna went on a semester exchange to Brno in February 2023 to brush up on her foreign language and broaden her horizons in the field of veterinary medicine. She received the scholarship not only for her high average, but also for her charitable activities. In addition to being a member of the 'Hubert' Wildlife Medicine Student Science Club, where she is involved in collecting field samples from wild animals, she helps with the DKMS foundation and goes to look after animals at the 'Klekusiowo' Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre every summer. – I have also been involved in charity actions for the Wrocław Children's Hospice Foundation and the "Iskierka" foundation – adds the student.  

Studies in Budapest

Veterinary students Maria Malinowska and Weronika Kuźnia, were also awarded scholarships organised by the Wrocław Academic Centre. Weronika is currently at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Budapest. Maria is also currently studying in the same city.

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