The Border University Network as a Response to Academic Challenges in the Field of Internationalization

Abstract

In the context of the upcoming challenges for science and higher education – both in the field of academic research and students education, the internationalization of scientific research and development of transnational academic contacts appears necessary and unavoidable. It has been one of the priorities of Polish universities. The paper presents an example of its implementation initiated by the University of Bialystok. Taking advantage of its cross-border location, the University created a platform for the exchange of scientific and didactic experiences with researchers from the Eastern European border states and students studying at their respective academic centers. This way, the Border University Network became the largest university consortium in this part of Europe. Its effect is one of scientific and didactic cooperation in the exchange of research and implementation services, use of infrastructure and apparatus as part of joint scientific ventures, joint grant applications, and publishing of international scientific journals which will enable scientific research to be presented on a global scale, not just on a regional and national scale as before. Internationalization becomes an obvious matter to which the Polish, as well as the entire Eastern European scientific environment, has to get used to. That is why every attempt of making it real is worth analyzing and developing.