Study visit in Saint-Étienne

Representatives of the USil Faculty of Arts and Educational Science, the USil Faculty of Social Sciences, the USil Industry Cooperation Office and the Municipal Business Incubator Rawa.Ink travelled to Saint-Étienne for a study visit on 4 and 8 April 2023. The town in France is a renowned academic hub, a seat of the Université Jean-Monnet-Saint-Étienne (a partner university in the Transform4Europe Alliance), and a sister city of Katowice.

The participants observed the mode of operation of academic entrepreneurship and incubators supporting the creative industry and social economy projects. The numerous meetings were an opportunity to exchange good practices in science communication and arts. The representatives of Jean Monnet University—Alain Trouillet, the Vice-Rector for Education and International Relations, and Stéphane Foliard, the Vice-Rector for Entrepreneurship and Continuing Education—participated in the talks on determining the areas of international collaboration between the French university and the University of Silesia. Christophe Bernard (the Director of Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Saint-Étienne) introduced the group to the research and education facilities of the Higher School of Art and Design and the resources of the media library and material library of the Cité du Design; the tour showed the mammoth role the collaboration between academic institutions and local authorities plays in implementing innovative projects.

The study visit had been organised by the Maison de la Ville de Saint-Étienne a Katowice and the ASEMKA Association (Association Saint-Étienne Métropole Katowice), partner organisations supporting the collaboration between sister cities of Katowice and Saint-Étienne, along with their regions. We would like to sincerely thank Alicja Tarda, the President of the ASEMKA Association, and Prof. Robert Pyka from the USil Institute of Sociology, the Director of the Maison de la Ville de Saint-Étienne, for their organisational and overall support in the delegation.