CENTER OF SOCIAL INNOVATIONS

dr hab. Inga Kuźma, prof. of UL - Head of the Center

Dr hab. Inga Kuźma, prof. of UL is the Head of the Practical Anthropology Unit in the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology at the Faculty of Philosophy and History of the University of Lodz. She practices engaged anthropology and anthropology of intervention of the action research and participatory action research type. She is interested in anthropology in its public domain. Dr hab. Inga Kuźma, prof. UL also deals with, among others, herstory, scientific archives and research qualitative data. She has been the head of the Center of Social Innovations of the University of Lodz (CEIN) since 2017.

Until 2018, on behalf of the Main Board of the Polish Ethnological Society, she supervised the work of the Centre for Ethnographic Documentation and Information of Polish Ethnological Society (ODIE) - currently she is a member of the ODIE team. She has been a participant of database projects, among others,. as part of ODIE's work (permanent task: Bibliography of Polish Ethnography online odie.ptl.info.pl) and a participant of the National Programme for the Development of Humanities project entitled „Repozytorium cyfrowe zbioru fotografii Robotnicy w XIX i XX wieku” [Digital repository of the photographs collection: Photographs of 19th and 20th century workers] (http://fotografierobotnikow.uni.lodz.pl/dlibra, 2012-215).

The principal investigator and co-creator of the project „Humanistyka stosowana dla rozwoju: od innowacji do aplikacji (APHUM Base i AP Forum)” [Applied Humanities for the Development: From Innovation to Application (APHUM Base and AP Forum)] under the MNiSW DIALOG programme (2018-2019).

Dr hab. Inga Kuźma, prof. UL co-creates the Intercollegiate Interdisciplinary Gender Seminar in Lodz (since 2017 one of the CEIN teams). She is a member of the board of the Łódzki Szlak Kobiet Foundation, she operated in Commission for Civic Dialogue (KOD) for housing policy in Lodz and coordinated the activities of the Łódzkie Partnerstwo Pomocy w sytuacji Wykluczenia i Bezdomności [Lodz Aid Partnership in a situation of Exclusion and Homelessness] (2014-2018).

Since 2021, she has been a member of the Council for Solving the Problem of Homelessness at the Mayor of the City of Lodz.

She is an author of, among others, Domy bezdomnych [Homeless houses]. Badania sytuacji kryzysowych [Crisis situation research] (Łódź 2015), Współczesna religijność kobiet [Contemporary religiosity of women], Antropologia doświadczenia [The Anthropology of Experience] (Wrocław 2008). Co-editor of collective works published in the series of the Lodz University Press „Oblicza Feminizmu” [Faces of Feminism]. Editor of Tematy trudne [Difficult Topics], Sytuacje badawcze [Research situations] (Łódź 2013).

Contact details:
e-mail: inga.kuzma@uni.lodz.pl

 

dr Małgorzata Kostrzyńska– chairperson of the Scientific Council

She works in the Department of Social Pedagogy at the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the University of Lodz.

Her research interests concern social exclusion and inclusion, stigmatisation, homelessness, social economy, non-governmental organisations, art therapy.

She is a member of such units as: ERIS Association (European Research Institute for Social Work; since 2011), Interdisciplinary Team for cooperation of the business sector, representatives of science and Social Economy Enterprises for the development of the social economy at the Regional Family Assistance Centre (since 2017). She operated actively in the Łódzkie Partnerstwo Pomocy w sytuacji Wykluczenia i Bezdomności [Lodz Aid Partnership in a situation of Exclusion and Homelessness] (2015-2018). She has been coordinating the Skrzynka Domni – Bezdomni project (since 2016).

Since 2021, she has been a member of the Council for Solving the Problem of Homelessness at the Mayor of Lodz performing the function of the vice-chairperson of the Council.

Participant of the following projects: „Onto-epitemologie pracy społecznej w środowisku otwartym” [Onto-epitemologies of social work in an open environment] (with Social Welfare Centre in Lodz; from 2016); „Pedagog – społeczny – przedsiębiorca” [Pedagogue - social - entrepreneur] (Santander Universidades BZWBK programme and Santander Group; 2016); Terapia przez rozwój. Program rozwoju sieci placówek dla młodzieży zagrożonej przedwczesnym wypadnięciem z systemu oświaty” [Therapy through development.Programme for the development of a network of institutions for young people at risk of  leaving the education system] (from the funds of the Human Capital Operational Programme from Stutgarter Jugendhous GmbH; 2014). 

In 2015 she received the Prime Minister's award for her doctoral dissertation. The process of association in the context of mixed social situations, on the example of homelessness. Distinguished with the UL Rector’s Award in 2015 – team award of second degree for participation in collective work edited by M. Granosik M. and A. Gulczyńska, Empowerment i partycypacja w pracy socjalnej [Empowerment and participation in social work], Warsaw 2014.

Her selected most important publications include: Bezdomny w różnych światach społecznych „obcych” – analiza z perspektywy interakcyjnej [Homeless in various social worlds of “aliens” – analysis from the interactive perspective] (2012); Empowerment w pracy z bezdomnymi.(Re)konstrukcja obszarów z perspektywy badania społecznie zaangażowanego [Empowerment in working with the homeless.(Re) construction of areas from the perspective of socially engaged research] (2014); Bezdomność, czyli co? Próba teoretycznego uporządkowania zjawiska [Homelessness, i.e., what? An attempt to organise the phenomenon theoretically] (2016); Proces stowarzyszania się w kontekście mieszanych sytuacji społecznych [The Association Process in the Context of Mixed Social Situations] (2017).

Contact details:
e-mail: malgorzata.kostrzynska@uni.lodz.pl

dr Andrzej Kacprzak 

dr Andrzej Kacprzak works in the Department of Applied Sociology and Social Work of the Institute of Sociology at the Faculty of Economics and Sociology of the University of Lodz.

His main research interests include sociology of social problems, sociology of deviation and social control, criminology, penal policy and social work. He conducts many-year research on barriers to social reintegration of former prisoners and the circumstances (social factors) of starting, continuing and terminating a criminal career (research grants from the Polish Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the Ministry of Justice). Currently, he is carrying out research in the field of biosocial criminology.

Dr Andrzej Kacprzak has been a member of the Polish Sociological Society (since 2011). Since 2015, he has been the scientific supervisor of the Student Science Club of Social Work and Sociology of Social Force at the Faculty of Economics and Sociology of the University of Lodz. He is a member of the Senate of the University of Lodz in the 2020-2024 term. Until 2020, he was the Dean's Representative for Student Affairs.

Co-author of the book entitled Praca socjalna z osobami opuszczającymi placówki resocjalizacyjne i ich rodzinami [Social work with people leaving social rehabilitation facilities and their families] (2014) and the author of numerous scientific articles, including: Child negligence and criminalonset in prisoners' early life stories (2019); Nieformalne kręgi wsparcia w procesie reintegracji społecznej byłych więźniów w perspektywie biograficznej [Informal support circles in the process of social reintegration of former prisoners in a biographical perspective] (2019); Współczesne aspekty resocjalizacji przestępców w wybranych krajach europejskich [Contemporary aspects of offenders' rehabilitation in selected European countries] (2017); Rodzinne uwarunkowania przestępczości nieletnich w świetle kryminologicznych teorii nieformalnej kontroli [Family determinants of juvenile delinquency in the light of criminological theories of informal control]

Contact details
e-mail: andrzej.kacprzak@uni.lodz.pl 

dr Krystyna Piątkowska, prof. of UL

She works in the Practical Anthropology Unit of the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology at the Faculty of Philosophy and History of the University of Lodz. Her research interests include art, the icon-sphere and the world of images of contemporary culture, as well as text interpretation and visual communication, including advertising, anthropology of politics and cultural gender habits, as well as anthropology of the body.

She participated in the grant of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education „Style życia w PRL. Antropologia i historia w Polsce” [Styles of life in the People's Republic of Poland. Anthropology and History in Poland] (2011); she was a research coordinator and expert in the "Aesthetics" module in the project „Stan i zróżnicowanie kultury wsi i małych miast w Polsce” [The condition and diversity of the culture of villages and small towns in Poland] (Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, 2010); she coordinated the project „Infrastruktura kulturowa i formuły działania Urzędu Pracy w nowej sytuacji kulturowej wobec stanu świadomości i praktyk osób bezrobotnych” [Cultural infrastructure and formulas for the operation of the Employment Office in the new cultural situation in the face of the awareness and practices of the unemployed] (ESF - Human Capital. National Cohesion Strategy and the Tischner European University in Krakow, 2014), and she was also involved in the work on the project of the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology of the University of Lodz entitled „Codzienność w niecodzienności. Kulturowy wymiar Wielkiej Wojny” [Everyday life in an uncommon reality.The Cultural Dimension of the Great War]. 

She has been awarded the Medal of the National Education Commission (2013).

Her most important selected publications are single-author monographs: Estetyczne i etyczne aspekty współczesnej antropologii [Aesthetic and ethical aspects of contemporary anthropology] (2017) and Kultura a ikonosfera [Culture and the icon-sphere] (1994) as well as articles: „O etycznych aspektach w badaniach „trudnych problemów” [On ethical aspects in research on "difficult problems"] (2016); „Estetyka PRL – teksty wizualne i znaki w propagandzie” [The aesthetics of communist Poland - visual texts and signs in propaganda] (2011); „Stan i zróżnicowanie kultury wsi i małych miast w Polsce.Kanon i rozproszenie” [The condition and diversity of the culture of villages and small towns in Poland.Canon and Dispersion] (2011). 

Contact details:
e-mail: krystyna.piatkowska@uni.lodz.pl

dr Małgorzata Potoczna

Dr Małgorzata Potoczna is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Sociology and Social Work of the Institute of Sociology at the Faculty of Economics and Sociology of the University of Lodz.

Her research interests focus on the issues of poverty and social exclusion, with particular emphasis on the life course analyses and biographical experiences of categories at risk of social marginalisation and social exclusion. In addition, she also deals with the issues of social work and social assistance, active tools for the integration of socially excluded people, evaluation of social work and education for social work.

She participated in research projects, among others, those under the Regional Operational Programme of the Lodzkie Voivodship for the years 2014-2020 (task: Osoby niesamodzielne w województwie łódzkim [Dependent persons in the Lodzkie Voivodship], 2018) and a project under the Human Capital Operational Programme, entitled Zostać przedsiębiorczym - program edukacyjny z multimedialnym pakietem dydaktycznym dla gimnazjum [Becoming entrepreneurial - an educational programme with a multimedia teaching package for junior high school] (2011-2014). Substantive expert under the ESF project Tworzenie i rozwijanie standardów usług pomocy i integracji społecznej [Creation and development of standards for social assistance and integration services] (task: Opracowanie standardu pracy socjalnej w ramach modelu Gminnego Standardu Wychodzenia z Bezdomności [Development of a social work standard within the model of the Communal Standard for Getting Out of Homelessness], 2014).

She is the co-author of, among others: Poverty and Social Exclusion in Time of the System Transformation in Post-Industrial Polish City. Four Generations of Women Telling Family Life Stories (Łódź, 2016), Kobiety z łódzkich enklaw biedy. Bieda w cyklu życia i międzypokoleniowym przekazie [Women from Lodz enclaves of poverty. Poverty in the cycle of life and intergenerational transmission] Łódź (2009), Z klasy robotniczej do pomocy społecznej. Biograficzne doświadczenia dawnych „beneficjentów socjalizmu” w postindustrialnym polskim mieście [From the working class to social assistance.Biographical experiences of former "beneficiaries of socialism" in a post-industrial Polish city] (Łódź, 2016).

Contact details:
e-mail: malgorzata.potoczna@uni.lodz.pl 
 

dr Janusz Reichel 

Dr Janusz Reichel works in the Sub-department of Regional Management, Department of City and Regional Management at the Faculty of Management of the University of Lodz.

He deals with social and environmental aspects of management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), business ethics, environmental management and the issues of sustainable development; management of non-governmental organisations and in the social entrepreneurship sector constitute a separate area of his interest and practical activity. He is the author, co-author and editor of several books, and the author of over 100 scientific and popular science articles.

As an expert, he has participated in numerous competition committees and evaluation of applications, including: those of the European Commission (including the 7th Framework Programme and the COST initiative), the National Science Centre, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (Civic Initiatives Fund), the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (incl. Leonardo da Vinci) and PARP. In 2013, he was an expert evaluating the European CSR Award Scheme for Partnerships, Innovation and Impact competition.

He took part in numerous international projects, including as the principal investigator of the awarded Leonardo da Vinci ToI project (2012-2013): "Homoresponsabilis in the globalized World" (2011-1-PL1-LEO05-19895) - award in the EduInspiracje 2016 competition. Currently, he is the content manager of the Open Mind (Erasmus +) project. He cooperated with the Ministry of Economy (as part of working groups at the Corporate Social Responsibility Team). He represents the University of Lodz in the Polish Committee for Standardization (as part of the technical committee for social responsibility). He is also active in many organisations, including: Strategy and Development Centre IMPACT from Lodz.

His selected major publications include: Sector-specific Corporate Responsibility in Poland (2013); Public sector involvement in the promotion of social responsibility - examples of sector-specific instruments with the special focus on financial sector in Poland (2015); Doskonalenie partnerstwa organizacji pozarządowych i biznesu. Wstępne wyniki badań. [Improving the partnership between non-governmental organisations and business. Initial research results] (2015); Nowe horyzonty. Przewodnik po społecznej odpowiedzialności i rozwoju zrównoważonym [New Horizons.Guide to social responsibility and sustainable development] (co-author with J. Jonker, A. Rudnicka; 2011) 

Contact details:
e-mail: janusz.reichel@uni.lodz.pl

dr Agata Rudnicka

Dr Agata Rudnicka works in the Operational Process Improvement Unit, Department of Logistics at the Faculty of Management of the University of Lodz.

She has been dealing with the issues of social responsibility and sustainable development for 12 years. In 2011, she defended her doctoral dissertation devoted to the strategic dimension of the concept of social responsibility (awarded with the UL Rector’s Award) She has been a participant of research and teaching internships. She is a certified project manager and tutor. Co-author of one of the first Polish studies on the cooperation of non-governmental organisations with business. Dr Agata Rudnicka is a co-developer of the first in Poland responsible and alternative fashion portal (altmoda.pl).  She has been actively involved in promoting the idea of social responsibility in Poland.

She has been an external expert of the Responsible Business Forum since 2014. Since 2010, she has been managing the CSR Impact foundation. The main areas of her interest include: a strategic approach to social responsibility, issues of sustainable development and responsibility in supply chains as well as issues related to education for CSR and sustainable development. One of the 50 Polish CSR women on the list of the Responsible Business Forum and a member of teams implementing international educational and research projects, such as the Homoresponsabilis in the Globalized World project awarded in the Eduinspiracje competition in 2016.

She has been a member of teams implementing international educational and research projects such as the Homoresponsabilis in the Globalized World project awarded in the Eduinspirations competition in 2016. She cooperated with the Ministry of Economy/Ministry of Development (as part of working groups and the Team for Corporate Social Responsibility), the Polish Committee for Standardisation (as part of the technical committee for CSR) and the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland (2015).

Her most important selected publications include: CSR – doskonalenie relacji społecznych w firmie [CSR – improving social relations in the company] (2012); Biznes, który zmienia świat. 15 lat biznesu społecznie odpowiedzialnego w Polsce. [A business that changes the world.15 years of socially responsible business in Poland (ed.); Nowe horyzonty. Przewodnik po społecznej odpowiedzialności i rozwoju zrównoważonym [New Horizons.Guide to Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development] (co-author with J. Reichel and J. Jonker; 2011).  

Contact details: 
agata.rudnicka@uni.lodz.pl

dr Monika Wojtczak

Dr Monika Wojtczak works in the Department of Social Pedagogy and Resocialization at the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the University of Lodz. Her research interests focus on issues of mediation and mediation approaches, school space, innovation in education, family forms of foster care, social exclusion and homelessness.   

She participated in the international project: "FALEFOS - Family Learning in Foster Families" as part of the Grundtvig programme (over the years 2013-2015) and in national projects: „Studia podyplomowe dla kadry oświaty. Mediacja społeczna” [Postgraduate studies for educational staff. Social mediation] from the funds of the Human Capital Operational Programme (in 2010-2011); Doskonałość naukowa kluczem do doskonałości kształcenia - Zadanie 1: Mediacja społeczna (Moduł Programów Kształcenia-Dostosowanie i realizacja programów kształcenia do potrzeb społeczno-gospodarczych na poziomie krajowym i regionalnym, ukierunkowanych na wyposażanie studentów w praktyczne umiejętności) Narodowego Centrum Badań i Rozwoju [Scientific excellence as the key to educational excellence - Task 1:  Social mediation (Module of Education Programmes - Adaptation and implementation of education programmes to the socio-economic needs at the national and regional level, aimed at equipping students with practical skills) of the National Centre for Research and Development (over the years 2018-2022).  

Her most important publications include:

M.Wojtczak (2018) Governmentality i co dalej?: Rządomyślność w przestrzeni szkoły – przykład realizacji projektu mediacji rówieśniczych, [Governmentality and what next?: Governmentality in school space – an example of the implementation of a peer mediation project], "Miscellanea Anthropologica et Sociologica", Volume 19, No. 3, pp. 235-247:

M.Wojtczak, M. Kostrzyńska (2019) Participatory Response to Needs of People Who Experience Homelessness: the Example of “Homeful - Homeless” Box Project, in:  Participatory Social Work: Research, Practice, Education, M. Granosik, A. Gulczyńska, M. Kostrzyńska, B. Littlechild (eds.)

M.Wojtczak (2019) Badanie w działaniu w toku realizacji projektu socjalnego [Research in action during the implementation of a social project], in: Projektowanie socjalne w kształceniu pedagogów społecznych, L. Telka (ed.), Lodz University Press,

Contact details:
e-mail: monika.wojtczak@wnow.uni.lodz.pl 

dr Agnieszka Murawska

Dr Agnieszka Murawska works in the Department of Rural and Urban Sociology of the Institute of Sociology at the Faculty of Economics and Sociology of the University of Lodz.

She focuses on the issues related to civil society, social participation, non-governmental organisations, the common good, local communities. She is the author of several dozen articles on citizenship, sociology of politics and social activity.

She has worked, among others, in a non-governmental organisations, voivodeship organisational unit, a SEO agency.

She has experience in working on projects funded through the ESF, INTERREG EUROPE, INTERREG CENTRAL EUROPE, Europe for citizens (writing applications, an evaluator, coordinator, assistant, training organiser, organiser of promotional activities - social media).

Dr Agnieszka Murawska has participated in the implementation of social projects: „Odrodzenie postprzemysłowych miast peryferyjnych” [Revival of post-industrial peripheral cities], „Kapitał ludzki i społeczny, jako czynniki rozwoju regionu łódzkiego” [Human and social capital as factors in the development of the Lodz region] as well as international projects, among others,  I-CARE-SMART "Innovation Ecosystem for Smart Elderly Care", "Supporting the Clean Energy Transition of Coal-Intensive Regions (DECARB),"Challenges of Regional Centers: Depopulation Control, Development-best practices" (DeCoDe). She has professional experience in a project related to the availability of infrastructure in public space while working as a monitoring specialist in the project „Monitoring działań jednostek administracji samorządowej w województwie łódzkim pod kątem realizacji praw osób z niepełnosprawnościami” [Monitoring of the activities of local government administration units in the Lodz Voivodeship in terms of the implementation of the rights of people with disabilities] commissioned by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy.

She was a co-organiser of the conference entitled „Społeczeństwo obywatelskie w teorii i praktyce" [Civil society in theory and practice] (2018).

She is the author of the book entitled „Aktywność obywatelska mieszkańców Łodzi i Iwanowa- struktura i uwarunkowania" [Civic activity of the inhabitants of Lodz and Ivanovo - structure and conditions], (2020) and the author of numerous scientific articles, including: Działania łódzkich ośrodków wsparcia ekonomii społecznej - jako wsparcie dla rozwoju regionu [Activities of Lodz social economy support centres - as support for the development of the region] (2021), Poczucie sprawstwa mieszkańców Łodzi [The sense of agency of the inhabitants of Lodz] (2018), Wartości obywatelskie mieszkańców  Łodzi - poziom i uwarunkowania [Civic values of the inhabitants of Lodz - the level and conditions] (2017), Z perspektywy czasu - opinie łodzian o kondycji demokracji [In retrospect - the opinions of the inhabitants of Lodz about the condition of democracy] (2016).

Contact details
e-mail:  agnieszka.murawska@uni.lodz.pl

 

dr Alicja Piotrowska

Dr Alicja Piotrowska works in the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, in the Department of Cultural Anthropology as an Assistant Professor. Her research interests concern various aspects of everyday life and unusual situations taking place in urban space, social inclusion and social innovations, as well as participatory research and peer research in the context of marginalised groups.

She has been the coordinator of the work on the Database of Social Analyses and Models on behalf of CEIN of the Univetrsity of Lodz as part of the Centre for Social Analyses and Models project (https://opus.org.pl/cams); a project implemented by the Centre for Promotion and Development of Civic Initiatives OPUS from Lodz and the Center of Social Innovations of the University of Lodz.

She is one of researchers in the project, carried out along with prof. Inga Kuźma, entitled (Nie)widoczni: niepełnosprawność i choroba w doświadczeniu osób w kryzysie bezdomności przebywających w instytucjach pomocy. Perspektywa antropologii kulturowej w badaniu podwójnego wykluczenia under the PFRON grant: Niepełnosprawność w naukach humanistycznych. [Disability in the humanities]

She has participated in the project of the National Programme for the Development of Humanities entitled „Repozytorium cyfrowe zbioru fotografii Robotnicy w XIX i XX wieku” [Digital repository of the photographs collection: Photographs of 19th and 20th century workers] (2012-215).

Dr Alicja Piotrowska was the co-creator of the project „Humanistyka stosowana dla rozwoju: od innowacji do aplikacji [Applied Humanities for the Development: From Innovation to Application] (APHUM Base and AP Forum) as part of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education DIALOGUE programme (2018-2019).

She has been the Head of the Ethnographic Documentation and Information Centre of the Polish Ethnological Society (since 2018).

Her most important selected publications include: W poszukiwaniu odrodzenia miejskiego. OFF Piotrkowska Center jako przykład nowych tendencji społeczno-kulturowych w miejskich przestrzeniach [In search of urban revival.OFF Piotrkowska Centre as an example of new socio-cultural trends in urban spaces] (2014); Ageism on the Example of Field Research in a Nursing Home in Łódź, Poland (2014); Symbole z czasu II wojny światowej a współczesne oblicza polskiego patriotyzmu [Symbols of the Second World War and the Contemporary Faces of Polish Patriotism] (2016) 

Contact:
e-mail: alicja.piotrowska@uni.lodz.pl

 

dr Katarzyna Zajda

Dr Katarzyna Zajda is a rural sociologist, she is an employee of the Department of Rural and Urban Sociology at the University of Lodz. Her interests focus on the subject of local communities, local government, new methods and instruments of its development, non-governmental organisations, and social innovations. She has participated in many research projects, including several international ones. Currently she is the principal investigator in the project entitled: „Lokalne systemy innowacji społecznych na wsi” [Local systems of social innovation in the countryside] financed by the National Science Centre. She is the winner of several scientific awards, scholarship for outstanding young scientists awarded by the decision of the Minister of Science and Higher Education, scholarship holder of the Heinrich Böll Foundation. She is the author and co-author of several dozen scientific articles, including:

• A Validation of the Inventory of Attitute Towards Social Innovations, New Educational Review, 53(3), 49-61 (co-author: S. Pasikowski) DOI: 10.15804/tner.2018.53.3.04,
• The implementation of grassroots product-oriented social innovations by non-governmental organisations: proposal of a measurement tool, Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research. DOI: 10.1080/13511610.2020.1742668 (co-authors: S. Pasikowski and A. Kretek-Kamińska).

Contact:
e-mail: katarzyna.zajda@uni.lodz.pl

 

mgr Emilia Pach

Mgr Emilia Pach is a graduate of ethnology and cultural anthropology. She is an independent collaborator of the Center of Social Innovations of the University of Lodz. She works in a social research company.

Her research interests focus on the contexts of exclusion, marginalisation and social inclusion, women's migratory experience, mental health and migration. She develops towards engaged and interventional anthropology, she is interested in research methodology and biographical methods.

During her studies, she participated, among others, in the projects: „ENABLE – wspieranie zielono-błękitnej infrastruktury w złożonych systemach społeczno-ekologicznych” [ENABLE - supporting green and blue infrastructure in complex socio-ecological systems] and „Miejsca pamięci i zapomnienia. Badania interdyscyplinarne północnych terenów Jury Krakowsko- Częstochowskiej”. [Places of remembrance and oblivion. Interdisciplinary studies of the northern areas of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland]. 

Contact:
e-mail: pach.k.emilia@gmail.com 

Anyone interested in active participation in the activities of the University of Lodz Center of Social Innovations can join it – researchers representing various research perspectives, doctoral students, students, representatives of business, non-governmental organisations, local government units, social activists. You just need to report your willingness to join activities of the unit to the Head, Members of the Scientific Council or other Members of the Center or receive an invitation from them.

Membership in the Center is voluntary. Members have the right to express their own opinions and views that do not conform to the principles of social coexistence.

 

The University of Lodz Center of Social Innovations connects the world of science with the social, cultural and business environment, including non-governmental organisations. Its aim is to critically and reliably describe social life and difficulties experienced by social groups, as well as to search for and disseminate innovative social solutions that are to respond to social needs; supporting civic participation; implementation of the idea of the university's social responsibility.

We offer non-obligatory internships.

Join us, if:

• you like working in a team
• you are responsible and committed
• you like working with people
• you are creative in perceiving social problems
• you have communication and interpersonal skills
• you are open to cooperation between the university and the external environment
• you want to try different types of social innovation activities in different areas
• you want to develop

How can you act?

You can act by performing selected activities that are in line with your interests and are:

• in the area of work of any of the working teams operating within the Center,
• part of the work of individual members of any team,
• part of the current activities undertaken by the Center,
• part of implemented social projects (in the field of counteracting social exclusion, helping the homeless, social responsibility of the university, integration of governmental and non-governmental organisations, and others).

Highly appreciated:

• interesting ideas for social solutions and readiness to implement them (including skills and/or experience in the field of IT)
• fluent navigation in social media

What will you gain?

• experience in the field of social innovation and in cooperation with public and non-governmental units operating in the field of counteracting social exclusion
• flexible working hours
• work in an interesting and interdisciplinary team
• the opportunity to develop and implement your own ideas in the field of social innovations
• participation in ongoing social projects
• satisfaction with helping another person
• the opportunity to develop your own interests
• certificate of being an apprentice/volunteer
• letter of reference

How to apply:

Please send your CV with the clause on the protection of personal data to the following address: malgorzata.kostrzynska@uni.lodz.pl with a note: "Recruitment – non-obligatory internships".

Clause on the protection of personal data: "I consent to the processing of my personal data included in the job offer for the purposes of the recruitment process in accordance with the Act of 29 August 1997 on the Protection of Personal Data, consolidated text: Journal of Laws of (Dz.U.) 2002, No. 101, item 926 as amended"  

Thank you for submitting the application, at the same time we would like to inform you that we will contact only selected people.

 

Rules
of the University of Lodz Center of Social Innovations 

 

§1 
General provisions

1. The Center of Social Innovations (hereinafter referred to as the Center) is an interdisciplinary, inter-faculty organisational unit of the University of Lodz.
2. The activities of the Center are initiated by representatives of basic organisational units of the University of Lodz, such as: Faculty of Economics and Sociology, Faculty of Philosophy and History, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Management.
3. The Center uses the abbreviated form of its name, i.e., CEIN.
4. The seat of the Center is located at the University of Lodz.
5. The Center operates pursuant to the Regulation No. 22 of the Rector of the University of Lodz of 29 October 2012 on the principles of establishing, functioning and financing of the University of Lodz Science and Research Centres and the statute.
6. The activities of the Center are supervised by the Vice-Rector of the University of Lodz for Research.
7. The organisational structure of the Center consists of: the Head, Scientific Council of the Center, Ordinary Members and an administrative employee.
8. Membership in the Center is voluntary. Each Member has the right to express their own opinions and views that do not violate the principles of social coexistence.
9. The period of operation of the Center is indefinite.

§ 2
Goals and tasks of the Center and the forms of their implementation

1. The goals of the Center are:
a. to respond to the demand of both science and economy, which is social innovation, understood as non-standard, innovative solutions, being a response to real social challenges and problems;
b. to connect the world of science with the social, cultural and business environment; to create a space for communication, exchange of experiences, where representatives of non-governmental organisations, local government officials, business representatives meet with scientists and students to establish cooperation in the form of implemented projects;
c. to critically and reliably describe social life and difficulties that affect particular social groups, as well as to search for and disseminate innovative social solutions, which are to respond to social needs - the solution are based on active civic participation (not excluding the groups of interested parties who are affected by the problem);
d. to carry out activities leading to the development and implementation of innovative methods, solutions, tools and items helpful in solving social problems;;
e. to popularise and promote social innovations, to introduce them to the public debate;
f. to support civic participation, understood as involving citizens in decision-making processes, participating in discussions and decisions on matters important to them;
g. to implement the idea of the university's social responsibility;
h. to promote the University of Lodz in the local environment.

2. The main task of the Center is to take up cooperation between researchers representing various disciplines of the humanities and social sciences and representatives of the external environment in the implementation of interdisciplinary scientific and research projects aimed at developing and implementing innovative solutions for social development/or for solving important social problems (social innovations).

3. The tasks of the Center are carried out in four areas:
a. Research:

• conducting research, searching for innovative solutions, implementing them in social reality and evaluating them,
• creating and implementing research projects in cooperation with partners from the state, private and non-governmental sectors,
• implementing interdisciplinary and participatory research, action research, etc.,
• conducting pilot research in the field of social innovations,
• conducting research and development (R&D) works

b. Educatin:

• combining teaching with innovative social solutions,
• implementing internships for students and doctoral students as part of implemented activities,
• expanding alternative forms of employment (employee and student volunteering),
  consulting,
• organising or co-organising meetings, conferences, seminars, study days, open lectures, workshops, discussion panels,
• expanding the teaching offer of the University of Lodz in the field of combining theory with practice and implementation of action research,
• cooperation between basic organisational units of the University of Lodz involved in the implementation of tasks covered by the activities of the Centre,
• disseminating the research results of the Center in the form of scientific and popularising publications;

c. Economy:

• cooperation between science and business as part of co-implemented projects,
• carrying out analyses and expert opinions based on scientific research,
• working on commercialisation of knowledge and research results,
• providing substantive support during the development and implementation of ideas,
• supporting the implementation of social innovations;

d. Society:

• developing, implementing and evaluating social projects,
• cooperating as part of local social and cultural projects,
• cooperating with non-governmental organisations, local government units, entrepreneurs (including social entrepreneurs),
• supporting the integration of the world of science with the local community,
• supporting social revitalisation processes,
• supporting people who are actively involved in the subject of civic participation.

 

§ 3
Scientific Council of the Center

1. Members of the Scientific Council of the Center:
a. The Scientific Council consists of up to two representatives of each of the Faculties being members of the Center. The composition of the Scientific Council of the 1st term is composed of representatives of the Faculties initiating its establishment.
b. The composition of the Scientific Council is supplemented with representatives of the organisational unit joining the cooperation with the Center (up to two each time, and also in a situation where, with the end of the term of office, a representative of the Faculty has expressed a desire to leave the composition of the Council).
c. New members of the Scientific Council are appointed for the term of office of the elected bodies of the University of Lodz.
d. Members of the Scientific Council can perform their functions for a period longer than one term.
e. With the end of the term of office, representatives of the Scientific Council may express their willingness to continue or leave the composition of the Council.
f. A candidate for a Member of the Scientific Council of the Center is recommended by another Council Member. A candidate for the Council Member is accepted by the Head of the Center pursuant to the resolution of the Scientific Council.
g. In the case of new Faculties of the University of Lodz joining the Center, representatives of these Faculties may join the Scientific Council.
h. The Scientific Council of the Center shall elect, by a simple majority of votes, the Chairperson who, in the absence of the Center Head, performs their duties.

2. The scope of responsibilities of the Scientific Council:
a. The Scientific Council supervises the activities of the Head of the Center; gives opinions on the annual reports presented by the Head.
b. It provides opinions on projects and activities submitted by all Members of the Center.
c. It exercises substantive supervision over working teams.
d. It cares for the high quality and substantive level of the activities undertaken within the Center.
e. It adopts the internal regulations of the Center, in line with the statute.
f. Members of the Scientific Council are required to be present at the meetings resulting from the Centre's meeting and work schedule for a given year (meetings concerning matters important for the functioning of the Center, i.e., the election of the Head, approval of new Members, reviewing projects) Such meetings require the presence of at least half of the members of the Scientific Council).

§ 4
Head of the Center

1. The Head of the Center is selected from among the members of the Scientific Council of the Center by voting with a simple majority of votes. The Head is not a member of the Scientific Council.
a. The Head is appointed for the term of office of the elected bodies of the University of Lodz.
b. The Head can perform their function for a period longer than one term.

2. The scope of rights and responsibilities of the Head of the Center
a. The Head of the Center along with the Scientific Council establish the work and meeting schedule for a given calendar year, with the possibility of modifying these plans.
b. Together with an administrative employee of the Center, the Head documents the meetings and works as well as other activities of the Center; notifies Members of the Centre's about the meetings and activities, coordinates contacts with the University of Lodz and other organisations; represents the Center.
c. The Head is supervised by the Scientific Council of the Center and presents to the Council an annual report on the Centre's activities in January of the following year, which is also sent to the attention of all Center Members.
d. The Head submits a report approved by the Scientific Council to the relevant Vice-Rector of the University of Lodz (in February).
e. The Head convenes the meetings of the Council and meetings of all Center Members according to the agreed work schedule and, if necessary, also submitted by ordinary Members of the Center or Members of the Scientific Council.
f. The Head makes the final decision regarding the implementation of specific social projects.
g. The Head supervises the working teams.
h. The Head is obliged to be present at the meetings during which decisions important for the Center are made, for which the Head is responsible.
i. The Head represents the Center during meetings with the university authorities and outside the university.

§ 5
Ordinary Members

1. A person interested in active participation in activities of the Center, academics representing various research perspectives and practical experiences, doctoral students, students, representatives of business, non-governmental organisations, local government units, and social activists may become an ordinary member of the Center.
a. A Candidate may apply to the Head and the Scientific Council with a request to be included in the membership of the Center, thanks to the recommendation of the Head, the Scientific Council or another Member of the Center, as well as as a result of an invitation from the Head the Scientific Council and another Member – then they complete a declaration, which is submitted in paper form to the Head or member of the Scientific Council.
b. The Candidate's candidature is subject to voting which the Head, the Scientific Council and other ordinary members participate in. Acceptance is by simple majority vote.
c. Membership in the Center may terminate as a result of:

• resignation,
• failure to comply with the obligations arising from the Center regulations,
• actions to the detriment of and against the assumptions of the Center.
• The person in question loses the status of the Center Member on the basis of a request from the Scientific Council by the Head's decision. In situations where proceedings are pending against a representative of the Scientific Council or the Head, then that representative is excluded from voting.

2. The scope of rights and obligations of ordinary members
a. They can be appointed to the Scientific Council.
b. Ordinary members have the right to:

• participate in projects run by the Center,
• submit opinions, conclusions and postulates to the Scientific Council and the Head of the Center,
• freedom to express their views and opinions;
• submit their own proposals for activities and projects, take the initiative of meetings – if necessary, also outside the agreed
• schedule for a given year of the work of the Center,
• obtain information on the work of the Center,
• receive references regarding their activities within the Center.

c. Ordinary members are obliged to:

• maintain an active attitude towards the assumed project obligations and presence at meetings resulting from the Centre's meeting and work schedule for a given year,
• take care of the good image of the Center,
• comply with the Statute of the Center and the decisions of the Scientific Council and the Head,
• confirm on an annual basis their membership on the terms established by the Council,
• keep the deadlines for the work they undertake.

§ 6
Working teams

1. In order to implement project activities, the Head, the Scientific Council of the Center as well as ordinary members may create separate project working teams, each time represented by team coordinators, elected by a majority of votes of a given team.
a. Working teams deal with the implementation of specific tasks and projects carried out by the Center.
b. Substantive supervision over the activities planned by the working teams is exercised by the Head of the Center and Scientific Council.
c. Team coordinators submit reports on their activities to the Head at the end of the calendar year, according to the template adopted by the Scientific Council of the Center.
d. Working teams determine the work schedule independently, including the schedule of meetings.
e. Persons who are not members of the Center may cooperate as part of the teams.

§ 7
Administrative employee

1. The scope of responsibilities of the administrative employee of the Center:
a. They identify the possibilities of obtaining funds from various sources for the implementation of the projects of the Center and help in the preparation of projects and their submission; they deal with the administration of projects.
b. They document the meetings and works, and other activities of the Center together with the Head of the Center.
c. They are in charge of the Center's correspondence.
d. They take care of the website and social media informing about activities of the Centre and other forms of promoting the Center's activities.
e. An administrative employee is obliged to be present at the meetings of the Center resulting from the schedule of meetings and work of the Center adopted for a given year.

§8
Funding rules

1.The activity of the Center of Social Innovations of the University of Lodz is financed from national and foreign grants, European funds, funds obtained from other external sources and from statutory funds at the disposal of the Heads of organisational units making up the Center and units participating in the work of the Center.
2. The Center applies for the appointment of a full-time job for an administrative employee, which would be financed by the Rector of the University of Lodz for a period of one year.

Center of Social Innovations
University of Lodz
The Biedermann’s Palace
ul. Franciszkańska 1/5, room 15
91-431 Lodz
e-mail: cein@uni.lodz.pl
contact with the media: agata.rudnicka@uni.lodz.pl