Mayor of Bielsko-Biała, Poland visits UM Rector and FEMA following signing of MOU

Following the recent signing in Poland of an MOU between the city of Bielsko-Biała and the Faculty of Economics Management and Accountancy (FEMA), the city’s Mayor, Mr Jarosław Klimaszewski, visited UM Rector, Prof. Alfred Vella on Wednesday 11 March 2026.

The Mayor was accompanied by a delegation comprising Ms Ewa Klimaszewska, Mr Przemysław Smyczek, Head of the Culture & Promotion Department, and Dr Paulina Żmijowska, Mayor's Plenipotentiary for Young People.

During the meeting, prospects for further collaboration in a number of areas were discussed. Also present were Prof. Frank Bezzina, Pro-Rector for International Development & Quality Assurance; Prof. Simon Grima, Dean of FEMA; Prof. Nathaniel Massa from the Department of Business and Enterprise Management; and Ms Stefania Agius Fabri, Director of the International Office.

The delegation then visited FEMA, where the Dean welcomed them for further discussions and exchanges with faculty members from across the Faculty’s departments. These meetings explored opportunities arising from the MOU, including applied and academic research collaboration, exchanges, training, and other forms of engagement.

Later this month, three FEMA undergraduate students will be traveling to Poland to actively participate at the 2nd European Youth Convention, at the invitation of the City of Bielsko-Biała, which is supporting and financing their participation and stay. The week-long youth convention will entail various participatory workshops on topics ranging from the future of work, and youth engagement, to leadership and design thinking masterclasses. Besides cultural experiences and networking, events will be taking place in Bielsko-Biała, and on the campuses of the Universities of Bielsko-Biała and others in neighbouring cities of the Silesian region.

The Silesian region in southern Poland is a strategically important region due to its role as the nation's economic, industrial, and energy backbone, contributing significantly to Poland's GDP, energy security, and industrial output. A competitive zone attracting considerable foreign direct investment, it is directing expansion in areas relating to services, software and digital technologies. It is the most industrialized and urbanized region in Poland, acting as a crucial logistical hub connecting Eastern and Western Europe.

Set in a scenic location amid forests at the foot of the Beskid mountains, the city of Bielsko-Biała has been named the first-ever Polish Capital of Culture for 2026.