On 4 December 2025, the 4th Congress of the Kraków Doctoral Students’ Agreement was held at the Academy of Physical Education named after Bronisław Czech in Kraków. During the proceedings, votes were conducted on the admission of new members – the Doctoral Students’ Councils of the J. Maja Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Cracow University of Economics, and the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. As a result, the Kraków Doctoral Students’ Agreement became the largest local doctoral alliance. An important element of the meeting was also the presentation and approval of the report on the activities of the PDK Board for 2025, followed by the presentation of candidates and the election of the Chairwoman and the remaining members of the Board for the 2026 term.

The composition of the PDK Board for 2026 is as follows:
Chairwoman: MA Aleksandra Błotnicka (APE)
Vice-Chairwoman: MA Małgorzata Śliż (Jagiellonian University)
Secretary: MA Gabriela Kasprzyk (University of the National Education Commission in Kraków)

We are pleased to emphasize that the position of Chairwoman was assumed by MA Aleksandra Błotnicka, a doctoral student of the Doctoral School of the Academy of Physical Education in Kraków, who is actively involved in self-government and representative activities of the doctoral community. Her election is an expression of trust and recognition of her competence, responsibility, and previous work for the academic community. We also congratulate the representatives of the URSD APE on their active participation in organizing the event.

On 5–7 December 2025, the 22nd Congress of Delegates of the National Representation of Doctoral Students took place at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Cracow University of Technology, during which doctoral students from all over Poland elected their authorities for the next term. MA Rafał Ramut from the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences was elected Chairman of the NRDS.

MA Aleksandra Błotnicka (Academy of Physical Education in Kraków) was also elected to the Board of the National Representation of Doctoral Students as a member of the Projects Team of the NRDS 2026, alongside:
– MA Paweł Marczak (John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin),
– MA Karol Radziszewski (Warsaw University of Technology),
– MA Katarzyna Krupska (University of Białystok),
– MA Wiktoria Wilczyńska (Opole University of Technology),
– MA Kaja Kosmenda (West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin).

The event was attended by Dr hab. Anna Ścisłowska-Czarnecka, Deputy Director of the Doctoral School NoKF of the Academy of Physical Education in Kraków.

We proudly note that a doctoral student of the APE Doctoral School holds key positions in doctoral authorities at both the local and national levels. On behalf of the Doctoral School Council, we extend our sincere congratulations to Ms Aleksandra Błotnicka and wish her success, perseverance, satisfaction from fulfilling her duties, and many inspiring experiences in the upcoming term.

LINK to the photo gallery