On February 19th, the birthday of its patron, the Nicolaus Copernicus University celebrates its University Day. On that day, the inauguration of the World Copernican Congress will take place. A day later, during university ceremony Prof. Jan Reedijk will receive an honorary doctorate from our university, state and university awards will also be presented, as well as diplomas for postdoctoral and doctoral candidates.
In connection with the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus and the ongoing Year of Copernicus, the calendar of events is exceptionally rich.
On February 18th, the Toruń Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Lithuanian maestro Dainius Pavilionis will perform in the NCU Aula.
The artists have prepared a programme full of cosmic references; the concert will feature the following compositions: R. Strauss – Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op. 30, I Introduction: Sunrise; L. van Beethoven arr. J. Kowalewski - Moonlight Sonata; A. Wesołowski - Composition for the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus; G. Holst – The Planets, Op. 32.
On February 19th - exactly on the anniversary of Copernicus' birth - the World Copernican Congress will be inaugurated in the NCU Aula In Toruń, beginning its year-long tour of Poland, specifically the places closest to the astronomer's life. The Congress will move to Kraków in May, then to Olsztyn in June, before returning to Toruń in September. The opening event will highlight a lecture presented by Prof. Phillip James Edwin Peebles, a Canadian-American physicist, cosmologist, astrophysicist and astronomer, one of the pioneers of the theory of the formation of cosmic structures, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics.
On Monday, February 20th, at 9:00 am, a meeting of the Conference of Rectors of Polish Universities (KRUP) will be held at the Collegium Maximum.
The University Day celebration will begin at 3:15 pm with the laying of flowers at the monument to Ludwik Kolankowski, and will then move to the University Aula.
The program includes an address by the Rector, Prof. dr habil. Andrzej Sokala, and the awarding of the title of doctor honoris causa of the Nicolaus Copernicus University to Prof. Jan Reedijk from Leiden University and his keynote lecture.
That day will also see the presentation of the "Ratio et Spes" scientific award to Prof. Michal Heller and an honorary award to Prof. Tom McLeish.
The University Day will be an occasion for the presentation of state medals, the medals of the Commission of National Education, the Medal for Contribution to the Development of the University and the title of the NCU Ambassador.
In accordance with the University tradition, new postdoctoral and doctoral candidates will receive their diplomas during the ceremony.
The ceremony will close with a minirecital by the NCU Choir.
Starting at 3:30 pm, the celebration will be streamed via the NCU TV.