• Health and quality of life,
• Climate and environment,
• Industries of the future,
• Social innovation,
•Industrial and cultural heritage,
• Creation and criticism.
Health and quality of life
Health, both physical and mental, are among the core values we strive for. Good health and quality of life is also the name of the third of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. We are interested in how to take care of quality of life, especially in times of crises - pandemics, war, rising economic tensions. Increasing access to health services and health education is a cornerstone of the region's sustainable development and one of the goals of the European Science City 2024. Among other things, the path focuses on revitalizing brownfields to best serve the local community. Good planning of public spaces and greening of areas, will enable outdoor leisure activities. Health and quality of life are also affected by our work. The creation of new, attractive jobs will not only keep young people in the region and contribute to the influx of people from other regions of Poland or abroad, but will also have a positive impact on their quality of life. Among other things, we are also working together to plan the future Green Zone of Science as a place dedicated to contact with knowledge, but also as a place to spend leisure time.
Climate and the environment
The anthropogenic climate changes observed around the world today are humanity's greatest challenge.Their consequences will include population migrations, armed conflicts (e.g. over access to drinking water sources), devastating droughts and violent weather events, and new diseases.That's why it's so important that we put measures in place right now to stem these changes and adapt to the changing reality.The track focuses on research related to the low-carbon economy and its effective implementation, energy transition and green energy, closed-loop economies, water and air quality, and sustainable cities and communities, among others.
Industries of the future
In recent years we have seen the advancement of modern technologies, including those related to artificial intelligence or robotics. The 21st century is a period of marked technological change, which has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for many people. But how do we ensure that these advances reach everyone without leading to further social inequalities? Within the framework of this track, we deal with the topics of the digital economy, artificial intelligence and the Internet of the future, among others. We are also interested in ways to create transformative solutions and new economic practices, including for traditional industries, as well as the development of creative sectors such as e-sports and gamedev.
Social innovation
Katowice and the entire region of Upper Silesia have undergone a remarkable metamorphosis in recent years - from an area clearly associated with heavy industry and mining, we have become a center with a dominant role for culture and knowledge-based industry.The most notable manifestations of this transformation are the creation of the Culture Zone with the new headquarters of the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the hosting of three music festivals from the absolute national top (OFF Festival and Tauron New Music and the relatively "young" Fest Festival), and the success of the KATOWICE Silesian Science Festival.We also ask ourselves how the City of Science should strengthen and develop cultural life around the aforementioned institutions and initiatives, and how to accentuate the culture-forming role of science.Among other things, we are interested in relevant developments for the development of the city and the region, as well as the analysis of social needs.We are also involved in citizen science activities - citizen science provides an excellent opportunity for the residents of the City of Science to have a real impact on the work of scientists and allow them to decide what the process of change should look like.
Industrial and cultural heritage
One of the topics we deal with in the European Science City is the processes of socio-economic transformation in regions where heavy industry was present.Coal still plays a major role in our region - it is worth looking at it multidimensionally, and not just from the perspective of the black lumps mined in the mines.After all, looking towards the future, we must not forget our past.It is important for the region's residents to learn as much as possible about its mining and industrial heritage and the specific culture produced around the mines and smelters.We are also interested in cultural heritage. Past cultural assets are a source of information about how previous generations lived, and they also show the history of places and people who lived before us. As part of this path, we are also looking to the future. Prototyping the future will allow us to better understand future products and services. Through the foresight method, we can forecast the future in the medium and long term. The modern world requires us to acquire and develop more and more new skills. We are engaged in shaping the competencies of the future, including critical thinking, analysis and problem solving, entrepreneurship, creativity or digital skills.
Creation and criticism
We all like good stories, we all like to be transported to other worlds where these stories take place, we all need someone to tell us these stories in an interesting way.Although building a Science City is primarily about discovering and connecting together what already exists, the whole process also has something of the creation of a "new world" in which a good and well-told story is to take place.Among other things, we are interested in the issues of creating and guiding narratives, but also in critical reflection on the activities undertaken.We also focus on interdisciplinarity, as only by looking from many different perspectives can we create a complementary and internally consistent reality.We are also engaged in state-of-the-art teaching methods.Shaping among not only pupils and students, but society as a whole, critical reflection and openness to others is important in view of the changes we see in the modern world, saturated with all sorts of false information.For this reason, the ability to think critically is important.
All of the above proposals for thematic paths are anchor points that will be developed in the program of the European Science City 2024 celebration, which will be held under the slogans "Science will give us the future" and "Life changing science." The opening weekend of the event will take place on December 9-11, 2023 during the 7th Silesian Science Festival Katowice.
For more information on the European Science City Katowice 2024, visit:
