Internationalization is an inevitable phenomenon among all contemporary higher education institutions (HEIs) in a globalizing world. It is the driving force for development and progress. In course of the last 30 years, it became an inevitable element of HE management. However, it carries along a number of risks, pitfalls, and organizational challenges. To hedge those, quality assurance (QA) is called to the stage. HEIs therefore need not only to search for chances but also to increase the advancement of methods to safeguard the quality of education and research. It is for this reason that a discussion on the mutual evolution and impact of internationalization and QA is required, and this is the aim of this article to combine the issues dialectically. There are tools and institutions within the internationally and nationally developed QA concepts that have the potential and aim to secure the benefits of internationalization.

Shrimp waste is a common waste in seafood processing. It is used as part of the fish meal which is added to feed. Bearing in mind the Green Deal and sustainability development, it was proposed to use northern prawn shells to obtain chitosan (Ch), which could then be used for polyurethane (PUR) modification. In ports, oil micro-spills often flow into the waters of gulfs and, consequently, into the sea. Systematic chemical and petroleum water pollution may pose a threat to flora and fauna. In this study, chitosan, which was obtained from shrimp shells, was used to synthesize polyurethane–chitosan foams (PUR+Ch) with different chitosan concentrations. Selected physico-chemical and sorption properties in relation to oil and water of these materials were determined. It was found that the amount of Ch added to the foam affected its morphology, hardness, density, and thermal and sorption properties. PUR foam with a 1.5% weight of Ch was characterized as having the highest water and oil sorption. The advantages of the tested material as an innovative product with potentially significant proecological values were estimated using strengths–weaknesses–opportunities–threats (SWOT) analysis. The conducted preliminary research made it possible to demonstrate the use of these materials in the processes of water treatment with the mentioned micropollutants.

The article presents results and conclusions of a pilot study. This study aimed to determine the importance of distinguishing (model) characteristics for students of SRU, shaping mutual relations with students in five dimensions distinguished by the authors (values, relations, graduate, education, efficient organization) and to indicate the importance of these dimensions by students. It was found that education is the most important dimension for students, and it should be included in the social responsibility strategy implemented by the university, because it leads to the formation of a graduate desired in the modern labour market in the KBE. The features of particular dimensions identified by the authors were considered important by the respondents. They constitute a certain model to which universities can be compared, and which can be a hint as to what to look for when designing activities addressed to students as internal stakeholders of socially responsible university.

The aim of the study is to present the results of pilot study on academic staff direct participation (ASDP) in managing higher education institutions (HEI) (content, scope, intensity, practicality of impact), in key areas of its activity and its advantages and risks. The research was carried out under questionnaire survey method among academic staff of selected HEIs, in autumn 2018. It was found that ASDP applies to all areas of activity of these HEIs (content), primarily educating students; is full (academics participate in all stages of the decision-making process), has mainly operational scope (related to basic tasks in the position at work), less often strategic; it is perceived participation because the real impact of the respondents in managing HEIs is limited (passive form of participation dominates). The identified main benefits from participation indicate that ASDP can be an effective tool for creating commitment of academic staff in managing HEIs in handling their key areas of activity. The results presented are not representative (pilot study), but interesting. Therefore, the author is planning to carry out in-depth research on ASDP in managing HEI in the future.

Celem głównym artykułu jest uporządkowanie czynników wpływających na partycypację bezpośrednią pracowników. Cele dodatkowe to: diagnoza kierunku oddziaływania tych czynników oraz możliwości ich kształtowania. Na podstawie analizy literatury przedmiotu oraz wyników badań przeprowadzonych przez różnych autorów stwierdzono, że zidentyfikowane czynniki mogą wpływać pozytywnie lub negatywnie na partycypacje bezpośrednią pracowników. Kierunek ich oddziaływania może być różny w zależności od sytuacji, doboru próby i kraju, w którym przeprowadzano badanie. Autorka zaproponowała własną klasyfikację determinant partycypacji bezpośredniej pracowników. Wśród czynników wewnętrznych wyróżniła: strategię działania, czynniki organizacyjne, kulturę organizacyjną, styl kierowania, podejście do kierowania ludźmi, samych pracowników (ich postawy, potrzeby i oczekiwania) oraz warunki finansowe. Do determinant zewnętrznych zaliczyła: sektor, w którym działa organizacja, globalizację, konkurencję, kulturę narodową, technologię, czynniki prawne, ekonomiczne i społeczne. Generalnie determinanty wewnętrzne organizacja może i powinna skutecznie kształtować. Do determinant zewnętrznych musi się dostosować, jeżeli chce - poprzez partycypację bezpośrednią pracowników - wspomagać rozwój kreatywności i innowacyjności.

Project management is sufficiently described in the source literature. However, numerous published scientific works refer mainly to examples of good practice in project management in business entities, and unfortunately higher education establishments (HEE) are marginally analysed. Therefore, the analyses defined in study aim to evaluate the performance indicators of project management in universities, on the example of Gdynia Maritime University. In the studies the research in action method was applied as well as the technique of direct interview with project or department managers involved in the project implementation. The analyses covered selected projects that were implemented at the University between 2017 and 2021. Moreover, research questions were formulated, i.e., 1) Which indicators are used to assess the efficiency of project management at HEE?, 2) Does the surveyed HEE analyse the project management efficiency assessment? In order to conduct the study, the Author’s indicators were proposed to assess the efficiency of process management during the implementation of projects in HEE and these were applied in the analysis presented in this article. It was found that the surveyed university does not apply indicators to assess the efficiency of project management. Whereas the usefulness of indicators proposed by the Authors to study the efficiency of project management was confirmed by calculations performed. On these grounds, the Authors recommend the University authorities should consider implementing these indicators.