By Levi McGarry, College of Arts and Sciences
A new international partnership is underway as CAS and VCEA faculty members recently traveled to Poland to meet with scholars from AGH University of Kraków, a renowned technical and research university. The partnership will create new international exchange opportunities for students and opens the door for new faculty collaborations, shared expertise, and future external funding opportunities.
“AGH is one of Poland’s leading universities in applied mathematics, data science, and artificial intelligence, making it a natural partner for us,” said Sergey Lapin, director of the WSU Data Analytics program. “Our primary goal is to build a long-term partnership between WSU and AGH through student and faculty exchanges, joint educational initiatives, and collaborative research.”
Cooperative areas between the two universities include statistics, data analysis, and biomedical modeling. Additionally, emerging technologies for education are a promising area for partnership between WSU and AGH’s Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence.
While visiting in Kraków, Lapin gave several lectures on analytical workflows, machine learning, and responsible interpretation of data. He showcased how students can move from raw data to meaningful conclusions using open-source tools and participated in a faculty workshop focused on integrating AI tools into STEM education in order to improve student learning outcomes.
There are now two transatlantic agreements between WSU and AGH, creating a robust pipeline for future collaborations in the applied sciences. These agreements, along with other collaborations with European universities, help integrate education and research within international initiatives and provide students with study-abroad fellowships.
“I am delighted that Dr. Lapin was selected to participate in this initial faculty exchange with the prestigious AGH University of Kraków,” said Joseph Ianelli, professor in the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture and now the director of WSU Europe. “His leadership of WSU’s data analytics program will help the program expand in the international arena and contribute to the strategic vision of graduating cosmopolitan-minded students for leadership in multicultural societies.”
Established by Professor Iannelli through outreach and negotiations in Sweden and Poland, the collaboration between WSU and AGH is similar to other European exchange agreements, including the international environmental sustainability initiative and the NSF-IRES scientific computing program. Both agreements financially supported CAS students from WSU Pullman, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver to study at Aarhus University in Denmark and at Linköping University in Sweden.
“This partnership with AGH creates new opportunities for students looking for academic exchange, and it opens the door for faculty to explore collaborative research projects and future external funding opportunities,” said Lapin. “Ultimately, this will help strengthen WSU’s international presence in critical areas such as mathematics and data science.”