GSmart Specialists

Prof. Alina Gil 

She is the Director of the GSmart Project. She acts as Vice Dean for Student and Teaching Affairs at the Faculty of Science & Technology. She concluded her doctoral thesis at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and habilitation at AGH University of Science and Technology. She has postgraduate studies in Computer Science (University of Technology, Częstochowa). She is an author of over 75 scientific publications. She was the editor-in-chief of the series Education in Technology and ICT Elements and a scientific editor of Safety Engineering and Civilization Threats. She is a member of an International Conference Scientific Committee Society. Integration. Education. She collaborated on several projects on an international scale.

Dr. Rafał Głębocki 

He is the Deputy Director of the GSmart Project. He has a doctorate in Social Sciences - pedagogy, specialization: ICT and education models in the Network Society (The Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw). He also holds a professional degree in Executive MBA (Faculty of Computer Studies and Management, Wrocław University of Science and Technology). He has a broad experience in ICT, both in teaching and project development processes. He served as a project manager in several IT enterprises. He was the Director of the Elearning Centre at SWPS University in Warsaw. He is an author of teaching methodology elaborations, scientific articles, and reviews for educational publishing houses. He has been a researcher and participant in projects at a transnational scale.

Dr. Joanna Górna

She is the Head of the Third Age University that is affiliated with the JDU. She has a doctorate in management. She completed postgraduate studies in Economics, financial law at the University of Łódź, and postgraduate studies in sports management at the Poznan University of Physical Education. She is an author of numerous publications. She participated in many international R&D and L&D projects.

Dr. Eng. Urszula Nowacka

She is Vice Dean for Student and Teaching Affairs at the Faculty of Science & Technology and Director of the Department of Contemporary Security Problems. Her doctoral thesis concerned the theory and methodology of vocational education. Scientific work is associated with intellectual entrepreneurship and vocational pedagogy, including the organization of training. She is an author of over 50 scientific articles published in national and international journals. She is experienced in collaboration on international projects regarding senior education.

Dr. Lidia Stępień 

She is the Dean's Representative for the mathematics major in the Faculty of Science & Technology. She has a doctorate in the field of Computer Science (Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw).  She is an experienced educator and an author of many scientific publications. She contributed to research and international projects.

GSmart Specialists

Roger Esteller-Curto 

He is a graduate in Computer Science from the Jaume I University, Castellon, and Master in the Information and Knowledge Society by the Open University of Catalonia. He is a trainer of new technologies for adult and senior students, including computer skills, the Internet, society, media, and networks. He coordinates the group of teachers and develops the subjects, materials, and activities related to new technologies and other complementary activities in the Third Age University in Castellón. He has been leading many projects, among others, related to senior learners to promote their technology adoption and digital inclusion.

Héctor Saiz-Sánchez

He is a graduate in Engineering from the Jaume I University. He is a researcher and analyst of technology-based learning environments. He is an author of books and papers related to the use of technology for educational purposes. He is also a trainer of senior learners on ICT topics.

GSmart Specialists

Dr. Kevser Çınar

She holds a Ph.D. degree in Tourism Management from Necmettin Erbakan University, Turkey. She is an assistant professor at university, and she is a vice director of EKSINOVA. She has also been working as an EU Projects expert for 14 years. She has taken part in several different international EU projects and gained a good understanding of a project expert's requirements in Turkey and Europe. She is experienced in writing projects, implementing their activities, and coordinating projects. She is also certified in the Institute of Educational Sciences curriculum development program. Her project and research topics are innovation, consumer behavior, adult education, and branding. She has been working on international Erasmus+ higher education strategic partnership projects such as TOURBAN (as coordinator), TOURIBOOST (as coordinator), and SCOUT, E-GAME (as a partner); she is experienced enough in designing training programs, developing MOOC courses, and Business Models.

Dr. Cemile Doğan

She holds a Ph.D. in education programs. She has actively taken part in local and national projects based on the impact of generational change and its impact on the education sector. As an instructor, lecturer, and member of EKSINOVA, she imparts a clear understanding of how generational demographics are changing the teaching and learning experiences. She has provided research and consultation on generational issues to educational organizations. She has attended some cross-generational leadership workshops at the local and national levels, creating opportunities for all to learn from each other. She has also worked ina national project about generational diversity focusing on the cross-generational workplace, and education often leads to higher levels of innovation and drives results.

Müesser Bozbay

She graduated from the department of Business Management at Usak University in Turkey. 

Prof. Dr. Fusun Gulderen Alacapınar

She graduated from the department of Economics and completed her MA and PhD in Educational Programs and Teaching at Hacettepe University in Turkey. She has worked for several reputable universities such as Hacettepe University, Gazi University and Selcuk University. She has taught Ph.D. level courses in curriculum development and scientific research methods. She has co-authored a textbook about creative learning while authoring another one and has published several articles in the field of youth education. The development of functional skills for a youth entrepreneur, creative learning, coaching for youth are her main research interests. She is also an expert in developing training programs for education purposes.

GSmart Specialists

Prof. Dr. Michael Scharpf

He is a professor at the University of Applied Labour Studies (HdBA) in Mannheim. His teaching areas are management, business simulation, controlling, and accounting. He participated in many international projects on career guidance and employment facilitators and national projects on business simulation and evaluation research. He was the Vice-Rector of HdBA, responsible for developing competences, quality management, and internationalization of teaching. He is a national committee manager for higher education policy and a member of local political organizations in labor market policy. He has many publications in career guidance, business simulation, and management.

Prof. Dr. Bernd-Joachim Ertelt

He is amongst Germany's widely-acclaimed experts in the field of seniors and active aging. He published on the topic and was invited as a speaker to various events. He is a professor at the University of Applied Labour Studies (HdBA) in Mannheim, and a professor at the JDU in Częstochowa, a lecturer at the Universities of Heidelberg and Mannheim. He is an Honorary Professor at the University of National and World Economy in Sofia. His research, teaching, and publishing topics are counseling sciences, education and training of career counselors, information management and marketing, intercultural and transnational career guidance, and quality management. He participated in numerous national and international projects on adult education guidance and counselors' training.

Anke Reuter B.A.

She graduated with multiple honors from the University of Applied Labour Studies in Mannheim, Germany, and now holds a bachelor's degree in labor market management. A master's degree in business psychology, leadership, and management will be completed soon. As a researcher and project manager at the University of Applied Labour Studies, she is involved in several transnational EU projects. In addition, she teaches students topics of leadership and handling diversity in a business environment.

GSmart Specialist

Daniel Weiss

He is a SCRUM Master, certified trainer in LSP, Business Model You, Systemic Organisational, and Liberating Structures. He holds GIS as a degree in Meteorology and is a post-graduate in Urban Planning.

He created many innovative training workshops, implementing transversal methodologies such as Lego® Serious Play®, Business Model YOU, Agile, and Gamification. He is one of the co-authors of Business Model for Teams. He has trained educators, facilitators, coaches, curators, young entrepreneurs, and adults reloading their personal and business life under different European projects. 

He has designed an innovative training for the GSmart project. It is a combination of System Thinking, LEGO® Serious Play® Agile, and Liberating Structures.

GSmart Specialists

Grzegorz Sikorski 

He graduated from the Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, specializing in vocational guidance and job placement and postgraduate studies at the University of Economics in Katowice – Management, specializing in Local authorities in the European relations.

Since 2003, he has been associated with the Voivodeship Labour Office in Katowice, as a specialist dealing with restructuring the Huta Częstochowa, Manager of the VLO branch Częstochowa, Deputy Director of this office, and since 2014 – Director of the Voivodeship Labour Office in Katowice.

Since 2008, academic staff at the Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, where he conducts classes in social work, vocational counseling, and labor market. For 12 years, he has been cooperating with the Hochschule der Bundesagentur fur Arbeit in Mannheim (HdBA), conducting joint projects and teaching activities.

He has extensive experience in the preparation, implementation, and management of international projects (e.g., "ACADEMIA" project held under Leonardo da Vinci Programme, "Universal model of professional course for new age childcarers dedicated for women aged 50-64 years", "Innovative counseling promoting the participation of people aged over 50 in the labor market and social life", "NICE" and "NICE2", "DICBDPEC," "Brain Drain - Brain Gain," "Trainings of public employment services as the key to success").

The author of the adaptation of the "case management" method to the working conditions in the Silesian Region's selected local labor offices. Since 2015 – Chairman of the EURES-T Beskydy Steering Committee – cross- border partnership among the Slovakian, Czech, and Polish labor market institutions.

He is a Member of the Silesian Expert Forum and the Silesian Council of Vocational Education appointed by the Marshal of the Silesian Region.

Grażyna Walasz

She is a sociologist, the Head of Department of Labour Market, she has gained professional experience during over a fifteen-year work in the Voivodeship Labour Office in Katowice in the field of cooperation with local labor offices and labor market institutions. She carried out projects in the framework of the European Social Fund, Leonardo da Vinci, INTERREG IIIA. She also has experience in recruitment and human resources management and postgraduate studies in vocational guidance and extensive experience in research and labor market analyzes.

Monika Hepner-Jaworska

She is the Head of the Centre for Information and Career Planning, deals with job mobility issues within the EURES network and guidance framework. In the Voivodeship Labour Office in Katowice, she has gained experience in the implementation of international recruitment projects, engages in cross-border partnership EURES-T Beskydy on the border between Polish, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. She cooperates in the execution of projects within the framework of the ESF, Erasmus+, EaSI.

Dr Monika Kowalczyk-Gnyp

Since 2015, she has been employed as a senior provincial inspector in the Team for Statistics, Research, and Analysis of the Voivodeship Labor Office in Katowice. As part of her professional work, she deals with statistical analyzes, design, implementation, labor market research supervision, and research reports preparation. She is a participant in six editions of the nationwide survey "Occupation Barometer" carried out since 2015 in the Silesian Voivodeship, acting as a moderator of expert panels and participating in preparing survey reports.

Ilona Wiącek

She is a sociologist and Labour Market Programmes Specialist with over 11 years of experience in preparing and implementing projects. She has worked under the Lifelong Learning Programme, Erasmus+ Programme, and Interreg. Responsible for the comprehensive implementation of projects at all stages, including monitoring, evaluating, maintaining documentation, disseminating results, and reporting. She has a postgraduate diploma in European project management.

Experienced advisors 

They provide methodological and training activities, vocational guidance, and vocational information in the VLO Office headquarter and outside, in other institutions, such as in schools and higher schools, entrepreneurship support center, occupational therapy centers, and social welfare centers, local labor offices.