From October 6 to 10, 2025, CPT Mateusz Urbańczyk, lecturer at the Department of Fire Engineering, Division of Hydromechanics and Fire Water Supply of the Fire University in Warsaw, participated in a short-term teaching mobility under the Erasmus+ program.
The host institution was UiT The Arctic University of Norway – Faculty of Science and Technology, Harstad campus.
The primary objectives of the mobility were the development of teaching and professional competences, the exchange of experience in the field of chemical, environmental, and CBRN emergency response, as well as the establishment of scientific and educational cooperation between the universities. It was the first visit of a Fire University staff member to UiT under the Erasmus+ program.
During his stay, CPT Urbańczyk conducted a series of classes for students of the Energy and Environmental Engineering program, as part of the course “HAZMAT – Dangerous Goods and Hazardous Substances (SIK-2508)”.
The program included 8 hours of lectures and workshops in English, covering topics such as:
- Presentation of the Fire University and the training system for State Fire Service officers in Poland,
- Organization and operations of CBRNE specialist response units, illustrated by the example of the “Warszawa 6” unit,
- Procedures for the decontamination of personnel and equipment,
- Principles of responder protection in chemically and radiologically contaminated zones,
- Practical aspects of command, communication, and coordination in hazardous materials incidents.
The sessions received strong interest from UiT students, who actively participated in discussions and compared emergency response systems in Poland and Norway. The exchange highlighted numerous organizational similarities between the two countries' emergency services, as well as key differences resulting from local climatic and infrastructural conditions.
During his visit, the participant also had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Professor Tormund Heier from the Norwegian Defence University College in Oslo, focused on security and crisis management in the northern region, and the strategic relationships between Norway, Russia, and the United States. The presentation, based on military experience and research on the “Total Defence” (Totalforsvaret) system, provided valuable context for understanding Norway's approach to national security and civil-military cooperation.
The mobility also enabled discussions on potential avenues for further collaboration between the institutions, including the organization of joint research projects and study visits for students. The stay in Harstad offered an opportunity to explore the culture, nature, and daily life in northern Norway.
Meetings with UiT faculty allowed for an exchange of teaching and organizational experiences related to practical training of emergency services. The mobility to UiT proved to be a valuable professional and academic experience, contributing to the further internationalization of the Fire University, the enhancement of education quality, and the development of international cooperation in the field of civil protection and public safety.
