From 4 to 8 May 2026, LTC PhD Fire Eng. Marcin Łapicz and Maj. PhD Fire Eng. Jacek Kalinko from the Department of Rescue Operations of Faculty of Safety Engineering and Civil Protection participated in a training mobility programme under Erasmus+ at Lusófona University in Porto.
During the visit, they participated in and co-delivered a training course entitled “Forest Fire Prevention and Management”, aimed at preparing specialists from eight European countries to address the growing challenges associated with combating forest fires. The course covered, among other topics, the challenges that contemporary forest fires pose to firefighters and incident commanders, wildfire development modelling, the principles and techniques of controlled burning, the use of drones as decision-support tools, as well as case studies of the largest wildfires that have occurred in Portugal.
As part of the mobility, the academic staff also became acquainted with the university’s organisational structure, educational offer, and research and teaching facilities. During the visit, representatives of the Fire University delivered a lecture on the Polish system of civil protection and civil defence, the National Firefighting and Rescue System, and the role of the State Fire Service. In their presentation, they highlighted the importance of the Advanced Civil Protection Courses organised by the Fire University, as well as the joint degree programme in “Civil Protection and Civil Defence” conducted in cooperation with Police Academy in Szczytno and War Studies University.
The presentation also showcased the research and educational potential of the Fire University, including its Rescue Training Centre, Logistics and Development Base infrastructure.
The mobility provided an opportunity not only to exchange teaching experiences with the staff of the partner university, but also to develop intercultural competences, improve English communication skills, and strengthen the ability to work in an international academic environment. The visit also contributed to establishing contacts that may result in further international cooperation in the future.
