Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (UMCS) in Lublin is the biggest university in eastern Poland. In the Universities Ranking of “Perspektywy”, it has occupied a high position among Polish universities in the category “employer preferences”, and in the Lubelskie province, it has been on the top for years. The University is also one of the top higher education institutions in Poland with regard to the total number of foreign students. At present, it has 1900 foreign students from almost 50 countries. UMCS has initiated the Research in Lublin Programme, and in cooperation with the Municipal Office of Lublin has engaged in the initiative to acquire and employ renowned scientists from abroad.
The University participates in initiatives and programmes that promote entrepreneurship in Lubelskie province, including such projects as “Start-Up Platforms for New Ideas - the Eastern Business Accelerator”, in which it provides expert services for start-ups, and in the “Innovation Incubator 2.0”, which is aimed at supporting commercially useful research results and development works and their commercialisation.
The main asset of the UMCS is its academic staff and scientific research conducted by employees. Years ago, the University became a cradle of Polish fibre-optic cables. Outstanding achievements in this regard can be contributed to the team of Dr. Paweł Mergo, currently involved in the NLPQT project. Many employees of the University have participated in research of crucial significance for the society, including: introduction on the market of a preparation that enhances resistance of bees; development of an industrial technology for mutanase production; development of a bio-fertiliser that stimulates germination and growth of legumes and an innovative asphalt modification method. UMCS is also engaged in research on innovative application of the laccase enzyme in treatment of cervical cancer, and researchers from UMCS and Lublin Medical University have cooperated to develop a preparation of coelomic fluid of earthworms, which destroys 75% to 80% of lung cancer cells in in vitro studies. Worth mentioning are successes of employees working in the field of biophysics, who have broken the world record of resolution in infrared microscopy and discovered a new method of molecular imaging.
