United in Curiosity: A week with Arqus in Wrocław

The University of Wrocław hosted United in Curiosity, a five-day international programme bringing together students from across Arqus from 19 to 23 October. With 46 participants from eight of the Alliance’s nine full member universities, this edition achieved an impressive level of participation. Read this article to find out what the experience was like from the inside!

In October, I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the Arqus International Student workshop hosted by the University of Wrocław and the Alliance. It was a week full of fresh perspectives, creative discoveries, deep discussions, and connections with people who helped me see why sharing knowledge matters.

Different backgrounds, one shared curiosity

Meeting students from Arqus Universities was one of the most fulfilling parts of the workshop. The workshop, which brought together students from nine universities, created a space for knowledge exchange, creative exploration, and discovering the value of learning beyond the lecture hall. What started off as a chance to take part in an international workshop turned into a week of new friendships and experiences I will remember long after I return to my regular university life.

Coming from different countries, cultures, and academic backgrounds, we were able to connect with each other in a natural way. We shared experiences, exchanged ideas, discussed our perspectives, and discovered common interests. The kindness and openness I encountered made these exchanges very memorable. Being surrounded by people who were equally eager to listen, contribute, and learn from one another was motivating.

I was reminded by the experience that international collaboration is not just about geographical diversity. It is about giving people the chance to connect, value one another’s perspectives, and realize how much we can learn from one another.

Embracing curiosity in an age of artificial intelligence

This workshop encouraged me to reflect on the future of academia, particularly with the growing influence of artificial intelligence. The development of AI is transforming the way we learn, work, communicate, and approach challenges, and as young people in academia, we are left with the question – what will this mean for our futures?

The answer I took away from our workshops was the importance of embracing AI rather than allowing uncertainty to discourage us. This new age should challenge us more than ever to remain adaptable, curious, and willing to keep learning. It also reminded me of the importance of developing our own abilities and that creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and the ability to ask meaningful questions remain valuable qualities. AI should push us to explore new possibilities and not make us lose confidence in our own potential. Perhaps this is where curiosity is important: in a world that is constantly changing, our willingness to learn and adapt can be one of our greatest strengths.

When curiosity becomes creative: building ideas with LEGO

On the second day of our workshop, we were asked to explore our creativity using LEGO. The aim was to think beyond limitations and approach problems from different perspectives.

Our guiding question was: How can we see possibilities where others see limitations?

Each of us had to build a model representing our own idea and interpretation of creativity. The next task was to bring our models together and look for common concepts to create a bigger question for our team and identify creative habits that could support and nurture this mindset.

This exercise was interesting as it showed how something as simple as LEGO could be used as a tool to inspire us to see beyond our own inventions, identify connections we may not have initially seen, and comprehend how different perspectives can help develop a common goal. Reflecting on this exercise, I learnt that creativity is not always about knowing everything; rather it encourages us to address challenges with an open mind and see opportunities in unlikely places. Sometimes, all it takes to recognize possibilities is to change our perspective.

The Arqus experience: More than a week

For me, United in Curiosity was an opportunity to experience international collaboration in practice, to learn from people with different perspectives and make connections that extended beyond our respective universities. As a student from the University of Wrocław, I had the pleasure of seeing my university through the eyes of fellow participants and how special it was to rediscover the beauty of Wrocław and find new hidden gems across the city I get to call my second home.

This week I gained new friendships, memories of beautiful places, fresh perspectives, and a greater appreciation for the opportunities that come from being united in curiosity. I am sincerely grateful to the organizers at the University of Wrocław and the Arqus Alliance for organizing this workshop.

Pictures by Paweł Piotrowski

Article by Tshedimosetso Moeng (University of Wrocław)