Endowment
Poznań University of Economics and Business is the first public university in Poland to establish an endowment.
An endowment is a dedicated, permanent fund designed to provide long-term support for research and teaching. Contributions to the endowment are preserved in perpetuity rather than spent. The funds are invested prudently, and only the returns generated are used to support the University’s most important activities.
In this way, every contribution continues to serve society for generations, providing a stable source of support regardless of short-term financial circumstances.
The PUEB Endowment has been established with future generations of students, scholars, and members of the wider academic community in mind. Long embraced by the world’s leading universities, this model represents a strategic step towards strengthening the financial independence of our alma mater.
In practical terms, a gift made today will have an enduring impact-advancing research, education, and innovation at PUEB for decades to come.
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Benefactors
SGB-Bank is the central affiliating bank for 174 SGB Cooperative Banks—institutions committed to serving their local communities and investing in their future.
Across the SGB Group, our customers’ money is invested locally, supporting the development of the places in which they live and work. Our approach is founded on reciprocity: the value we create is returned to the communities we serve. We also remain close to our customers through our mobile banking application and a comprehensive suite of mobile payment solutions.
SGB Cooperative Banks have long maintained strong ties with local communities. We seek to make a meaningful contribution not only at the local level, but also to issues of wider social importance.
Research grants, collaboration with students, academic research, and innovative projects undertaken by Poznań University of Economics and Business can make a significant contribution to the advancement of Polish science—from major initiatives involving the development of artificial intelligence to the everyday promotion of economic and financial literacy. SGB-Bank can play a tangible role in supporting this progress.
It is also significant that both institutions have their roots in Poznań.
“We are proud to be the first company to contribute to the Poznań University of Economics and Business Endowment,” says Mirosław Skiba, President of the Management Board of SGB-Bank.
“Both of our institutions are based in Poznań, yet their influence extends throughout Poland. For many years, SGB-Bank has worked closely with SGB Cooperative Banks, supporting local communities and the development of entrepreneurship, while PUEB has made an important contribution to academic research and the growth of Polish business.
“Our partnership is about more than business. It will have a tangible impact on future research projects with the potential to improve the quality of life in Poland and accelerate the development of our economy.”
Tomasz Jabłoński
Tomasz Jabłoński is the first individual benefactor of the PUEB Endowment.
A Poznań-based entrepreneur and investor, he has been closely involved in the technology and innovation sectors for many years. He is the founder and CEO of one of Poland’s largest mobile technology companies.
The projects developed under his leadership-including Blix, Zdrowe Zakupy, and Qpony-help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions. He also actively supports the development of early-stage companies as a mentor and angel investor.
His achievements have been recognised through numerous distinctions, including Forbes 30 Under 30, Forbes Diamonds, Business Gazelles, Diamonds of the Polish Economy, the Financial Times FT 1000, and the Deloitte Technology Fast 50, which recognises some of Europe’s fastest-growing technology companies.
Income generated by Mr Jabłoński’s contribution will support grants for applied research. The projects funded through this programme will address pressing, real-world challenges faced by business and society.
Michał Babicz, Attorney-at-Law
Michał Babicz has become the third partner of the PUEB Endowment.
He is an attorney-at-law, a partner at Filipiak Babicz Legal, and Head of the firm’s Dispute Resolution Department. A lawyer with long-standing ties to Poznań, he specialises in white-collar and economic crime, compliance, financial markets, and cybercrime.
Mr Babicz represents entrepreneurs, financial institutions, senior executives, investors, and professionals operating in regulated markets.
He was named a winner of the Forbes Professionals 2012-Professions of Public Trust competition in the category of attorneys practising in the Greater Poland region. He has also received repeated recognition in leading legal rankings, particularly in the fields of business criminal law and white-collar crime.
The contribution made by Michał Babicz to the PUEB Endowment will support scholarships for students and doctoral candidates.
It is an investment in young people-their development, their courage to pursue ambitious challenges, and their ability to realise their full academic potential.
For Mr Babicz, the enduring nature of this support is of particular importance. His gift is intended to build a lasting legacy that extends beyond one-time assistance and makes a meaningful difference in the lives of successive generations of students.
A strong academic community and a strong economy reinforce one another. This is a relationship worth investing in.
A Message from the Rector
“When I assumed the office of Rector of Poznań University of Economics and Business, I was fully aware that the statutory responsibilities of a public university in Poland extend first and foremost to educating students, conducting academic research and development, developing the next generation of scholars, and advancing knowledge through engagement with the wider community, as well as through a broad range of expert and advisory activities.
To fulfil these responsibilities to the highest possible standard, a university must have financial stability and a degree of autonomy in responding to emerging challenges. This requires at least a measure of financial independence.
It was for this reason that Poznań University of Economics and Business undertook the ambitious task of establishing an endowment. As a result, we have become the first public university in Poland to have an endowment of its own. In doing so, we are following a model long associated with such distinguished institutions as Harvard University and the University of Cambridge.
The PUEB Endowment is an investment in the future of Poznań University of Economics and Business. It strengthens our stability, independence, and capacity for growth, while enabling us to serve society and the economy even more effectively.”
Professor Barbara Jankowska
Rector
Why Give?
Why join the community of PUEB benefactors? Here are the most important reasons.
– Investing in Future Generations
Every złoty contributed to the endowment helps educate future leaders in business, research, and academia.
– Enduring Impact
Unlike one-time donations, which are spent over a relatively short period, endowment gifts continue to generate support in perpetuity.
– Trust, Stewardship, and Institutional Prestige
The PUEB Endowment is professionally managed in accordance with the highest standards of transparency and accountability. Donors can be confident that their contributions are invested responsibly and used in accordance with the University’s mission.
Where Your Support Goes
By contributing to the endowment, donors may direct their support towards a purpose of particular personal importance or select from a range of strategic priorities identified by Poznań University of Economics and Business.
This two-track model combines donor flexibility with a clear and transparent framework for the University’s long-term development.
Below are five examples of areas that may receive permanent support from the endowment.
1. Named Student Scholarships
Named scholarships bearing the donor’s or benefactor’s name provide financial support and awards for PUEB’s most talented students. This support allows recipients to focus fully on their studies and develop expertise in areas of particular importance to employers and the wider economy.
2. Named Grants for Early-Career Researchers
Named grants support fundamental and applied research, innovation, and the development of new technologies by PUEB doctoral candidates and early-career academics.
The endowment may provide funding for the most promising research projects, development initiatives, academic publications, and patent applications.
3. A Lasting Foundation for Research and Teaching
This priority supports investment in modern research and teaching infrastructure, including lecture-room equipment, computer laboratories, and library resources.
Endowment income enables the University to modernise its equipment, software, and educational and research resources in a visible and lasting way, benefiting students and scholars alike.
4. StartUP Pre-Seed Fund
The StartUP Pre-Seed Fund supports start-ups founded by PUEB students, doctoral candidates, and early-career academics during the earliest stages of their development, giving promising ventures the opportunity to achieve meaningful growth.
A named fund may provide permanent support for the most innovative projects-initiatives with the potential to make a tangible difference to the world in which we live.
5. Campus Challenge
The Campus Challenge supports investment in a modern and distinctive university campus that serves the entire PUEB community and its stakeholders.
Endowment income may be used to deliver high-profile infrastructure projects that provide lasting recognition for their benefactors while creating an exceptional environment for learning, research, collaboration, and academic life.
The opportunities described above are not exhaustive. The PUEB Endowment remains flexible and responsive both to the expectations of donors and to the evolving needs of the University.
Vice Rector
“As Vice-Rector for Finance, I feel a profound responsibility to ensure that every talented individual and every promising idea at our University can benefit from stable, long-term financial support.
This is why, as the first public university in Poland to do so, we are developing the PUEB Endowment. It enables us to move beyond a model of planning based primarily on public funding and to think more boldly and ambitiously-ensuring that enduring scholarships, research grants, and development programmes remain available regardless of changing external circumstances.
Together with our business partners, alumni, and friends of PUEB, we are building a permanent mechanism for institutional development-one through which a single gift can create benefits in perpetuity. These benefits are returned to society in the form of outstanding graduates, pioneering research, and meaningful innovation.”
Dawid Szutowski, PhD, DSc, Associate Professor at PUEB
Vice-Rector for Finance
Author of the PUEB Endowment Development Plan
How You Can Help
Everyone can contribute to the PUEB Endowment, whether representing a company or giving as an individual.
Support can take a variety of forms, tailored to each donor’s circumstances, preferences, and philanthropic objectives. The opportunities below illustrate how you can become involved in building a permanent foundation for the University’s future.
– Make a Gift
The simplest way to support the PUEB Endowment is through a one-time contribution.
Every gift matters. Together, individual contributions create a powerful and lasting source of support for the University.
Gifts may be made by traditional bank transfer or through an online donation. Donors who wish to support a particular area may direct their contribution towards a selected programme.
It is also possible to establish a named fund, such as a scholarship bearing the name of an individual, family, or company.
– Other Forms of Support
A fundamental principle underlying the PUEB Endowment is the provision of a broad range of opportunities for participation.
These extend from direct financial contributions to equity-based instruments and other forms of planned or deferred giving.
The contribution framework has been designed to provide the highest possible degree of security and flexibility. This enables every donor-regardless of the size or structure of their assets or their current liquidity position-to select an arrangement aligned with their risk profile, time horizon, and reputational or philanthropic objectives.
The most appropriate form of support is determined individually in consultation with each donor.
Contact
Do you have questions about the PUEB Endowment, or would you like to learn more about how your gift can make a lasting difference?
Please contact us:
