Could you briefly introduce yourself?
My name is Marta Hulak, and I work in the UNIgreen Office at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in Warsaw, Poland. My role focuses on supporting cooperation within the alliance. My professional background is connected with university administration and international relations, which have taught me how important relationships, trust, and clear communication are in complex projects. Through UNIgreen, I help connect partner institutions and support initiatives that strengthen collaboration in education, research, mobility, and sustainability across our international academic community.
Can you share a concrete way in which UNIgreen is having a positive impact?
One concrete way UNIgreen is making a positive impact is by creating space for meaningful collaboration across all levels of university life. This partnership can be demanding because it brings together different institutions, perspectives, and ways of working, but that is also what makes it so valuable and rewarding. What stands out to me is that UNIgreen engages everyone: staff, researchers, and students. Each group contributes something different, and together they build a stronger, more connected academic community. The satisfaction comes from seeing that even challenging cooperation can lead to real progress, shared learning, and lasting relationships that benefit all partners involved.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned from working with such a diverse and international team?
One lesson I have learned is that openness is something we can develop. We are not always born with it, and working in an international environment can first push us out of our comfort zones and almost encourage us to become more open. But with time, you begin to see how valuable that openness really is. It changes the way you look at your university, at other people, and at the world around you. Thanks to this experience, I have learned to see things more broadly, appreciate differences more deeply, and understand that openness is not only a skill but also a mindset that truly enriches cooperation.
If UNIgreen were a plant, how would you describe it?
If UNIgreen were plants, I would describe them as a springtime hillside meadow. At first glance, every plant looks different in shape, colour, height, and growth rate, yet together they create something balanced, lively, and resilient. Some plants spread quickly and bring fresh energy, while others grow more quietly and give structure, depth, and continuity. What makes the meadow beautiful is not sameness, but the way each plant contributes to a richer whole. That is how I see UNIgreen: as a living landscape of diversity, mutual support, and steady growth, shaped by many voices growing side by side.
