It is our pleasure to inform our readers that on 8 July 2020, an election of the new Rector (University President) for the term 2020-2024 was held at Cracow University of Technology (CUT), Kraków, Poland. As the Faculty of Architecture at the CUT is an important Partner institution of the World Institute for Engineering and Technology Education (WIETE), we are particularly delighted to announce that Professor Andrzej Białkiewicz of that Faculty, presently the Vice-Rector for General Affairs and an active member of the WIETE, was elected to the helm of this leading and highly respected technical academic institution in Poland.

Andrzej Białkiewicz graduated in architecture from Cracow University of Technology, Kraków, Poland in 1978. He completed his PhD and DSc in 1987 and 2005, respectively. He is a practising architect and a full Professor in the Faculty of Architecture at the CUT. His professional interests include, among others, history of modern architecture, sacral architecture, drawings and the advancement of graphical means for architects. His professional creative works (more than 180 projects) include conservation projects of historical objects, interior decoration, ecclesiastic architecture and public utility objects, to name a few. Professor Białkiewicz has published extensively including books and peer-refereed articles in journals and conference proceedings on the theory and practice of architecture and architectural freehand drawings, and has supervised several PhD and Master dissertations. He has recently completed a conservation design of a pre-war building in Kraków to be adapted for a higher education institution. He is a member of numerous national and international professional and scientific organisations and associations, including such bodies as Ars Vitrea Polona; ICOMOS - International Council on Monuments and Sites - Poland (Commission on 20th Century); and Docomomo International.

Professor Białkiewicz will commence his duties on 1 September 2020. The WIETE staff, members, associates and sympathisers wish Professor Andrzej Białkiewicz good health, happiness, prosperity and all the success in his new position, and look forward to his support and collaboration with WIETE members to fulfil the WIETE mission of Serving the International Engineering and Technology Community.

The photo shows Professor Andrzej Białkiewicz, Rector-Elect of Cracow University of Technology at the 10th Jubilee WIETE Annual Conference on Engineering and Technology Education, under the theme Promoting Research and Development in Engineering and Technology Education, held in Bangkok, Thailand in February 2019.