What happens when MBA lecturers take the TEDx stage? Ideas that challenge how we think about education

On 14 May, Gdańsk University of Technology hosted a special edition of TEDxPolitechnikaGdańska titled BEYOND THEORY. Held in the intimate setting of the university library – with red stage lighting, a brewing storm visible through the skylight, and a live musical performance –  it was an event designed for honest, uncomfortable conversations about the future of higher education. Four MBA  lecturers were among the speakers, and what they brought to that stage reflects everything we stand for at this programme.

Krzysztof Zięba made the case for unlearning as one of the most important skills of our time. In a world that changes faster than our curricula can keep up with, the ability to let go of what no longer works — and the courage to ask new questions –  is not a weakness. It is a competitive edge.

Marta Kuc-Czarnecka invited the audience to look beyond rankings, checklists and accreditation reports. Real academic quality, she argued, often lives in the places that are hardest to measure: in trust between people, in the willingness to speak honestly, and in the everyday relationships that shape a student’s experience far more than any procedure ever could.

Beata Krawczyk-Bryłka spoke about inclusive education and neurodiversity –  and challenged the instinct to “fix” students who don’t fit standard expectations. Behind behaviours that might seem difficult, she reminded us, there are often highly capable people with unmet needs. The goal isn’t conformity; it’s designing learning environments where genuinely different people can thrive.

Paweł Ziemiański spoke to something many educators feel but rarely say aloud: that today’s students arrive with real-world experience, strong instincts, and very little patience for content that feels disconnected from their reality. They can tell immediately whether a teacher genuinely loves what they do. And that  – more than any lesson plan — shapes how they show up in the room.

Four perspectives, one shared conviction: meaningful education starts with people, not procedures. We are proud that our  MBA voices were part of this conversation – and we look forward to bringing these ideas back into the classroom.

A special thanks to photographers Karolow Stańczak and Krzysztof Jasiński for  beautifully capturing the atmosphere of the day.