If you think that it’s all doom and gloom today, what with the Greek financial crisis and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, think again. The World Bank may have announced that the world GDP shrank by 1% in 2009 for the first time in its history, but at the same time the European Comission and the OECD both gave Poland thumbs up for its growth rate, which the former projects at just under 3% this year, and the latter at over 3%. According to both institutions, Poland’s stable growth can be maintained until at least late 2012.

On 25 August 2000, in Stockholm, Sweden, Professor Andrzej Kraszewski, Polish Minister of the Environment, participated in the high-level seminar titled ‘Building marine policy on the best available knowledge’ that followed the 33rd HELCOM Meeting.

An extraordinary scientific discovery was made in course of drilling work performed in the area of the Masuria Lakeland, near the town of Suwałki. A 0°C temperature permafrost layer was found at -356 m.

The Science-Technology Park is to open in Swierk, near Warsaw, in December 2013. An agreement concerning financing the investment from EU funds was signed in Warsaw. The EU is to finance also the development of technology using radiation. The cost of both investments is estimated at PLN 90 million, with EU funding is to cover PLN 76.5 m.

A conference on co-operation between business and science and entrepreneurs’ expectations was held in Warsaw. Andrzej Kurkiewicz, a representative of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education presented the results of a study on expectations the job market has toward universities of technology.

The Skeek Team from Thailand won first prize in the most Software design category of the Imagine Cup 2010 in Warsaw.

A team from the Gdansk University of Technology has won an international regatta of boats powered by solar energy the Frisian Solar Challenge in Holland. A team of two covered the distance of 220 km in 19 hours 25 minutes 8 seconds.

The Medical University in the central Polish city of Lodz and the Lodz Special Economic Zone (SEZ) have founded a Biotechnology Park.

A new portal has been inaugurated to promote scientific research in Poland and the work of individual R&D units and help them contact companies and business environment.