This year, Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy was presented at the International Week at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, Austria, by Oleksandr Spriahailo, Vice-Rector for Scientific, Innovation, and International Activities, and Oleksandra Demianenko, Head of the International Relations Office.

Scientific events under the general title “Connecting Europe! How Education and Research Contribute to European Values” was held from November 25 to 29, 2024 in the beautiful Austrian city of St. Pölten and gathered representatives of 12 universities from 8 countries of the world.

The large-scale project brought together scientists and university lecturers from Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, Ukraine, the Republic of South Africa, Poland, Portugal, and Romania.

During panel discussions, interactive workshops, and open lectures, the participants of the International Week discussed how universities, as powerful agents of change in societies and innovative ecosystems in the respective regions and states, influence the future of Europe from the point of view of democratic values ​​and openness, focusing on the importance of their participation in the promotion, support and development of European approaches to addressing contemporary global challenges.

The participants of the International Week were particularly interested in getting to know the campus of the host university, state-of-the-art auditoriums, robotics and cyber security laboratories, a library (which is also a municipal bookstore), as well as TV, photo and radio studios, and the material and technical base of the Faculty of Physiotherapy and Dietetics.

The key topics for discussion of the International Week were “Relationship between research and education”, in particular – how research activity contributes to innovative education in terms of formats, methods, content, and goals, “Citizen science and student involvement”, “Development of strategic international partnerships”, “Open resources for education and research”, “Capacity building for international initiatives”. Each panel discussion included speeches by the keynote speakers and further discussion with the participants of important aspects of each topic, work in groups, as well as an exchange of opinions in the “world café” format.

Representatives of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy shared their own experience in the form of 25-minute speeches. In particular, Oleksandr Spriahailo was the speaker of the panel discussion “Citizen science and student involvement”.

“Presenting to foreign colleagues the experience of environmental protection activities of BKNUC, we demonstrated the active role of our university in the social life of the region, when the students themselves act as the drivers of positive changes, relying in their activities on the active and caring public,” Oleksandr Spriahailo noted. “As a result, such synergy leads to qualitatively new transformations, sustainable solutions and positive shifts that improve the future.”

Oleksandra Demianenko’s speech as the speaker of the panel discussion “Development of strategic international partnerships” focused on the presentation of the experience of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy in establishing strategic cooperation with foreign educational and scientific institutes, developing already existing partnerships to new levels.

“BKNUC confidently stands on the foundations of internationalization and expanding international relations,” Oleksandra Demianenko explains. “By uniting efforts with European partners, we can provide the best educational services to our students, implement scientific projects, and jointly address modern global challenges. It is also extremely important to show our foreign colleagues that even in the conditions of a full-scale war, we continue to develop, transform and work for the future of Ukrainian education and science in the European space.”

Within the framework of the International Week, Oleksandr Spriahailo and Oleksandra Demianenko also discussed with the management of the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, which is the leader of the alliance of European universities E³UDRES², cooperation within the alliance and outlined further steps for the development of modern European education and science.

The International Relations Office