Vice-Rector for Scientific, Innovation and International Activities, Oleksandr Spriahailo, and Head of the International Office, Svitlana Koval, represented Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy at the E³UDRES² Consortium General Assembly.

The event took place from March 17 to 21, 2025 as part of a large-scale international gathering – the E³UDRES² Spring Summit, hosted by the Saxion University of Applied Sciences in Enschede, the Netherlands, and brought together over 150 delegates from partner universities and associate members.

E³UDRES² is a prominent European University Alliance aimed at fostering sustainable regional development by introducing innovations, digital technologies, and strengthening cooperation among higher education institutions, local governments, businesses, and public organizations. The Alliance unites leading European universities, and Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy successfully cooperates with E³UDRES² as an associate partner.

The members of BKNUC delegation actively participated in numerous events within the summit, including:

- the international stakeholder forum, where the prospects for the development of international cooperation and the role of universities in regional development were discussed;

- Science Festival, where the achievements of nine regional innovation hubs and four centres for advanced applied research were presented, which serve as the core of the Alliance’s innovation activities;

- panel discussions and workshops focused on integrating artificial intelligence into education, digitalizing educational processes, redefining the role of educators, strategic forecasting and engaging students in educational transformations, supporting entrepreneurship, and implementing a sustainable economy model.

Participants from Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy paid special attention to the presentations on innovative projects in the field of smart mechatronics and robotics, as well as to the experience of cooperation of universities with stakeholders – leading companies of the Twente region, in particular with the company “Demcon”.

Participation in a special meeting of associate partners of the E³UDRES² Alliance, where future steps and prospects for cooperation with leading European universities were discussed, was extremely important for the university. The status of an associate partner grants BKNUC extensive opportunities for experience exchange, attraction of international experts, and implementation of joint educational and scientific projects.

“Participation in high-level events like this is an essential part of the internationalization strategy of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy, contributing to the integration of Ukrainian universities into the global educational space and strengthening the position of BKNUC in the international arena. We are grateful to the Saxion University for the opportunity to join the E³UDRES² General Assembly, gain valuable experience, establish new partnerships, and outline promising directions for further cooperation with our European colleagues, as well as for the support of Ukrainian HEIs,” Oleksandr Spriahailo, Vice-Rector for Scientific, Innovation and International Activities noted.

Head of the International Office, Svitlana Koval, emphasized that participation in such events significantly enhances cooperation between Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy and leading European higher education institutions, opening up new prospects for our students and faculty. University representatives are already actively engaged in academic mobility programs, in particular with universities in Latvia, Austria, and Germany. Additionally, within the E³UDRES² Alliance, we are working on expanding academic exchange programs, preparing joint applications for participation in grant projects, involving faculty in international scientific weeks, and motivating students to take part in bootcamps, summer schools, hackathons, and other activities.

International Relations Office