From February 12 to July 15, 2024, PhD student of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy Ilona Derevinska (supervisor – Professor Mykola Rudenko, Educational-Scientific Institute of Economics and Law) completed an internship at the University of Valladolid (Spain) under the Erasmus+ KA171 academic mobility programme.

This internship became a significant part of her PhD programme in Business Economics.

During her internship, Ilona actively participated in various educational and scientific events. She visited the university library, which gave her access to important resources for her dissertation. Ilona also took a course in Spanish and English at the university’s language centre, which greatly improved her communication skills and understanding of the cultural context.

In particular, Ilona attended several important events:

• FiBEST Exhibition (March 13): An exhibition in the university’s economics building.
• Scientific seminar “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” (March 15): The speaker, Professor Carmen Cabello from the University of Pablo de Olavide (Spain), talked about innovation and entrepreneurship.
• The 1^stNordic-Iberian Doctoral Workshop on Business Economics (April 25-26): A seminar where the postgraduate student had the opportunity to meet colleagues from different countries.
• “Three Minute Thesis” Competition (April 30): Ilona enhanced her presentation skills by learning how to present her research in a three-minute format.

Throughout the internship, Ilona successfully implemented several research projects. She designed and conducted a survey to collect information on the use of digital technologies by Spanish public organizations. This study will be the basis for comparing the activities of organizations in Spain and Ukraine.

The postgraduate student also completed a course in statistics, which provided her with the necessary knowledge for data analysis and conducting scientific research. She actively used the resources of the university’s library for an in-depth study of the literature on the topic of her dissertation.

Ilona Derevinska’s internship had a positive impact on international cooperation between the two universities. Her participation in international academic events and cooperation with scientists from other countries helped to raise the international status of the Educational-Scientific Institute of Economics and Law. It also contributed to the establishment of new contacts and the development of international partnerships.

Scientific guidance and support from the postgraduate student’s supervisors, Pilar Velasco and Gabriel de la Fuente, became essential to her academic development. Their feedback emphasizes that Ilona successfully conducted a survey, the materials of which will be very useful for further work on her dissertation research in Ukraine. She completed the Spanish language course with excellent results and received an A1 level certificate. Her participation in scientific seminars and events significantly enriched her knowledge and experience.

– The internship under the Erasmus+ academic mobility programme was a valuable experience that contributed to my professional and personal growth. I advise students to take advantage of various opportunities to study abroad to gain new knowledge, engage in cultural exchange, and develop professional connections. I am very grateful to Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy for the opportunity to participate in this programme, which became a new step in the development of my scientific career, – Ilona Derevinska noted.

International Relations Office