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Year: 2025

Thammasat University, University of Bristol explore collaboration

Posted on by Thammasat University

Executives from the University of Bristol, UK, visited the Office of International Affairs (OIA) at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus. The delegation met with the OIA Director and the OIA Coordinator for Europe, where they were warmly introduced to Thammasat University’s academic and international engagement framework.

The visit aimed to explore potential collaborative opportunities between Thammasat and the University of Bristol across three primary areas. These include:

1. Educational Partnerships: Discussions centered around establishing structured academic programs such as the 3+1, 2+1, 1+1, 2+2, and 3+1+1 models, which allow students to split their studies between the two institutions for enhanced global exposure.

2. Student Mobility Programs: Both universities explored avenues for student exchanges within several prominent faculties at Thammasat, namely the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat Business School, and the College of Innovation. These programs would offer students enriched cross-cultural experiences and opportunities to study in diverse academic environments.

3. Academic Engagement: Potential collaboration was discussed around joint workshops, guest lectures, faculty exchanges, and co-research initiatives, aimed at fostering shared knowledge and innovation between the institutions.During the meeting, the University of Bristol expressed particular interest in Thammasat’s Summer Program. In response, the OIA shared insights into the program’s recent successes and its partnerships with universities in Japan and Australia. This visit represents a promising step toward deeper collaboration between Thammasat University and the University of Bristol.

Beyond the Gut: A new frontier in IBS treatment by targeting the brain

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder with unclear causes, affecting about 10% of the global population. Researchers from Japan have now discovered that opioid delta-receptor agonists may alleviate IBS symptoms by acting directly on the central nervous system. Using a novel stress-induced mouse model, they found these drugs reduce abdominal pain and regulate bowel movements. This research suggests a promising approach to treating IBS by targeting stress as a contributing factor.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder that affects the intestine, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and changes in bowel habits, including diarrhea, constipation, or both. Although this condition affects about a tenth of the global population, the underlying causes and mechanisms of IBS remain unclear. Consequently, treatments for IBS primarily focus on managing symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of the disorder.

At Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan, Professor Akiyoshi Saitoh and his research group have spent the past decade exploring this topic. This study published online in the British Journal of Pharmacology on December 25, 2024, discovered that a class of drugs called opioid delta-receptor (DOP) agonists may help alleviate IBS symptoms by targeting the central nervous system rather than acting directly on the intestine. This study was co-authored by Toshinori Yoshioka, a third-year PhD student at TUS.

One of the main motivations for this study was the growing evidence linking IBS closely to psychological stress. Saitoh’s group aimed to address this potential root cause by focusing on finding a novel animal model for this condition. In a study published in 2022, they developed a mice model repeatedly exposed to psychological stress—using a method called chronic vicarious social defeat stress (cVSDS)—which developed symptoms similar to a type of IBS called IBS-D. These symptoms included overly active intestines and heightened sensitivity to abdominal pain, even though their organs showed no physical damage. The cVSDS animal model involved having the subject mouse repeatedly witness a territorial, aggressive mouse defeating a cage mate, inducing indirect chronic stress.

Using the cVSDS model, the researchers sought to determine whether DOP in the brain, which is closely linked to pain and mood regulation, could serve as promising drug targets for treating stress-induced IBS. To achieve this, they performed a series of detailed experiments to observe the effects of DOP agonists on IBS symptoms and chemical signaling in the brain. Some experiments involved measuring the speed of a charcoal meal through the intestine to assess gastrointestinal motility and evaluate the impact of stress or treatments on bowel movement speed, along with directly measuring neurotransmitter concentrations using in vivo brain microdialysis. This revealed that re-exposure to VSDS increased glutamate levels in the insular cortex, but these elevated levels were normalized with DOP agonists.

According to the results, the administration of DOP agonists helped relieve abdominal pain and regulated bowel movements in cVSDS mice. Interestingly, applying the DOP agonists directly to a specific brain region called the insular cortex had similar effects on IBS symptoms as systemic treatment. “Our findings demonstrated that DOP agonists acted directly on the central nervous system to improve diarrhea-predominant IBS symptoms in mice, and suggest that the mechanism of action involves the regulation of glutamate neurotransmission in the insular cortex,” highlights Saitoh.

Taken together, the continued research by Saitoh’s group on this topic could pave the way for effective treatments for IBS. “DOP agonists could represent a groundbreaking new IBS treatment that not only improves IBS-like symptoms but also provides anti-stress and emotional regulation effects. In the future, we would like to conduct clinical developments with the goal of expanding the indication of DOP agonists for IBS, in addition to depression,” remarks Saitoh.

Compared to currently available IBS treatments, such as laxatives, antidiarrheals, analgesics, and antispasmodics, targeting the underlying stress with DOP agonists may offer a more definitive solution with minimal adverse effects. Further clarification of the roles of stress and brain chemistry in the development of IBS will be essential in achieving this much-needed medical breakthrough. With promising prospects, future studies will translate Saitoh’s group’s findings to humans, bringing great relief to those affected by IBS.

Professor from Chulalongkorn University performs “Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra” in Moscow

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

Professor Narongrit Dhamabutra, a National Artist in the field of Performing Arts (Western Music – Classical Composition) and faculty member of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts at Chulalongkorn University, recently performed the Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra at the Moscow International House of Music on January 23, 2025. The performance was presented with Theodore Kerkezos as the soloist on saxophone, accompanied by the Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Jeremy Walker. Approximately 1,700 people attended the concert.

On this occasion, Mr. Sasiwat Wongsinsawat, the Ambassador of Thailand to Moscow, along with the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the Russian Federation and senior representatives from the Moscow government, delivered opening remarks. This piece has already been performed in several cities, including Bangkok and Athens.

Read more at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/216210/

Singapore coffeeshop public toilets worse than in 2023: Survey

Posted on by Rosie Ching

Singapore, often described as one of the cleanest in the world, has just emerged more than scathed from the Year of Public Hygiene in 2024. This was the result of Waterloo run by SMU Principal Lecturer of Statistics Rosie Ching and her 222 SMU undergraduates. Together in just five weeks, they performed comprehensive and detailed on-site surveys of more than 2,600 public toilets across 1,428 coffeeshops, hawker centres, train stations and shopping malls, whilst interviewing a total of 4,905 people, comprising 510 employees and 4,395 customers, on the state of public toilets. A staggering 98 percent national coverage was an unprecedented level, smashing records across the eight years of this national survey of public toilets in coffeeshops and hawker centres.

Hundreds more toilets in shopping centres and train stations were visited and given the same survey treatment as those in coffeeshops and hawker centres. In 2024, shopping centre toilets ranked far and away significantly superior to those in coffeeshops and hawker centres where 90 percent of toilet attributes were rated dirtier than reasonable in the latter, with wet floors, absent, dirty or overflowing rubbish bins, unclean toilet bowls and seats, choked urinals, filthy squat pans, inadequate or absent toilet paper, stained mirrors and doors, absent to insufficient ventilation, with more than 8 in 10 cleaning schedules either absent or not updated, some dating back to 2020. The only attributes rated reasonable were taps and soap. The smell of coffeeshop toilets presented a significantly worse assault on the olfactory glands compared to that in hawker centres, both lying in the “breathe lightly” category.

The closer cooking facilities were to the toilets in coffeeshops and hawker centres, the significantly dirtier the toilets. This was also observed in 2016, 2020 and 2023, with the correlation extremely strong in 2024, a significant cause of concern in public health because of all the citizens interviewed, 94 percent of food-handling workers identified themselves as using the toilets at their working premises. Voluminous photographic and video evidence also paid abundant testimony to the filth in these toilets and presence of raw food placed or handled near these toilets.

With more than 100 variables of cleanliness of toilet bowls, taps, mirrors, floors, ventilation, toilet dispensers, paper and more, Waterloo found coffeeshop toilets dirtier than in 2023 on the Toilet Cleanliness Index (TCI). The sole silver lining were hawker centre toilets on the uptick in cleanliness in 2024. Unisex toilets remained statistically the filthiest, hardly moving in the Year of Public Hygiene and woefully stuck at the lowest levels in 2024, with the large majority located in coffeeshops.

The overarching public perception of these coffeeshop and hawker centre toilets was that of “Dirty”. Four years ago, 30.22 percent thought these toilets were at least “Clean”, but this took a jaw-dropping beating to 8.5% in 2024. Over the four years since human interviews in Waterloo began, 8,367 have said such toilets are “Very dirty” to “Dirty”, making up almost 6 in every 10 citizens interviewed. As of late 2024, the modal response remained “Just as dirty” by more than 50 percent of the 14,316 citizens interviewed since.

A staggering 92 percent believed efforts to clean up toilets were “completely not” or “only somewhat” effective. Of these, 60 percent explicitly rated these efforts as “mostly ineffective” or worse. With a measly 8 percent optimistic about Singapore’s Keep Toilets Clean campaigns, the voice of the masses has rung clearly that much more needs to be done to improve the sorry state of public toilets that serve as daily essentials for so many citizens in these popular food centres.

In excess of nine in ten of customers declared public toilets in need of major overhauling, rating them as “dirty”. Although 81 percent now use these toilets for a small call of nature, almost 70 percent would shun them for a big call of nature, the highest avoidance rate in nine years of study. The majority also thought current enforcement of cleanliness standards in public toilets at coffeeshops and hawker centres is too lax and recommended heavier fines and more monitoring, with 78.2 percent saying coffeeshop operators do not clean their toilets according to advisories by the Minister for Sustainability and Environment in Singapore.

Ms. Ching’s work has elevated public awareness of sanitation and enforced accountability. Waterloo’s findings have been shared widely through media coverage reaching every corner of Singapore, on primetime TV, radio, and the leading newspapers across all national languages. The force of Waterloo has inspired government initiatives like the Toilet Improvement Program, fines for non-compliance, with future plans focused on tracking and ensuring exemplary cleanliness standards, showing firm and uncompromising societal impact, historically unparalleled for any undergraduate teaching project.

Behind all these movements, Waterloo is an educational juggernaut to be reckoned with, where Ms. Ching’s students wield their statistical training and drill through volumes of data, unwrapping messages behind the numbers to paint the landscape with never-before-had statistics, to drive societal change in Singapore. They experience how such a national-scale project drives action and accountability. They witness the Waterloo’s influence on the country and experience education that transcends the four walls of the classroom. Student feedback consistently and overwhelmingly testify to the transformative nature of this experience when Ms. Ching adroitly connects their learning to society’s problems.

Waterloo has engaged Members of Parliament, mayors, policymakers, leaders, and industry leaders, driving momentum for change on a national level. Ms. Ching’s teaching and long-term vision have smashed through traditional barriers by combining rigorous data science with effective dissemination, advocacy, and partnerships, relentlessly demonstrating education as a formidable force for social change, policy impact and sustained community engagement.

The ten-year-long and ongoing Waterloo owes its monumental success to Ms. Ching and her students as comrades-in-arms, who have nurtured it into an unstoppable force as a precedent for impactful and sustainable educational initiatives worldwide.

Ms. Rosie Ching (centre in red), a.k.a. the Chief Sitting Plumber leading her Waterloo students, with Aditya Rahman (with microphone) in a rallying cry.

Said Waterloo student Aditya Rahman, “Mathematics and me have always had a rocky relationship. I dreaded and feared it, praying I did not have to study it again. But when I enrolled in university, lo and behold, statistics was a must. I shoved it to Year 2 but eventually had to face my fears and take the leap into the unknown. Which is when I entered Ms. Ching’s classes and Waterloo! My entire Waterloo journey of surveying toilets in hawker centres, coffeeshops and human stakeholders has been one indescribably unique experience, a far cry from everything I have studied to date. If I had told my younger self that surveying toilets would form one of my most memorable moments in SMU, I am confident that he would have laughed in my face. However, I now understand the application of statistics in the real world and why it matters. Waterloo has genuinely given me a deep perspective on the impact statistics has on the world. Ms. Ching has inspired me significantly to be a better man in all things. I am thankful for this and am truly grateful to have spent the last 3 months in the presence of Ms. Ching.”

Says Ms. Ching, “To my incredible comrades in this mission, my students, I pay especial tribute. I struck uncountable matches many times before Waterloo caught fire, nurtured those sparks and flames into a healthy bonfire, one that now roars with voices, numbers, and an unwavering resolve to change the world. This isn’t just research collecting dust on some shelf; it’s a movement, powered by thousands of voices that matter, our people, our families, our elderly, our young, our cleaners, our workers. This is for Singapore.”

For her trailblazing teaching and impactful work, Ms. Ching was Highly Commended in the Financial Times’ Responsible Business Education Awards 2025 for Waterloo, the only honoree for South-East Asia amongst global entries. She was also inducted into the inaugural SMU Teaching Excellence Hall of Fame Award in 2024, was the QS Reimagine Education Gold Winner for Blended and Presence Learning in 2023, and was bestowed the World Toilet Organization Hall of Fame Award that same year. For two years running, both Ms. Ching and her students also received Singapore’s national LOO (Let’s Observe Ourselves) Award for public sanitation in the Individual and Community categories respectively, for nine years of pro-bono and outstanding contributions to public sanitation.

Marimekko and its Sustainable Growth

Posted on by Editorial Team

“We want to create products that will stand the test of time, both in terms of aesthetics and longevity,” Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko tells QS Insights during a trip to Aalto University School of Business in the heart of Helsinki.

Alahuhta-Kasko is of course speaking of beloved Finnish design house Marimekko, which she became CEO of in 2016, having previously held the role of CMO at the age of 30, with her career at the organisation now spanning more than two decades.

She says: “I found an organisation that aligned with my values.”

Founded in 1951, Marimekko has become so ingrained with Finnish culture, it’s hard to imagine a time before the brand existed.

Alahuhta-Kasko encapsulates this beautifully, noting it would be difficult to enter a home in Finland without finding a piece of clothing, textiles or crockery from Marimekko – often with the Unikko design, created in 1964 and is still one of Marimekko’s most loved prints.

“Our founder, Armi Ratia, had actually forbidden Marimekko designers from creating floral prints, because she felt that flowers would always be more beautiful in nature.

“But this famous Marimekko designer, Maija Isola, felt strongly about creating something inspired by flowers, and she did something completely different from the small, romantic flower prints that everybody else was doing then. She created Unikko, an avant-garde, simplified expression of a flower, and that completely changed our founder’s mind,” Alahuhta-Kasko told The PEAK Magazine.

Today, however, Marimekko´s print archive boasts over 3,500 prints and counting as it continues to add new artworks from artists from a variety of disciplines into its roster.

But Marimekko has been brightening up the lives of customers with its bold artistic prints and colours since the beginning, with Alahuhta-Kasko noting that Marimekko was born to re-energize and bring optimism to people after the difficult time period in Finland.

Alahuhta-Kasko tells QS Insights: “Marimekko´s design wasn’t about chasing fashion; 1950s Finland was a poor country.

“There is a saying in Finland, that if you do not have much money to spare, you should only invest in good quality. Since the beginning, Marimekko’s design philosophy has been based on timeless, functional and high-quality products that bring people long-lasting joy.”

Sustainability is at the heart of Marimekko’s design philosophy and operations and the company believes that in the future, timeless and high-quality products will be made in balance with the environment in line with the principles of the circular economy.

Alahuhta-Kasko says Marimekko is making a determined transition from traditional materials to certified, organic, and recycled materials and focuses also on the recyclability of its products. “Sustainability starts at the designers board.

“Design choices, such as materials, play a crucial role. We create long-lasting products, both aesthetically and in terms of durability. Marimekko products are bestsellers in the second cycle market, especially in Finland and Sweden, with items still being used even from the 1960s,” Alahuhta-Kasko says.

An example of Marimekko’s commitment to supporting innovation is the organisation’s pilot project with Origin by Ocean, which tested substituting Marimekko’s current synthetic thickener with Origin by Ocean algae-based thickener within the print paste.

The company says testing the use of bio-based thickeners in the printing process helps them toward their goal of reducing the amount of chemicals used in their supply chain.

Marimekko is committed to continuously driving innovation in technologies, materials, and business models through collaborations to lead the entire industry forward and reach their ambitious long-term vision of leaving no trace.

Read the full article on QS Insights Magazine.

Tokyo University of Science researchers develop a green tea-based adhesive films for treating Oral Mucositis

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Oral mucositis is a painful condition in which the mucous membranes inside the mouth become inflamed. To help alleviate this, researchers at the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) have developed a mucoadhesive film using xyloglucan and antioxidant-rich green tea extract containing catechins. With its strong adhesive properties, the film directly adheres to the affected area. Made from accessible ingredients, this solution could provide localized relief and improve the quality of life for patients.

Green tea shines as a natural powerhouse of antioxidants, with catechins leading the charge among its polyphenols, which protect cells from oxidative stress. These powerful compounds neutralize harmful free radicals generated during cancer treatment. The anti-inflammatory properties of green tea can alleviate oral mucositis, a painful inflammation of the mouth lining often caused by chemotherapy and radiation.

Building on these benefits, researchers at the Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan, have explored the potential of tea catechins in developing a novel treatment for oral mucositis that minimizes patient discomfort. Their findings were made available online on January 14, 2025 and published in Volume 10 and Issue 1 of ACS Omega on December 19, 2024. The research team, led by Professor Takehisa Hanawa, included Assistant Professor Kaoru Hirose, Ms. Rieko Nitto, and Mr. Shotaro Yokota from TUS, in collaboration with Dr. Yayoi Kawano (former lecturer at TUS, now Professor at Nagoya City University, Japan), as well as Dr. Akira Tabuchi, Ms. Yumeo Suzuki, and Dr. Kazuhiko Yamatoya from MP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd., Japan.

In line with TUS’s commitment to advancing research that supports the UN  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the team sought to develop an innovative and accessible treatment for oral mucositis, aligning with SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure).

“Our goal was to create a formulation for oral mucositis that patients could use
easily and comfortably, helping to prevent the decline in quality of life and difficulties
with eating caused by cancer treatments,” explains Prof. Hanawa.

Oral mucositis, a common and painful side effect of cancer treatments, affecting 30–40% of the patients, results from damage to rapidly dividing mucosal cells. This condition causes significant discomfort and interference with vital activities, such as eating and sleeping. To address this, the researchers designed a thin mucoadhesive film enriched with tea catechins, which can be applied directly to affected areas for prolonged relief. This film
is a thin, flexible material that adheres to the inside of the mouth to deliver active ingredients, like medications, directly to the affected area. It offers a more convenient,
inexpensive, and user-friendly alternative to mucoadhesive tablets, which often have limited usability.

The films were prepared by combining xyloglucan (Xylo), a water-soluble polymer extracted from tamarind seeds, with green tea extract (TE) which contains over 75% catechins, including more than 40% epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Xylo is a natural gelling agent, commonly used as a food thickener. It forms a structure similar to the mucin network in the mouth, giving the film its mucoadhesive properties. Given the easy availability, usage as food additive, and low cost of TE, which contains EGCG as well as various catechins, it was selected as a gelling agent for Xylo in this study. The researchers examined how Xylo and TE gelled together and explored the physical and chemical properties of the gels and
films they produced.

The researchers developed two types of films: hydrogels, prepared by drying Xylo/TE solutions at 4 °C for 24 hours, and xerogels, which were dried for seven days, resulting in firmer, drier films. The hydrogel, however, transitioned into a liquid-like state at skin surface temperatures (35–37 °C) and became weak, breaking with just a small amount of pressure. In contrast, the xerogel films demonstrated better mucoadhesive properties, withstanding up to ten times more force and performing similarly to commercially available oral mucoadhesive films.

To test the adhesive strength of the xerogel, the researchers simulated oral conditions using mucin disks coated with artificial saliva. The film was pressed onto the disk with a plunger, and the force required to detach it was measured. The films adhered well, with detachment forces matching or exceeding those of over-the-counter products. The team also examined the release of EGCG by soaking the films in water, discovering that higher concentrations of Xylo facilitated greater EGCG release over time, highlighting their potential as mucoadhesive films.

“Xylo/TE xerogel films demonstrated high strength, hydrogel-like properties due to rapid water absorption, and adhesion forces comparable to commercial films,” says Prof. Hanawa. The team is now focused on enhancing the film’s design and evaluating its safety and efficacy through cell-based experiments, advancing toward a promising solution for oral mucositis.

Thammasat and University of Bristol launch “Double Degree” programs in Political Science

Posted on by Thammasat University

The Faculty of Political Science at Thammasat University has reached a collaborative agreement with the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom to initiate a joint ‘Double Degree’ programs comprising two curricula: (1) a program with the School of Sociology,
Politics and International Studies, which allows Master’s degree students enrolled in the MIR program at Thammasat University who have completed 18 credits to study for an additional year at the University of Bristol, thereby obtaining two Master’s degrees from both institutions; and (2) a program with the School for Policy Studies, which admits final-year undergraduate students from both the regular curriculum and the BIR program of the Faculty of Political Science at Thammasat University, as well as Master’s degree students from the MIR program who have completed 18 credits, to further their studies at the University of Bristol to earn an MSc in Public Policy. For both programs, the University of Bristol offers a 10% tuition fee discount.

The University of Bristol is a leading educational institution in the United Kingdom, currently ranked 54th in the world according to the QS World University Rankings 2025.

During the signing ceremony of this cooperation agreement, Associate Professor Dr. Puli Fuwongcharoen, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science, and Associate Professor Dr. Jittipat Poonkham, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs and International Relations, engaged in discussions with representatives from the University of Bristol, led by Jessica Carwardine, Deputy Head of Partnerships and Relations, along with Dr. Caryn Peiffer and Gabrielle Osborne, prior to the signing of the cooperation agreement. They also met with interested students to introduce the University of Bristol and the newly launched Double Degree programs.

Associate Professor Dr. Puli Fuwongcharoen, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science at
Thammasat University, expressed that the Faculty of Political Science at Thammasat University is striving to become a leading political science hub in Southeast Asia. Its recent partnership with the University of Bristol, establishing a Double Degree program, is part of a broader strategy to boost international collaboration. This includes research initiatives, staff exchanges, and joint academic activities, reflecting the Faculty’s commitment to achieving global recognition.

Associate Professor Dr. Jitipat Poonkham, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs and International Relations, who oversees negotiations with the University of Bristol, stated that the Double Degree program with the University of Bristol aims to provide Thammasat political science students with enhanced learning opportunities, including access to world-class faculty and dual degrees. This initiative is key to strengthening the program’s international reputation and expanding students’ horizons. The collaboration was made possible by the dedicated efforts of the international and external relations team.

Chula President elected as the new Chairperson of the Council of University Presidents of Thailand

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University, has been elected as the new Chairperson of the Council of University Presidents of Thailand (CUPT), effective January 1, 2025, for a two-year term.

As the newly elected Chairperson of CUPT, Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat has outlined strategic plans to unite university presidents across Thailand to strengthen the country’s education system. His initiatives aim to elevate Thai education standards to an international level and attract more international students, contributing to the overall benefit of the nation.

The Council of University Presidents of Thailand (CUPT) was established as a collaborative effort among the presidents of state universities and higher education institutions in Thailand. Its objectives include coordinating inter-university cooperation to enhance educational quality, provide academic services, and oversee the centralized admission system for higher education institutions.

Kharkiv Polytechnic develops cooperation with the University of Slovakia under the Erasmus+ program

Posted on by National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute»

Scientists of Kharkiv Polytechnic joined the international week of the Erasmus + program, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Bratislava University of Economics and Management (Slovakia).  They took part in workshops and discussions on the topic «Innovative Horizons: Integrating Global Connectivity and Artificial Intelligence into Modern University Education». Teachers of NTU «KhPI» gave lectures and practical classes, shared their experience of implementing modern digital tools in the educational process, and presented the Innovation Campus and Startup Center «Spark» projects at NTU «KhPI». During the events, the issues of continuing cooperation and resumption of the double degree program between NTU «KhPI» and the University of Bratislava were discussed. The event brought together teachers and researchers from universities in Ukraine, Slovakia, Portugal, Bulgaria and Georgia.

Professor of the Department of System analysis and information-analytical technologies Tetyana Aleksandrova, Head of the Department of Information Systems and Technologies Olena Nikulina, Head of the Project Management in Information Technology Department Marina Grinchenko, and Coordinator of Academic Mobility and Double Degree Programs between NTU «KhPI» and Bratislava University of Economics and Management (BUEM, Slovakia) Oksana Ivashchenko, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Software Engineering and Management Intelligent Technologies, took part in the event Erasmus+.The event was dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the University of Bratislava.

Scientists from the Educational and Scientific Institute of Computer Science and Information Technologies of NTU «KhPI» joined workshops and discussions on the topic «Innovative Horizons: Integration of Global Connectivity and Artificial Intelligence into Modern University Education». For example, Marina Grinchenko,, a professor at the NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute», told her foreign colleagues about the introduction of modern digital tools into the educational process of Kharkiv Polytechnic. She noted that one of the key steps was the introduction of the MS Office 365 corporate system, which provides the university with a multifunctional environment for on-line education. For her part, Professor Olena Nikulina presented the «Innovation Campus of NTU «KhPI», the first and only project in Ukraine based on a state higher education institution that combines IT training, an entrepreneurship school, and coworking. Ivan Lysenko, a student of NTU «KhPI», shared his practical experience of studying and implementing his own projects within this program.

Professors of NTU «KhPI» conducted lectures and practical classes for students of the University of Bratislava. Thus, one of the lectures by Professor Tetyana Aleksandrova was devoted to the project of the Startup Center «Spark» of NTU «KhPI», whose activities are aimed at forming innovative thinking among students, teachers and young scientists, and creating favorable conditions for launching startups. The lecture by Marina Grinchenko, a researcher at NTU «KhPI», was about «Project Life Cycle, Risk Management in Projects». She emphasized the importance of clear planning and control at each stage of the project, and gave examples of startup implementation.  For her part, lecturer Olena Nikulina spoke about the development of Use Case Diagrams and Interaction Diagrams. The lesson was held in the format of a game: management students acted as customers of the software application, and IT students, under the guidance of the NTU «KhPI» lecturer, developed diagrams using the Unified Modeling Language. As a result, the software functionality necessary for marketers was created. The participants of the Erasmus+ program – students of Kharkiv Polytechnic Hanna Guba and Ivan Lysenko – took an active part in this exciting event.

Pedro Pinheiro, President of the Lisbon School of Accounting and Administration, University of Lisbon Luciada (Portugal), Doctor of Philosophy in Management, held an interesting workshop dedicated the using of new integrated digital artificial intelligence (AI) tools to increase student engagement and improve learning outcomes. An agreement was reached between the scientist and NTU «KhPI» scientists on further cooperation. Soon, for example, Pedro Pinheiro will give a lecture on «AI-based tools for increasing research productivity» for postgraduate students of NTU «KhPI».

One of the important events of the visit of the Kharkiv Polytechnic teachers to BUEM was their meeting with the rector of this higher educational institution PhD MBA institution, Associate Professor Lubos Tsybak. They discussed the continuation of work under the Erasmus+ program and the resumption of the double degree project between NTU «KhPI» and BUEM. The Rector of Bratislava University of Economics and Management awarded Kharkiv Polytechnic «for the development of innovative activities in higher education and long-term cooperation in the field of science and education».

This event was held according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 17 «Partnerships for the goals»).

The International Week  of Erasmus+ program took place on 25-29 November, 2024 at the Bratislava University of Economics and Management (Slovakia). The event was dedicated to the 20th anniversary of this higher education institution.

Over the two decades of its existence, Bratislava University of Economics and Management has graduated more than 20,000 students. The cooperation between NTU «KhPI» and BUEM began in 2018. In 2019, an agreement was signed to open a joint master’s program. Six students of Kharkiv Polytechnic have already received diplomas from the two partner universities and are working in Slovak and international IT companies.

Since 2021, cooperation under the Erasmus+ program has been implemented: four Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute teachers have participated in short-term exchanges, one graduate student has completed an internship, and seven students have joined this program.

Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute sets up partnership with Institut Polytechnique de Paris

Posted on by Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute

Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute has formed a scientific partnership with Institut Polytechnique de Paris, encompassing six prestigious French engineering schools: École Polytechnique, École nationale des ponts et chaussées (ENPC), ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris, and Télécom SudParis.

The cooperation begins in the area of research and development of artificial intelligence, which is of great relevance to both Ukraine and the whole world. Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute has great traditions and achievements in this domain. For instance, Prof. Oleksii Ivakhnenko, the first head of the Department of Computer Science, developed the world’s first algorithm for training deep multilayer neural networks, being at the outset of the modern understanding of AI.

 One of the key components of cooperation with the Institut Polytechnique de Paris is joint research projects and investigations that aim to benefit not only both institutions but also society at large. The level of such research clarifies the understanding of both medium-term future in particular and the problems of technological singularity in general.

 French partners fully understand that only prompt and ingenious solutions can be an asymmetric response to the challenges Ukraine faces during the ongoing full-scale invasion. The scientific community at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute laser focuses its efforts on developing engineering and technological responses to these challenges.

 Prominent scientific schools should share their experience, insights and visions. This partnership is important to both institutions and will play a vital role in the development of artificial intelligence in the years to come.