Tag: Ukraine

A unique joint project between NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» ( NTU «KhPI») and Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (Germany)—the DSG2 dual-degree program for Ukrainian refugees in Germany—has been in operation since 2022. It offers the opportunity to combine engineering training at NTU «KhPI» with studies in Germany. This format allows students to experience different educational approaches, better understand the European academic system, and prepare for an international career. Currently, 113 students of NTU «KhPI» are already studying at both universities, and another 141 are preparing for admission. Program participants Anton Kresan and Volodymyr Drovnikov share their journey—from language challenges to their first professional steps.

Anton Kresan (IKM-723в) and Volodymyr Drovnikov (E-123a), students at the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute,» are enrolled in the DSG2 dual-degree program at Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg, Germany. Here, they are not only receiving a European education but also gradually building their own professional paths, combining Ukrainian engineering training with the practices of a German technical school. The first year was a period of intense immersion in a new academic reality for them—with a fast pace, different approaches to learning, and a constant sense of challenge. «This stage was a mix of emotions: difficult, unfamiliar, but at the same time very interesting,» recalls Anton. Volodymyr adds: «My impressions are very positive. I’m really glad I enrolled in this program and got into my major.» One of the most memorable moments for him was the project to build a LEGO robot—from the initial idea to the final presentation: «It was a kind of mini-model of my future professional work.» It is precisely these kinds of tasks that help students experience how theory translates into practice and forms engineering thinking.

Language became the most serious barrier: even at the B1–B2 level, lectures are difficult to follow at first due to the terminology and the pace of instruction. «It’s difficult at first with both B1 and B2. It all depends on how quickly you adapt and whether you keep learning the language,» notes Anton. Eventually, adds Volodymyr, confidence sets in: lectures become clearer, and everyday communication becomes more natural. The most important thing is not to be afraid to speak: «I haven’t encountered any negative reactions because of my language—on the contrary, people are supportive.»

The structure of the learning process became a revelation in itself: more freedom means more responsibility. There is no constant supervision here, but there is a clear understanding that the outcome depends on the student themselves. «It’s not about coercion, but about the fact that you yourself determine how far you want to go,» explains Anton. This approach teaches students to manage their time, work systematically throughout the semester, and independently organize not only their studies but also their daily lives. At the same time, this experience isn’t limited to the classroom: students at Kharkiv Polytechnic are already working within the university environment. Volodymyr Drovnikov teaches math in a preparatory course for German freshmen and joins to the M2 module: «I prepare materials, conduct classes, and record students’ results.»

Anton Kresan works as a research assistant at the Institute of Engineering and Automation at Otto von Guericke University. In a lab that collaborates with ODVA, he tests technical solutions. For him, this is an opportunity to simultaneously pursue his degree in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» and in Magdeburg. Combining study and work, they say, is entirely feasible provided one is self-organized. «I have 35 hours a month, and I choose when to work,» says Anton. Volodymyr emphasizes that such a workload does not interfere but, on the contrary, complements his studies with practical experience. The main motivation for both remains a sense of personal growth: «I’m motivated by the fact that I’m doing something truly useful and growing as a person,» says Volodymyr, while Anton adds: «When you see that you didn’t understand something yesterday, but today you can already explain it to someone else—that’s really energizing.»

Speaking from their own experience, students at NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» advise future program participants not to be afraid of a new environment, to communicate more, and not to view the language barrier as insurmountable. «Don’t shy away from meeting new people—the language barrier is temporary,» Anton emphasizes. At the same time, it’s important to maintain a balance between studies and life—spending time with friends, relaxing, and pursuing hobbies, adds Volodymyr, who describes his experience in Magdeburg as «an interesting, useful, and exciting journey». Summing it up, Anton puts it succinctly: «It’s tough, but definitely worth it!» It is precisely in these words, as emphasized by the DSG2 program coordinator and head of the German Education Center at NTU «KhPI,» Professor Denys Meshkov, that its essence is most accurately conveyed: it is a demanding path that requires independence, discipline, and perseverance, but at the same time opens up new academic, professional, and personal opportunities.

«We are truly proud of our students: they represent NTU «KhPI» with dignity in Germany and prove that Ukrainian engineering education has strong potential and a bright future,» notes Denys Meshkov.

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The DSG2 dual-degree program is a comprehensive educational initiative designed to support Ukrainian high school graduates who are currently in Germany or other EU countries due to the war. Given the specificities of the European education system, graduates of Ukrainian high schools are typically unable to enroll directly in German universities. Under the DSG2: neo program, they first enroll at NTU «KhPI» and begin their studies remotely. After completing their first year, students are admitted to Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg, where they continue their studies as full-fledged students of the German university. The program involves moving to Magdeburg and living in a student dormitory. The DSG2: neo project is being implemented by NTU «KhPI» in collaboration with Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg and has been active since June 2022. It is aimed at Ukrainian applicants currently in Germany and covers priority fields of study such as electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and chemical technology. The updated agreement on the implementation of the DSG2neo dual-degree program between NTU «KhPI» and Otto von Guericke University was signed in Magdeburg (Germany) on April 13, 2026.

Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU) is one of the country’s leading technical universities, located in the city of Magdeburg. Founded in 1993 through the merger of several educational and research institutions, it is named after the German scientist and inventor Otto von Guericke. The university has a distinct focus on engineering, technology, and the natural sciences. Its main fields of study include electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, energy, chemistry, and medical engineering. Significant attention is paid to research activities and collaboration with industry. OVGU actively participates in international educational programs and academic mobility projects, maintaining partnerships with universities in various countries, including Ukraine. The partnership between Otto von Guericke University and the National Technical University «KhPI» has a long history.

Professor Yevgen Sokol, Rector of the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute,» participated in the 2026 EUA Annual Conference, organized by the European University Association (EUA). One of the leading annual forums for leaders of European higher education institutions took place at Yeditepe University in Istanbul. The theme of this year’s event was «University cooperation in changing contexts.» The EUA Annual Conference brought together university administrators, experts, and partners from various European countries. The event’s goal was to discuss the strategic development of higher education, international cooperation, research, and innovation. The Association represents universities and rectors’ conferences from 48 countries and plays a key role in shaping European education policy and the development of the Bologna Process.

This year’s European University Association conference focused on the transformation of university collaboration in the context of geopolitical shifts, technological advancements, sustainable development, and economic challenges. Participants discussed how universities can build effective partnerships with one another, with the public sector, industry, and international organizations—at the local, national, and international levels. For NTU «KhPI,» participation in such an event holds special significance. Amid the war, the massive challenges facing Ukrainian education, and the need for further integration into the European educational and scientific space, the university continues to develop international partnerships, academic mobility programs, dual degree programs, and joint educational and scientific initiatives. «For Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute, participation in the European University Association conference is not only an opportunity to be part of a pan-European dialogue but also an important step toward strengthening the position of Ukrainian technical education in Europe. Today, universities must do more than just cooperate—they must jointly respond to the challenges of our time,» noted Professor Yevgen Sokol, Rector of NTU «KhPI.»

During the conference, particular attention was paid to the role of universities in maintaining academic resilience, fostering innovation, and developing new models of international partnership. These issues are extremely relevant for Ukrainian universities, as they concern not only educational integration but also the support of scientific potential, student mobility, and the country’s long-term recovery. «Ukrainian universities are currently operating under extraordinary conditions, yet they demonstrate a strong capacity for development, adaptation, and international collaboration. NTU «KhPI» is consistently moving toward deepening cooperation with European partners, and it is precisely platforms such as the EUA Annual Conference that open up new opportunities for dialogue and joint projects,» emphasized Yevgen Sokol.

Participation in the 2026 EUA Annual Conference was the confirmation of the active international role of the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI») and its commitment to being a full-fledged participant in the European higher education area. The university will continue to work on expanding partnerships, developing modern educational programs, and enhancing academic mobility. «The future of universities lies in openness, trust, and cooperation. It is through partnership that we can create new opportunities for students, faculty, researchers, and the entire Ukrainian higher education system,» emphasized the rector of NTU «KhPI.»

The involvement of representatives from NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» in events of this caliber helps strengthen the university’s international standing, expand its presence in European educational networks, and create new prospects for the development of engineering education in Ukraine.

Participation in the 2026 EUA Annual Conference reaffirmed the active international role of the NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI») and its commitment to being a full-fledged participant in the European higher education area. The university will continue to work on expanding partnerships, developing modern educational programs, and enhancing academic mobility. «The future of universities lies in openness, trust, and cooperation. It is through partnership that we can create new opportunities for students, faculty, researchers, and the entire Ukrainian higher education system,» emphasized the rector of NTU «KhPI.»

The involvement of representatives from Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute in events of this caliber helps strengthen the university’s international standing, expand its presence in European educational networks, and create new prospects for the development of engineering education in Ukraine.

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Yeditepe University is a private institution of higher education located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is a modern university offering programs taught in English, founded in 1996. Yeditepe University is a member of the European University Association (EUA). The independent THE university ranking places this institution of higher education at 1.501st in the world.

The National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» is one of Ukraine’s leading and largest technical universities, founded in 1885. Today, NTU «KhPI» comprises 11 academic and research institutes and 103 departments, with over 15,000 students enrolled. Kharkiv Polytechnic is among the top 5 universities in Ukraine and ranks highly among domestic higher education institutions in prestigious international rankings. In 2010, NTU «KhPI» acquired the status of a national research university. In 2022, the unique IT specialist training program Innovation Campus at NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» was awarded a global «silver» in the field of education. According to the results of the state accreditation by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine in 2025, NTU «KhPI» ranked first among 78 domestic higher education institutions in the engineering and technology field, receiving an «A» rating, and entered the top 5 Ukrainian universities in the natural sciences and mathematics category.

The European University Association – 2026 EUA Annual Conference took place in Istanbul on April 16–17, 2026.

Students from the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» have won an award at the international level. Ihnat Shmatko and Anita Bielobrova emerged as winners of the «Black Sea Science» online competition for student research projects. The event brought together over 100 participants from various countries. The Polytechnic students’ project focused on the digitalization of human resources management. The research was conducted under the guidance of Associate Professor Oksana Khodyrieva. Based on the selection results, the team took third place among 73 projects.

Students from NTU «KhPI» Ihnat Shmatko (Department of Computer Modeling of Processes and Systems, Educational and Scientific Institute of Computer Modeling, Applied Physics, and Mathematics), as well as Anita Bielobrova (Department of Management, Educational and Scientific Institute of Economics, Management, and International Business) won the International Research Competition «Black Sea Science.» Under the guidance of Oksana Khodyrieva, Associate Professor of the Department of Management, they prepared a study on the interdisciplinary topic «Development of Digital Tools and Innovations in Personnel Management Systems in the Context of Digitalization.» The authors analyzed the use of modern technologies and software solutions to improve HR processes, particularly the automation of employee recruitment, evaluation, and development.

Following the results of the competitive selection process, the project took third place among 73 submitted research projects. We sincerely congratulate the participants and their research advisor on this significant achievement and wish them continued success!

We would like to remind you that students from the Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute have repeatedly been named laureates and winners of the «Black Sea Science» competition.

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The «Black Sea Science» International Student Research Competition is held annually at Odessa National Technological University under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Black Sea Universities Network. The goal of the event is to expand international ties and engage students in scientific research in the fields of food science, economics, information technology, energy, and ecology. Participants go through several selection stages, and the best papers are chosen based on criteria of relevance, scientific novelty, and practical significance.

On May 6, 2026, a meeting of the Supervisory Board was held at the National Technical University «KhPI». The rector of NTU «KhPI», Professor Yevgen Sokol, presented a report on the results of 2025 and outlined the goals and objectives for the coming year.

The participants were shown the NTU «KhPI’s» results for this period, as well as the university’s plans and prospects for development. Issues related to improving the educational process, the transformation of engineering education, research, attracting prospective students, and other topics were discussed. Rector Yevgen Sokol highlighted the university’s high rankings in Ukraine and globally, as well as its international projects, and spoke about the unique dual-degree program with German universities, specifically DSG2.

The following individuals attended the Supervisory Board meeting: Vasyl Khmelnytskyi, First Vice President of the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and Chairman of the Supervisory Board; Ihor Lurin, Vice President of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine and Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board; Alla Pyvovar, Director of the Kharkiv Regional Directorate of JSC «Ukrgasbank» and Secretary of the Supervisory Board; Viktoria Kinzburska, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament; Viktor Kovtun, People’s Artist of Ukraine; Eduard Naboka, Executive Director of the Kharkiv Branch of the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs; Oleg Kuprigin, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the public joint-stock company «Turbogaz.» On behalf of NTU «KhPI,» representatives of the Rector’s Office and the University’s Research Department participated in the meeting.

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The Supervisory Board of the NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI») was established in July 2017 to create the conditions necessary for addressing the university’s current and future development goals, with the aim of advancing the development of domestic education and integrating it into the global educational system. The Supervisory Board of NTU «KhPI» includes. prominent representatives of government organizations, as well as figures from industry, business, education, and science who are not employees of the university and have significant professional achievements in the fields of education and science, and who enjoy considerable trust within their educational, scientific, professional, and creative communities, as well as in public organizations. The Supervisory Board of NTU «KhPI» is headed by Vasyl Khmelnytskyi, First Vice President of the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and founder of K.Fund.

The National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» hosted the 34th International Scientific and Practical Conference «Information Technologies: Science, Engineering, Technology, Education, Health» (MicroCAD-2026). The highlight of the first day of the forum was a plenary session featuring Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Denys Kurbatov and speakers from the United Kingdom and Spain. Participants discussed the transformation of the science and innovation sector, the development of core funding for science, global university rankings, and global academic visibility. Special attention was given to the development of international academic cooperation and the interaction of Ukrainian scientists with the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings in Lindau, Germany. The conference brought together scientists, educators, and young researchers from Ukraine and other countries around the world. The forum was held online with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

The plenary session was opened by Yevgen Sokol, Acting Rector of the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» and Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In his remarks, he emphasized that even under the conditions of war,the Hero City of Kharkiv remains one of the key educational and scientific centers in Ukraine, and Kharkiv Polytechnic continues to conduct research, develop international partnerships, and support young scientists. The central event of the forum was a report by Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine and member of the Scientific and Technical Council of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Denys Kurbatov titled «Transformation of the Science and Innovation Sector. Introduction of Core Funding for Research Institutions and Higher Education Institutions.» He examined key directions for reforming Ukraine’s scientific sector, particularly the development of a system for core funding of university research and the updating of approaches to state-funded research. The Deputy Minister devoted significant attention to supporting research infrastructure and strengthening the role of applied and defense-related research. Participants discussed aspects of modernizing the training of young scientists through the introduction of project-based graduate programs and new approaches to obtaining a PhD. Speakers from the United Kingdom and Spain provided a distinct international dimension to the plenary session.

Sam Duke, a representative of QS Quacquarelli Symonds, gave a presentation titled «Overview of the 2026 rankings cycle: Results of Ukrainian institutions.» It focused on an overview of Ukrainian universities’ positions in global rankings and current approaches to evaluating the performance of higher education institutions. The topic of developing international academic cooperation and the participation of young Ukrainian scientists in global scientific networks sparked keen interest among the audience. The participants paid particular attention to the presentation by Aswin Gopakumar, a senior researcher at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ, Spain), titled «Clean Energy, Scaled: Innovations in Heterogeneous Photo- and Electrocatalysis.» He spoke about research in the fields of clean energy, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis. The Ukrainian scientific community was represented by Oleksii Larin, Director of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Computer Modeling, Applied Physics, and Mathematics at the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» and Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The topic of his presentation was «Probabilistic Computational Modeling of the Residual Strength of Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaques in Human Blood Vasculature.»

The conference featured 12 scientific sessions covering a wide range of fields—from energy, electronics, mechanical engineering, computer science, and materials science to medical, social sciences, humanities, and security research. Participants discussed issues related to the development of modern information and medical technologies, space research, national security, and innovative approaches in education. For over 30 years, the MicroCAD conference has been one of the main international scientific platforms of the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute.» Over the years, Nobel Prize laureates in physics Duncan Haldane, William Phillips, and Takaaki Kajita have spoken at the forum’s plenary sessions. Speakers and presenters have included leading global scientists, ministers, university presidents, and representatives of international organizations.

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The 34th International Scientific and Practical Conference MicroCAD-2026 was held at the NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI») from May 13 to 16, 2026. The forum’s co-founders are universities and research institutions from Hungary, Poland, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, and Malaysia. The plenary session took place on May 13, and the sectional sessions were held from May 14 to 16.