Vice-Rector for Research and International Activities, Professor Yurii Danko was delegated to participate in a roundtable discussion to summarise the interim results of the Twinning programme. The event was organised by Cormack Consultancy Group with the participation of Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Mykhailo VINNYTSKYI, Head of the Presidential Foundation for Support of Education, Science and Sport Olha BUDNYK, the British academic community, and representatives of Ukrainian higher education institutions.
The cooperation between Sumy National Agrarian University and the Royal Agricultural University as a part of the Twinning programme began in 2022. In 2023, the universities managed to launch the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security programme at the Faculty of Agrotechnologies and Natural Resource Management. Masters have the opportunity to study simultaneously at two higher education institutions in English and even receive a scholarship for their success. The educational process under this programme will last a year and 4 months. Teaching will be provided by British specialists (75%) and SNAU (25%). Moreover, the partner university will provide SNAU with the most modern innovative equipment for effective training and practical skills.
According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine 112 students are currently studying within the framework of the Twinning programme, and six partnerships between Ukrainian and British universities are being implemented. The participants of the event noted the uniqueness of Sumy double degree programme for Ukraine. All those present emphasised its interdisciplinary and applied orientation.
SNAU and RAU also cooperate on volunteer humanitarian issues. As part of the Twinning programme, the Royal Agricultural University provided financial support and grant opportunities for SNAU researchers. For example, two lecturers of the Department of Management named after L.I. Mykhailova, Liudmyla BATSENKO and Iryna SKLIAR, are participating in the Researchers at Risk Fellowship initiative.
The case of cooperation between SNAU and RAU (UK) was one of the best in Ukraine during the international conference “Internationalisation as a Key to Resilience and Recovery: First Year of the Twinning Programme” at Lviv Polytechnic National University in 2022 (see the link: https://snau.edu.ua/spivpracya-snau-z-korolivskim-agrarnim-universitetom-sered-krashhix-vitchiznyanix-kejsiv/)
Official website of RAU: https://www.rau.ac.uk/.
