Sumy National Agrarian University is confidently shaping the future of Ukrainian education, actively implementing a dual form of education, which combines modern academic knowledge with direct work at leading enterprises. This approach allows students not only to acquire fundamental knowledge, but also to gain practical skills in real production conditions, preparing them for a successful career and high competitiveness in the labor market.
One of the key issues of the last meeting of the University’s Academic Council was the discussion of the results of the implementation of dual education and the state of practical training of students. During her report to the Academic Council, Vice-Rector for Scientific, Pedagogical and Educational Work Marharyta Lyshenko presented the results of the implementation of the dual form of education, demonstrated successful cases of students in internships and trainings, and outlined new promising areas for the development of this area at the university. Innovative mechanisms for integrating theoretical training with practical work at enterprises were emphasized, which allows students to form unique professional competencies while still studying. Following the discussion, the Academic Council made a decision to further scale up dual education, expand the partner network, and actively involve all structural divisions of the university in this strategic direction.
Dual education at SNAU is based on a wide partner network of leading companies in the agricultural, food, and transport industries, including Kernel LLC, Agrotrade Group of Companies, MHP, Rise-Maximko PrJSC, Agrosem LLC, and Ukrlandfarming Group of Companies. Students studying in the dual form work at leading enterprises in the agricultural, food, and transport industries in their specialty, combining professional activities with studies at SNAU. They perform real production tasks, get acquainted with advanced technologies and modern processes at enterprises, participate in large-scale agricultural projects, implement innovative solutions, and work on real cases. This format allows students to develop unique professional competencies and be fully prepared for the challenges of the modern labor market.
A real success story is Kristina Zinchenko, a student of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, who is undergoing dual education at Vinnytsia Poultry Farm LLC and works as a doctor of veterinary medicine. According to her, dual education provides an excellent opportunity to combine study and work, receive a high salary, and also use free accommodation and meals. Such experience allows students to develop professional skills in real conditions and form a stable and promising career while studying.
As Margarita Lyshenko, Vice-Rector for Scientific, Pedagogical and Educational Work, emphasized:
“Dual education at SNAU creates an effective platform for interaction between the university and the professional environment. Our students receive not just knowledge, but practical skills and experience that make them competitive in the labor market and ready for the professional challenges of the modern economy. This allows them to quickly integrate into production processes and implement their professional competencies at a high level.”
Dual education is a strategic direction that shapes the future of Ukrainian education and vocational training. SNAU creates its own model of success, where knowledge, practical work and real opportunities for students are organically combined into a single system for training highly qualified specialists of the new generation. The university provides students with access to modern technologies, participation in real projects, advanced production processes and direct interaction with leading
industry specialists. It is this approach that forms a competitive, innovative and socially responsible generation of professionals, ready to actively influence the development of Ukraine’s agricultural and related industries.
