Sumy National Agrarian University is one of the first in Ukraine to implement the latest tools of scientific diplomacy and to put into practice the current strategic decisions of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. On 11 June 2026, a landmark event took place at the university – the ceremonial presentation of the mandate of SNAU scientific ambassador to senior researcher, Candidate of Technical Sciences and Associate Professor Olena MELNYK. This step marked the practical launch of a new state initiative aimed at strengthening ties between Ukrainian scientists and the global academic community.
For our university, this mandate is a special mark of the highest trust and recognition of professional authority. From now on, Olena MELNYK, who holds official academic affiliations with leading European institutions – the University of Bern (Switzerland) and the Royal Agricultural University (United Kingdom) – will officially represent the research and educational potential of SNAU before foreign higher education institutions, state bodies and international innovation centres.
The mandate grants the researcher clear and substantial powers. Her key tasks include identifying opportunities to establish strategic partnerships, developing large-scale research consortia, and facilitating the participation of SNAU researchers in joint international projects with external funding. A separate and crucial focus of Olena MELNYK’s work will be the academic defence of Ukraine: enhancing the international visibility of domestic science and directly countering the disinformation narratives of the aggressor state within the European scientific community.
Olena MELNYK herself, sharing her feelings after receiving her mandate, admitted that six years ago she had chosen SNAU from among several promising offers, and since then the university has become a true source of strength for her.
“Despite the pandemic, the challenges of war, being forced to move abroad and working in prestigious foreign institutions, it is my home university that has always remained a source of support, trust and development. Today, representing the university in international circles, I speak with pride of my belonging to the SNAU community. Our university is not just a place of work, but a united family and a team of like-minded people who inspire the boldest ideas even in the most difficult times,” the researcher noted.
The conferral of this mandate demonstrates that modern Ukrainian science is shaped by people who work tirelessly to enhance the standing of their country and university on the global stage, safeguarding its interests on both the research and communications fronts.
We warmly congratulate Olena MELNYK on her honorary status as a scientific ambassador of SNAU! We wish her inspiration, new large-scale projects and significant scientific achievements for the benefit of the university and the future of Ukraine!
