Sumy National Agrarian University traditionally marks its anniversary not only with festive events but also with tangible achievements. The university community celebrated its 49th anniversary in a special setting—a new, modern facility at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. This once again underscored SNAU’s status as a space of resilience, where safety and development remain inseparable.
Over nearly half a century, the university has evolved from a small branch to one of Ukraine’s leading scientific and educational centers. During the anniversary celebrations, SNAU reaffirmed its academic authority: according to the 2026 Scopus scientometric database ranking of higher education institutions, it ranked 30th among 219 Ukrainian higher education institutions. This demonstrates the integration of the university’s research into the global scientific community.
The Academic Council’s ceremonial meeting began with a moment of silence in memory of Ukraine’s fallen defenders—students and university staff. Rector Ihor Kovalenko emphasized that today the university is part of the educational front, and every scientific achievement is a contribution to the country’s reconstruction.
The Rector’s Advisor and Chair of the Academic Council, Volodymyr Ladyka—a renowned scientist and respected leader of the academic community—joined in the congratulations. He emphasized that the 49th anniversary is a significant milestone in the university’s development, confirming its strength, the unity of its staff, and its readiness to move confidently toward its centennial year.
A significant indicator of the university’s openness to the world was the presentation of certificates of completion for the virtual semester at the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (Germany). This project opened new horizons for top students from nearly all faculties, enabling them to align with European educational standards:
The highlight of the meeting was the recognition of specialists for their high level of professionalism and significant personal contributions to the development of education.
The following individuals were awarded letters of appreciation from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine:
Inna Zubtsova (Head of the Department of Ecology and Botany), Tetyana Sinenko (Associate Professor, Department of Food Technology and Safety), Roman Yaroshchuk (Associate Professor, Department of Ecology and Botany), Nataliia Mazina (Chief Accountant), and Viktoriia Zayarna (Head of the Student Affairs Department).
The following individuals received letters of appreciation from the Director of the Department of Agricultural and Industrial Development of the Sumy Regional State Administration:
Nadiya Baranik (senior methodologist of the Department of Education Quality, Licensing, and Accreditation), Tetiana Marenkova (senior lecturer of the Department of Food Technology), Mykola Kolesnyk (deputy head of the Academic Department), and Oksana Prykhodchenko (leading specialist of the Research Division).
The following individuals were recognized with letters of appreciation from the Department of Education and Science of the Sumy Regional State Administration:
Tetiana Klochkova (Head of the Department of Foreign Languages), Olga Hetmanenko (Leader of the Student Affairs Club), Svitlana Balo (Senior Specialist of the Records Management Department), Lyubov Kravchenko (Head of the Library Services and Collections Department), Yulia Kosheva (senior specialist of the Admissions Committee), Svitlana Osadcha (senior occupational safety engineer of the Department of Occupational Safety and Life Safety).
The following individuals received high praise from regional and municipal authorities:
Certificates of Commendation from the Chairman of the Sumy Regional Council: Lyudmila Tsyganenko (Head of the Department of Building Structures), Svitlana Lypova (Senior Employment Specialist of the Human Resources Department), Olena Nahorna (Senior Accountant of the Accounting Department), Alla Svyryd (Head of the Student Campus).
Certificates of Honor from the Chairman of the Sumy City Council: Viktor Serhienko (Head of the Admissions Committee), Yuriy Serheyev (Head of the Student Affairs Club), Volodymyr Bessarab (Security Guard, Security Guard Team).
The following individuals received special thanks from the SNAU Rector for their contributions to the university’s operations: Oleksandr Kalashnyk (Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Pharmacy, and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine), Oleh Radchuk (Associate Professor of the Department of Technical Systems Design), Ihor Kompanets (Associate Professor of the Department of Technology of Production and Processing of Livestock Products), Lyubov Pavlyuchenko (Senior Dispatcher of the Faculty of Law), Iryna Denysenko (Senior Coordinator of the Faculty of Agricultural Technologies and Natural Resource Management), Svitlana Kyrychenko (Senior Coordinator of the Faculty of Economics and Management), Olena Sokolova (Deputy Head of the International Relations Department), Oleksii Alekseev (Music Director of the Student Affairs Department), Yulia Zabara (Director of the Catering Complex).
A particularly emotional moment was the presentation of the music video “Let the Star Shine, SNAU Shine” by the Media Center. The creative energy continued with a performance by the “SWAY” ensemble and a triumphant number by the SNAU combined choir—the winners of the city-wide “Voice Vibe 2026” competition. For the successful implementation of this project, artistic directors Roman Demenko and Anna Pakhomova were honored with letters of appreciation from Ukrainian People’s Deputy Mykhailo Ananchenko.
After the conclusion of the ceremonial portion, the Academic Council proceeded to consider strategic items on the agenda. In particular, they reviewed competitive cases (certification materials of candidates for the academic ranks of professor and associate professor), as well as the issue of approving the Admission Rules for 2026.
Having crossed the 49-year milestone, SNAU is confidently beginning preparations for its anniversary year, demonstrating its continued leadership in agricultural education in Ukraine.
Happy birthday, our beloved university! Together to new heights!
