From 28 to 31 October 2024, Vice-Rector for Scientific and International Activities of Sumy National Agrarian University, Professor Yurii Danko, and Associate Professor of the Department of Marketing and Logistics Kseniia Blumska-Danko, together with other representatives of the member universities of the Erasmus+ consortium ‘Universities-Communities: Strengthening Cooperation’ visited Germany (Bielefeld). The purpose of the visit was to strengthen cooperation between Ukrainian universities and the Fachhochschule des Mittelstands, as well as to study the German experience of interaction between universities and regional communities.
The programme of the visit was rich and varied. On the first day, the participants discussed aspects of cooperation between universities and regional communities, particularly in the field of further education. The German colleagues stressed the importance of identifying the needs of the region and engaging all stakeholders in cooperation.
On the second day, the delegation visited the municipality of Bielefeld and got acquainted with the experience of cooperation between the university and OWL GmbH, an organisation that promotes sustainable development in the region. Representatives of OWL GmbH spoke about the mechanisms of attracting investments, supporting small and medium-sized businesses and developing innovations. For the Ukrainian participants, this experience was a great opportunity to see how theoretical knowledge was applied in practice.
The third day was dedicated to the digital transformation of education. The participants took part in a webinar on ‘Enhancing Hybrid Teaching in Higher Education with Chatbots’, where they discussed the possibilities of using artificial intelligence to improve learning efficiency. In addition, the delegation visited the Open Innovation City centre to learn about approaches to sustainable cooperation between the university, business and community.
The last day of the visit was devoted to discussing the role of the lifelong learning system. The panelists stressed the importance of adapting educational programmes to the needs of the labour market and creating flexible learning systems that allow people to acquire new knowledge and skills throughout their lives.
During the visit to Bielefeld, the participants had the opportunity not only to learn about the experience of their German colleagues and establish new contacts, but also to discuss the prospects for further cooperation. The results of this visit will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening the positions of the partner universities in the international arena.
