Kick-off meeting of the DigiUni – Open Ukrainian Initiative project (25.03.2024, Kyiv)
On 25 March 2024, the team of the National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine joined the meeting of the participants of the international consortium of universities on DigiUni (Digital University – Open Ukrainian Initiative) project in the Red Building of KNU was the legal start of the project implementation. Representatives of all domestic and foreign partners joined the discussion in an offline and online format.
The DigiUni (Digital University – Open Ukrainian Initiative) international project was presented in October 2023. Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv has been designated as its coordinator. The initiative united 22 educational and scientific institutions of Ukraine, Germany, Spain, France, the Czech Republic and Poland.
“The DigiUni – Open Ukrainian Initiative project is a response to the large-scale challenges faced by the Ukrainian higher education system in connection with war and migration. In conditions when a significant part of the educational infrastructure of Ukraine is damaged or destroyed, the creation of a digital educational ecosystem of Ukraine will help ensure continuous, high-quality, inclusive education, regardless of the location of the participants of the process”, – said Rector of KNU Volodymyr BUGROVIN his welcoming speech.
Subsequently, Kseniia SMYRNOVA, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation and project coordinator from KNU, noted that “the meeting accompanied with explosions is a symbol of resilient work of the University despite external security challenges.”
The DigiUni – Open Ukrainian Initiative project is possible thanks to the establishment of close cooperation between Ukrainian universities which is extremely important for the development of higher education in Ukraine in the conditions of war, limited resources and constant changes. Oleksandra HUSAK, Director-General of the Directorate of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Ministry of Education and Science, emphasised this.
Oleksandra HUSAK noted the important contribution of the National Erasmus+ office in Ukraine which provided communication between Ukraine and the EU “for this story to sky-rocket.”
Svitlana SHYTIKOVA, coordinator of the National Erasmus+ office – Ukraine, in her turn, assured that it is primarily about support, partnership, unity, innovation and opportunities.
Olha BUDNYK, the advisor-commissioner of the President on issues of the President’s of Ukraine Fund for the support of Education, Science, and sports, is convinced that the project will have a huge impact on our education system and we will be able to share the lessons learned within it with the world.
Prepared using materials of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.