The following day, 11 June, practical workshops were held for students and lecturers from the Faculty of Foreign Languages. Participants discussed contemporary approaches to pedagogical research, lesson planning models in TESOL, and the development of teachers’ professional resilience. Particular attention was paid to the role of the teacher in the face of ongoing societal challenges, the development of professional expertise, and maintaining pupils’ motivation.

The final day of the programme, 12 June, brought together English teachers from general secondary schools in the Chernivtsi region. During the professional seminars, participants had the opportunity to discuss current trends in English language teaching, changes in global educational priorities and ways of developing teaching expertise. The events took the form of an open dialogue, enabling participants to share their own experiences and receive practical advice from a British academic.

The participants were welcomed by Ruslan Biloskurskyi, Rector of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University; Yurii Khalavka, Vice-Rector for Academic and Pedagogical Affairs and Research; and Yurii Petrushenko and Yulia Lysanets, representatives of the President of Ukraine’s Foundation for the Support of Education, Science and Sport.

A key highlight of the visit was the presentation to the Faculty of Foreign Languages of a collection of specialist publications on English language teaching methodology and teacher training. The collection includes books on TESOL, the communicative approach to language teaching, lesson planning, professional development for teachers, and modern approaches to language education. The publications will be available to students and lecturers at the faculty and will serve as an additional resource for teaching, research and professional activities.

The UK–UA Visiting Professors Programme is implemented by the Foundation of the President of Ukraine in collaboration with the UK–Ukraine Academic Diaspora Network, JSC ‘Ukrgasbank’ (UGB) and the ‘MHP-Hromadi’ Charitable Foundation.

Professor Jason Anderson on his visit to Chernivtsi National University:

The lectures we organised with the support of the President of Ukraine’s Foundation and our colleagues at Chernivtsi National University covered a wide range of topics designed to help both trainee and experienced teachers teach more effectively and overcome the challenging circumstances they face. These included lectures on teachers’ resilience and their professional expertise in challenging circumstances, lesson planning frameworks that teachers can use, and how to select them depending on the challenges and context of their pupils, as well as lectures on topics such as pedagogical research as tools that teachers can use for self-improvement even when professional development support is not always available. These lectures were particularly important for all the groups we worked with, notably lecturers, staff, trainee teachers and experienced teachers. All three groups will find them useful as they progress through their careers in the current situation in Ukraine, to ensure they can facilitate learning in conditions that are sometimes challenging. All this was made possible thanks to the contribution and support of the President of Ukraine’s Foundation.

In addition to the academic programme, Professor Jason Anderson was taken on guided tours of the historic centre of Chernivtsi and the arboretum at Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. The guest had the opportunity to gain a closer insight into the historical and cultural heritage of the city and the university, as well as to chat with colleagues in an informal setting.

The visit was coordinated by Olga Beshley, Associate Professor in the Department of English at the Faculty of Foreign Languages:

Professor Jason Anderson’s visit took place as part of the UK-UA Visiting Professors programme, with the support of the President of Ukraine’s Fund for the Support of Education, Science and Sport. Chernivtsi National University applied for a grant to facilitate this visit, and we were among the ten universities selected to receive funding and support. Professor Anderson delivered a series of lectures and seminars for three target audiences: university lecturers, particularly those from the Faculty of Foreign Languages; students of the Faculty of Foreign Languages – specifically those who will become English teachers in the future; and local school teachers. The topics of his lectures and seminars covered lesson planning, conducting educational research, digitalisation and interdisciplinarity in education. These issues are particularly important for enriching the knowledge and experience of young lecturers and future teachers – who will be the driving force of our society in the future – in order to strengthen their resilience and foster a sense of support from the global community. There are plans to continue the collaboration between Chernivtsi National University and University of Warwick in the future, specifically through a series of lectures and seminars to be delivered by Professor Anderson in October for students of the Faculty of Foreign Languages.

Professor Jason Anderson’s visit marked an important step in the development of international academic partnership and opened up new opportunities for collaboration between Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University and the University of Warwick. A series of online lectures for lecturers at the Faculty of Foreign Languages is already planned for this autumn, and the possibility of joint educational and research initiatives aimed at supporting the training of future English language teachers and the development of modern teacher training is currently being explored.