- Friday, July 3, 2026
On 25–27 June, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University hosted a gathering of university leaders, academics, administrators and experts from across Ukraine. The venue hosted the first stage of the 5th Summer School for Professional Development, "Networking as a Principle and Tool for Building Academic Partnerships" — one of the key events organised by the All-Ukrainian public organisation ‘Innovative University’.
This year, the School brought together 62 participants from 28 higher education institutions across Ukraine, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance. Over the course of three days, they discussed current challenges in higher education, shared experiences and forged new academic partnerships.
This is the fifth time the Summer School has brought together representatives of the university community. In total, eleven thematic schools have been held since the project began, providing a forum for professional dialogue and the development of cooperation between higher education institutions.
This year’s Summer School was made particularly significant by the fact that it was hosted by Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University — one of Ukraine’s oldest and most prestigious universities, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Participants worked in the university’s historic halls, learning about its history, traditions and contemporary academic life.
The concept for the Summer School and its thematic focus were proposed by Taras Finikov, a graduate of Chernivtsi University — President of the International Foundation for Educational Policy Research, Professor at the University of Warsaw, and one of Ukraine’s leading experts in the field of educational policy and academic leadership. It was his many years of work on the ‘Innovative University and Leadership’ project that helped to establish a professional network which today brings together administrators, researchers and lecturers from Ukrainian universities.
The participants were welcomed by the Rector of Chernivtsi National University, Professor Ruslan Biloskurskyi; the Chair of the All-Ukrainian Public Organisation "Innovative Universit"’, Professor Olesia Vashchuk; and Taras Finikov. Over the course of three days, participants attended TED talks, took part in training sessions, practical workshops and panel discussions. Taras Finikov, Yurii Khalavka, Olena Shapovalova, Uliana Zbezhkhovska, Oleg Lagodniuk, Serhii Fedonyuk, Maksym Folomeyev, Anastasia Simakhova and Taras Hryadil shared their experiences.
The discussions on the current challenges facing the development of higher education attracted particular interest from participants: the digital transformation of universities; the use of artificial intelligence technologies to foster academic networking; the formation, development and sustainability of professional networks; public communications by higher education institutions and academic communities; international partnerships; and contemporary models of university leadership.
The first stage of the Summer School was moderated by Dr Teodozia Yatsyshyn, Professor of Technical Sciences, and Dr Olga Martyniuk, Professor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at Chernivtsi National University. Lecturers from the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science were actively involved in organising the event, ensuring the high standard of the Summer School and a welcoming atmosphere for its participants.
Following the completion of the face-to-face phase, work on the project continues. Participants have already developed concepts for their own micro-projects and will be working on them alongside their mentors over the next four months. In the autumn, during the third stage of the School, they will present the results of their work and defend their projects, which are aimed at developing academic partnerships, university communities and introducing innovations in higher education.
The cultural programme has become an integral part of the Summer School. Participants visited the university’s architectural gem — the Residence of the Metropolitans of Bukovina and Dalmatia — and took a stroll through the historic centre of Chernivtsi, discovering the city as a hub of multicultural heritage and academic traditions.
A warm finale to the first stage was a musical performance by the ‘Harmonia’ folk amateur ensemble, comprising lecturers and students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at Chernivtsi University. The performance of the song ‘Kvitka Rozmarija’ (Rosemary Flower), made famous in its day by the legendary Nazariy Yaremchuk — a graduate of Chernivtsi University — evoked particularly strong emotions. This symbolic finale served as yet another reminder of the university’s strong connection to its history, culture and the people who shape its present.
The summer school has once again confirmed that genuine networking begins with trust, professional dialogue and a shared desire to develop Ukrainian higher education. It is precisely such gatherings that mark the beginning of new partnerships, joint projects and future success stories.
