Project results (May 2024 - May 2025)

On 9 May 2024, it was the final of the exciting Energy Youth Hackathon. The event brought together creative young students from the Institute of Energy and Control Systems, the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Institute of Computer Science and Information Technology. A total of 46 participants and 6 team mentors took part in the Hackathon.

During the event, participants were divided into teams, each working on their own project using modern technologies and innovative approaches in the energy field. The event organisers and mentors helped the teams prepare interesting projects.

"Energy Youth" covered a wide range of topics, including: renewable energy sources, development of new technologies and methods for collecting and using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy, development of tools and strategies to reduce energy consumption in industry, households and public buildings, smart cities using the IoT, artificial intelligence and other technologies to create smart cities and energy efficient management systems.

The Hackathon participants presented their innovative solutions and perspectives in the final with amazing presentations that were marked by creativity, depth of analysis and practical application. In the final, 7 teams were competing for the victory with presentations of their projects, namely:

• "New solutions to boost the electric car market in Ukraine"
• "Smart city"
• "Weponisation of energy resources"
• "Use of hydrogen batteries for wheelchairs"
• "Smart Grid"
• "Energy consumption monitoring system to improve energy efficiency in educational establishments"
• "Application of small wind turbines for lighting highways"

From ideas for raising awareness of energy efficiency to the introduction of innovative technologies, each team contributed to the development of the energy sector. The Energy Youth hackathon ended with the selection of the best projects and the awarding of the winners.

First place - the team of the Nuclear Energy group and the project "Use of hydrogen batteries for wheelchairs"

II place - the team of the International Relations group and the project "Weponisation of energy resources" 

The third place was shared by two teams - the Automation and Computer-Integrated Technologies speciality with the project "Energy Monitoring System for Improving Energy Efficiency in Educational Institutions" and the Computational Intelligence speciality with the Smart City project.

The event demonstrated that connecting young minds and innovative approaches can change the world for the better.

The Energy Youth Hackathon was held as part of the European Studies for Technical Specialities at Lviv Polytechnic National University (EUSTS) project with the support of the EU Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Programme.

More information about EUSTS can be found on the project website within the Lviv Polytechnic Portal.

On May 15, 2024, within the framework of the European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University (EUSTS) project with the support of the EU Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Program, an interactive event "Dissemination of Best Practices in Teaching European Studies and Creation of Interdisciplinary Programs in Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine: Exchange of Experience" was held online. The event, organized by the team of the European Studies for Technical Universities at Lviv Polytechnic National University together with the professors of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, was held under the slogan "Courage to Teach" by Kharkiv colleagues who demonstrate high professionalism in the development of international cooperation, research and education in extremely difficult conditions. The head of the Jean Monnet Chair "In-depth Study of EU Law and Values: Ukrainian Context" at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, the head of the Department of European Union Law, Doctor of Law, Professor Tetiana Komarova, noted that "European integration is not only about the economy, but also about European values". This is extremely important for frontline Kharkiv, because "30 km to the border where civilization ends, it is important to talk about European values." The speaker focused on the presentation of the experience of the Jean Monnet Chair "In-depth Study of EU Law and Values: Ukrainian Context" at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, shared best practices of engaging leading European lecturers in projects, who once directly developed European integration plans for EU candidate countries. Kharkiv students had the opportunity to communicate with Professor G. Munoz of Ghent University, Professor A. Bodnar of Warsaw University, Professor L. Grzejzak of Lodz University, Professor L. Jakulevičienė of Mykola Romenis University, and others, which was made possible by many years of professional connections. The information about the establishment of the EU Law Club, conducting training schools, focus groups of which are not only students, but also teachers, judges, lawyers, journalists, etc. aroused great interest. At the end of Prof. Komarova's speech, a lively discussion took place, as Lviv colleagues were interested in ways to engage young people in European studies, how the university develops knowledge of EU trade law, and what EU-related courses are taught by the department. It turned out that these are almost 25 educational components that serve as a solid core for the development of knowledge about the EU and Ukraine's European integration at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University. Instead, Ph, D., Associate Professor Tetiana Anakina (Associate Professor of the Department of European Union Law at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, member of the team). Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, member of the Jean Monnet Chair team "Advanced Study of EU Law and Values: Ukrainian Context", visiting lecturer at the Complutense University of Madrid) logically continued her colleague's speech, focusing on the experience of teaching EU law at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University and the historical genesis of the formation of a specialized department of EU law at the university. The speaker elaborated on the structure of the courses (compulsory and elective), such as EU Law, EU Law in Justice and Home Affairs, etc. Similarly to Lviv Polytechnic, topics on EU-Ukraine cooperation in energy, transport, environmental protection, security and defense are popular among students. Associate Professor T. Anakina shared her experience of implementing the best European educational practices in the educational process, such as organizing moot courts and more active use of interactive teaching methods.

No less interesting and rich experience was shared by the participants of the EUSTS project at Lviv Polytechnic National University in implementing European studies. Thus, prof. Yaryna Turchyn (EUSTS Project Leader, Director of the IGSS NULP) focused on the features and main stages of the development of European studies at Lviv Polytechnic National University, the results of a sociological survey, the prospects for introducing interdisciplinary educational programs on the EU and European integration of Ukraine, where she focused on the Energy Security program, which, in the opinion of the EUSTS team members, is extremely relevant and innovative in the context of European energy trends. Associate Professor Nataliia Vovk (EUSTS project participant, Associate Professor of the Department of Social Communications and Information Activities of the NULP) shared the best practices of teaching European studies to students of technical specialties, developed over the two years of the EUSTS project implementation at the NULP, which are worth disseminating to other Ukrainian universities. Associate Professor Olena Lukachuk (INNOVATION HUB mentor, EUSTS project participant, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the NULP) presented the experience of project activities of NULP students, including through EU programs, as well as the specific results of such work.

The practical part of the event with the use of interactive teaching methods to form knowledge about the EU as a responsible global actor in the modern system of international relations for students of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University (Kharkiv) was conducted by trainers in teaching methods, participants of the EUSTS project - Associate Professor Olga Ivasechko (Department of International Relations), Associate Professor Oleg Tsebenko (Department of International Relations). During the practical part, the participants used the exercise "Walking through the EU Tour Gallery", where students got acquainted with key EU institutions, senior EU officials, and various facts about the EU. They also held a Kahoot on the history of European integration, where students competed with each other in knowledge of various facts and features related to European states and the EU.

At the beginning of the event, Prof. T. Komarova noted the problem of the shortage of personnel in Ukraine in the field of European integration, which is about 2000 specialists annually. At the end of the meeting, Prof. Y. Turchyn emphasized that only through joint efforts and the implementation of interdisciplinary programs is it possible to train such specialists - European integrators in law, economics, energy, transport, environment, etc., ensuring Ukraine's diverse needs for approximation to the EU. In total, the event was attended by over 50 people - students, professors, and postgraduate students of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University (28 people) and Lviv Polytechnic National University (27 people). The EUSTS project team expresses its gratitude to all the participants of the event - the resilient Kharkiv citizens - for interesting discussions, professional reports, exchange of best practices, and development of new ideas for the development of interdisciplinary educational programs in European Studies in Ukrainian universities.

Associate Prof. Oleksandr Markovets (Department of CID), Associate Prof. Lidia Kasha (Department of ECS), and Associate Prof. Iryna Sukhorolska (Department of PME) also joined the preparation of the event.

More information about the EUSTS project can be found here.

The winners of the Best European Practices video contest have been announced

On June 06, 2024, the team of the project “European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University” announced the results of an exciting video competition on “Best European Practices”, which attracted the attention of talented creative students from many specialities of Lviv Polytechnic. As part of this event, participants created videos presenting and explaining the best European practices in any field: culture, education, innovation, ecology, information technology, etc.

The competition brought together an impressive variety of ideas and creative approaches to showcasing European achievements. The videos were informative and motivated viewers to improve and implement best practices in their communities.

The winners of the competition were the teams of the following projects:

• 1st place – project “E-Heritage” (team of the group VP-21: Khrystyna Khrobak, Vlada Mishcheriakova, Roman Yakymiv, Viktoriia Krutko, Anastasiia Snihur, Olha Myshchak, Olena Ivanina);
• 2nd place:
  • project “Ukrainian Electric Car Market” (team of the group MV-24: Mykhailo Yushchenko, Oleksiy Nahirnyi, Anastasiia Shkil, Anastasiia Los, Anastasiia Gedeliuk, Maria Pikh, Sofia Rozhakh, Oksana Syvak, Yelyzaveta Romanenko);
  • project “Smart Grid as a basis for innovative transformations in the electricity market of Ukraine in the context of European integration processes” (team of the group OІ-11сп: Denys Oliynyk, Yaromyr-Oleh Kuspis, Yuriy Romanchak, Bohdan Klochko, Danylo Klishch, Natalia Vyshynska and Vitaliy Spelina)
• 3rd place:
  • project “Integration of Smart City principles and introduction of energy innovations in the process of post-war reconstruction of administrative and territorial units” (team of the group ОІ-11 сп: Pavlo-Petro Stefanyshyn, Oleksandr Polishchuk, Vitaliy Surzhykyvych, Volodymyr Havryliuk, Pavlo Kitsanyuk, Pavlo Valchevsky, Pavlo Hlyn, and Vitaliy Uhera);
  • project “Digitalization in Ukraine: Status, Trends and Prospects” (team of the group КБ-208: Roman Kubai, Andrii Petrovskyi, Oleh Plish);
  • project “Ecotourism” (student of group СТ-21 Rushchak Andriana).

The best videos are posted on the EUSTS project Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083517677790).

The team of the project “European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University” expresses its gratitude to all participants for their efforts and creativity. We congratulate the winners and all participants on their significant achievements and look forward to further cooperation in promoting the development of European practices around the world.

The second year of the project “European Studies for Technical Specialties” has been completed at the University

The second year of the “European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University” project has come to an end. According to the results of the spring semester of the 2023/2024 academic year, 318 students successfully completed three elective courses: "EU Environmental and Climate Sustainability", " Ukraine- EU: Digital Transformation" and "EU Energy and New Trends for Ukraine". In total, 537 students improved their knowledge of the EU and Ukraine's European integration during the academic year.

Lecture courses are filled with new and relevant information, and all practical classes are conducted in an interactive manner using various teaching methods, such as debates, gallery walks, snow globes, windshields, the Microphone method, problem circle, SCAMPER, etc.

One of the final tasks of the modules is collective projects, during which students mainly focused on researching EU initiatives and the specifics of their implementation in Ukraine, taking into account the professional specialization of their teams.

Thus, 148 students (Institute of Energy and Control Systems, Institute of Computer Science and Information Technology, Institute of Computer Engineering and Automation, Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Institute of Sustainable Development, Institute of Civil Engineering and Engineering Systems, Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences) successfully completed the module “EU Environmental and Climate Resilience”. As part of their individual projects, the teams presented research on the specifics of EU support programs, in particular on the following topics: “Ecological transport and the development of an electric and hybrid public transport system”, “Environmental pollution due to mining and ore processing in the EU”, “Green Future: How the EU helps the Eastern Partnership”, “Life - the EU's environmental and climate program”, “Development of green energy in Ukraine through the use of biofuels and biogas”, and others.

Knowledge of digital transformation and EU best practices was improved by 108 full-time students (Institute of Mechanics and Transport, Institute of Computer Technology and Automation, Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Institute of Civil Engineering and Engineering Systems, Institute of Radio Electronics, Institute of Computer Science and Information Technology, Institute of Law and Psychology) through the EU-Ukraine: Digital Transformation module. The most relevant topics for the students were the introduction of modern digital technologies in various sectors of the economy, innovative teaching methods, cybersecurity, and regulatory aspects of digital transformation in accordance with European standards. The students presented their team work on the study of the peculiarities of digital transformation in various sectors of the economy in Ukraine and the EU, in particular on the following topics: “E-voting in the EU: Challenges and Threats”, “EU's Common Technology Policy”, “EU4Digital Project”, “Digitalization of Local Government Administrative Services: EU and Ukrainian Experience”, “Relevance of the Development of Electronic Internet Services to the Student's Educational Literature”, “Digitalization as a Global Trend”, “EU Experience in Using Cloud Technologies”, etc.

62 students (Institute of Power Engineering and Control Systems, Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Computer Technologies and Automation) learned about the EU's progressive experience in energy efficiency and energy saving. The students presented a number of their research projects, which concerned both EU energy trends and the specifics of the implementation of Brussels' energy programs and initiatives in Ukraine. Among the projects submitted by the students, the following are worth highlighting: “Hydropower in Ukraine”, “Key areas of the EU's modern energy policy: problems and challenges of digitalization”, “Renewable energy development in the EU”, “Energy-saving technologies in Ukraine: challenges and solutions with the support of the European Union”, and others.

The students positively evaluated the content of the modules and the methods of teaching them, as they gained not only theoretical knowledge about the European Union but also practical skills in implementing European experience for the development and post-war recovery of Ukraine.

As a result of successful completion of the modules, each student received a certificate of learning.

In addition, students participated in seven lectures and discussions with well-known practitioners, experts, and researchers from the European Union (Ihor Panchenko, Head of Regional Digital Transformation at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine; Maksym Stoliarchuk, Head of the Digital Development Department of the Lviv Regional Military Administration; Dainius Žalimas, Dean of the Law Faculty of Vytautas Magnus University, Representative of the Republic of Lithuania to the European Commission for Democracy through Law; Andriy Ursta, energy market analyst at DiXi Group; Yevhen Magda, political scientist, Director of the Institute of World Policy, Ph, D. in Political Science, Associate Professor of the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”; Oleksandr Sukhodola, Head of the Department of Critical Infrastructure, Energy and Environmental Security of the National Institute for Strategic Studies, Doctor of Science in Public Administration, Professor; Svitlana Romanko, founder and director of “Razom We Stand”), participants of the regional business webinar “Approximation to EU standards and opportunities for Ukrainian business: experience of the Western region” (guest speaker - Serhiy Pylypiv, CEO of Grafix, Chairman of the Environment Committee of Rotary International District 2232, developer of the Green Mill compressed air windmill, trainer of the Rotary Leadership Institute), workshop “Boost your digitalization”, Academy of European Studies “Decentralization and community development: EU programs for Ukraine", winter school ‘European best practices: energy, digital and environmental dimensions’, interactive event Speaking Club ‘New European trends and professional growth’, media literacy events ‘Truth about the EU’, interactive event Eurolibrary (guest speaker - Anastasia Doroshenko, PhD in Technical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Automated Control Systems at the Institute of Computer Science and Technology, coordinator of a number of Jean Monnet projects at Lviv Polytechnic National University) and an excursion to Lviv Open Lab, a space for innovative education in Lviv, as part of European public tours.

First-year students of the Institute of Energy and Control Systems learned about the peculiarities of using solar, wind and biological energy during a visit to the Museum of the History of Electrification of the Lviv Region as part of the EUSTS project

On September 12, 2024, 42 first-year students majoring in Electric Power Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electromechanics, namely groups EE-11 and EE-13 of the Institute of Energy and Control Systems, took part in a public tour of the interactive Museum of the History of Electrification of Lviv Region, which took place as part of the project “European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University”.

The Museum’s exposition aims to promote the use of renewable energy sources in the region and the economical use of electricity by household consumers in the current difficult times for Ukraine’s energy system. The publication presents the path of electrification of the Lviv region in an accessible interactive form, taking into account both historical facts and modern energy trends. Special attention is given to distributed generation, ensuring the stability and flexibility of the power system by significantly increasing the use of renewable energy in the Lviv region. This is being implemented through joint projects with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as attracting additional investments from international companies, including Vestas, Notus Energy and Goldbeck Solar, confirming the growing interest in renewable energy sources in Ukraine.

The first-year students learned that the first time Lviv residents learned about electricity was in 1894 when an electric tram was put into operation. During the tour, they heard an interesting story: the first electric arc lamps were installed in 1882 in the Sejm Hall of the Galician Sejm (the current building of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv). The guide told us that in Poland, electric devices were rented and worked in the then Municipal Electric Institutions (MZE). It was equivalent in salary and prestige to a modern IT worker.

The students also heard an interesting story from the museum's director, Bohdana Berzhytska, who said that the Opera House has been a key element in the electrification of Lviv since the 1900s. At that time, a distribution center and batteries were placed in its dungeon. Not only the theatre but also the surrounding streets were illuminated from the distribution center.

Along with the active electrification of the city, the number of people who wanted to have electricity in their homes also increased. Thus, along with the connection to the power grid, meters were installed, for which the consumer usually paid from 0.5 to 5 Austro-Hungarian crowns, depending on the parameters of the meter.

The Municipal Clinical Hospital on Pekarska Street was one of the first to be connected to the power grid. At that time, private homes, households, and industrial offices were electrified.

The students saw with their own eyes Zygmunt Rudakovsky’s 1908 plan for laying cable lines in Lviv. It has miraculously survived to this day, as have the electricians’ certificates from that time, which gave them the right to free travel for life, a great luxury in those days.

“An unforgettable experience! The Museum of the History of Electrification of the Lviv Region is a fascinating and informative leisure time for students and everyone. We tried to start the first tram with our own hands. We saw how the Tesla coil works. We learned how our ancestors imagined the electric progress. We turned on the first electric lamp in the city and much more,” said Diana Brezitska, Bohdan Baida, Maksym Storoshchuk and Oleksandr Kushnir, students of the EE-11 group.

The museum contains an incredible number of rare items: original pre-war meters, fuses, various diagrams and maps, a mini-tram, a copy of an arc lamp that has been lighting the way for Lviv residents since 1909, a model of a mine, a Tesla laboratory where you can use a Tesla coil to light lamps wirelessly, an electric chair, and much more. These exhibits can be picked up, examined and even tested for proper functioning.

“In the museum, you can test a Tesla coil, try to start an electric tram and a power plant, be a dispatcher, and even see an electric chair! We thank the museum staff for preserving and researching history, telling it in an interesting way, and making a visit to the museum a pleasant attraction!”, the students of the EE-13 group shared their impressions.

The students were accompanied by the curator of the EE-11 group, Yurii Biletskyi, Associate Professor of the Department of Electromechatronics and Computerized Electromechanical Systems, the curator of the EE-13 group, Petro Baran, Associate Professor of the Department of Power Engineering and Control Systems, and members of the EUSTS project team: Yaryna Turchyn, Director of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Lidia Kasha, Associate Professor of the Department of Electromchatronics and Computerized Electromechanical Systems, Oleksandr Markovets, Head of the Department of Social Communication and Information Activity, Natalia Vovk, Associate Professor of the Department of Social Communication and Information Activity, Olha Ivasechko, Oleh Tsebenko, Iryna Sukhorolska, Olena Lukachuk, Associate Professors of the Department of Political Science and International Relations.

The EUSTS project team is grateful to Bohdana Berzhytska, Director of the Museum of the History of Electrification of the Lviv Region, for an interactive, interesting and informative tour that undoubtedly inspired the budding power engineers to study even harder!

The event was held within the framework of the project “European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University” (EUSTS) with the support of the EU Erasmus+ Jean Monnet program.

More information about EUSTS can be found on the project website within the Lviv Polytechnic Portal.

As part of the EUSTS Project, students majoring in international relations visited UNBROKEN, a center for the resilience of Ukrainians, which is financially supported by all European countries

On September 13, 2024, the team of the project “European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University (EUSTS)” conducted a public tour “What has been done or co-financed by the EU?” for 46 first-year students of International Relations. The students visited the National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN, an ecosystem of support and care for people whose lives have been dramatically changed by war.

UNBROKEN is a complex of buildings located at the First Medical Association of Lviv: several buildings of the rehabilitation center, a hospital, post-hospital care homes, a prosthetics and orthotics center, research and training centers, as well as a number of social facilities, such as residences for patients and their families, a kindergarten, a school, and a park.

With its departments of reconstructive surgery, orthopedics, psychological, psychosocial and physical rehabilitation, and burn trauma, the center aims to serve 50,000 patients and perform more than 10,000 surgeries annually.

UNBROKEN’s Bohdan and Yana told the tour participants that the project is being implemented with the support of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, the Lviv Regional Military Administration, and the Lviv City Council. They also said that the idea of the project has captured the imagination of a large number of donors from different countries who, united in their desire to help Ukrainians in such a difficult time, have allocated a significant amount of charitable, humanitarian and financial assistance for the construction and furnishing of the Center.

Lviv’s sister cities supported the UNBROKEN project. In particular, Vilnius donated 700 thousand euros, Freiburg 500 thousand euros, Wroclaw 1 million zlotys, Warsaw 420 thousand euros, the German government a 10 million euro ribbon, and so on. Each of the partners involved in the renovation has a floor dedicated to them in the Unbroken building.

At the same time, the center is being built in accordance with modern requirements for energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. For example, this is the first facility in Ukraine to use new architectural technologies, such as FACID fabric facades.

The city of Lviv initiated the creation of the UNBROKEN Cities Network, an association of cities from around the world to support and develop rehabilitation in Ukraine. The city of Würzburg, together with a local charitable foundation, joined the initiative and financed the purchase of equipment for children's rehabilitation worth 500,000 euros.

The students were also shown the process of building new social housing for internally displaced persons with disabilities. This project “Housing for IDPs and restoration of liberated cities of Ukraine” was launched on November 29, 2023. It is implemented by the Lviv City Council with funding from the European Union in Ukraine, managed by Nefco in Ukraine and implemented by the Lviv City Team. The European Commission has allocated 20 million euros in grants for the construction of housing.

The participants of the tour had the opportunity to see the entire infrastructure of the center, expensive medical equipment, special rooms and visit the Unbreakable Mental Recovery Center. For example, they visited the “Occupational Therapy Apartment”, complete with a kitchen, where patients learn to care for themselves in the most home-like setting possible. Occupational therapists teach the Unbreakables how to hold a toothbrush or pencil, eat, dress, iron, shop, etc.

The students also had the unique opportunity to visit the Center for Prosthetics and Orthotics and see with their own eyes how the prosthetic process works, from measurement to the finished prosthesis. During the construction of the center, special attention was paid to innovation, sustainable development and energy efficiency. The building was constructed with innovative CLT panels. LG heat pumps and EFFI radiant ceiling panels are used to heat the center. The roof is equipped with a “green” ZinCo roof that collects rainwater and gradually releases it into the city's storm water system. The courtyard is equipped with a snow melting system. The initiative was implemented as part of the EU4ResilientRegions Special Support Program for Ukraine and was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development with co-financing from the European Union. The project was also made possible with the support of GIZ Ukraine.

Along with the students, the curator of the MB-12 group, Yulia Lemko, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, the curator of the MB-14 group, Iryna Sukhorolska, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, EUSTS project participant, and members of the EUSTS project team took part in the tour: Yaryna Turchyn, Director of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Lidia Kasha, Associate Professor of the Department of Electromchatronics and Computerized Electromechanical Systems, Oleksandr Markovets, Head of the Department of Social Communication and Information Activity, Natalia Vovk, Associate Professor of the Department of Social Communication and Information Activity, Olha Ivasechko, Oleh Tsebenko, Olena Lukachuk, Associate Professors of the Department of Political Science and International Relations.

The EUSTS project team would like to thank the management and all the staff of the National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN for an interesting and much-needed excursion and the lesson of unbreakability for our Lviv Polytechnic students. 

The event was held within the framework of the project European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University (EUSTS) with the support of the EU Erasmus+ Jean Monnet program.

More information about EUSTS can be found on the project website within the Lviv Polytechnic Portal.

On September 19, 2024, Oksana Mylyanyk, Green Recovery Expert, Reform Support Team at the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, SoftServe, Legislative Expert, Zero Waste Alliance Ukraine, gave a public lecture on the topic “Priorities for Environmental Protection of Ukraine in the Context of European Integration” in a mixed format.

During the lecture, the speaker focused the students' attention on interesting facts and figures about pollution. For example, about 400 million tons of plastic waste is generated every year and only 10% is recycled; about 170 trillion pieces of plastic waste in the ocean; every year humanity throws away about 1 billion tons of food; 1/3 of all food produced is thrown away; 4,000 children die from dirty drinking water every day; more than 90% of people on the planet breathe polluted air; about 1 million species of plants and animals are on the verge of extinction. species of plants and animals are on the verge of extinction due to human activity; 1 battery pollutes 16 square meters of land with toxic substances. The lecturer also emphasized global environmental problems and the concept of sustainable development as a key tool for solving global environmental problems.

During the lecture, Oksana Mylyanyk also spoke about the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) adopted in 2020 as one of the components of the European Green Deal. The goal of this plan is to achieve a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and competitive economy.  This plan envisages the introduction of sustainable consumption and ensuring that the resources we use remain in the economy as long as possible.

The lecturer also outlined the key reforms of Ukraine in the European integration process, including the following: prevention and control of industrial pollution (modernization of existing industrial facilities in accordance with the best available technologies (European standards)), actions towards climate neutrality (decarbonization of industry and all sectors of the economy, low-carbon technologies, renewable energy sources, safe agriculture, energy-efficient construction, environmentally friendly transport, reduction of carbon emissions), conservation of natural resources (protection of the environment).

The waste management hierarchy presented by the speaker was extremely interesting for the students. The key components of this hierarchy are: 1) prevention of waste generation; 2) preparation for reuse; 3) recycling; 4) other recovery operations (including recovery with energy generation); 5) disposal.

Oksana Mylianyk's lecture was attended by more than a hundred participants (63 in person in classrooms plus 47 online), including students of various specialties, teachers, and EUSTS project participants from the departments of Social Communications and Information Activities, Political Science and International Relations, Electromechatronics and Computerized Electromechanical Systems. 

The participants of the lecture were interested in the experience of other European countries in this context, the nature of the discrepancies between Ukrainian and European legislation in terms of environmental screening, and which territorial communities are the most eco-conscious.

The event was held within the framework of the project “European Studies for Technical Students of Lviv Polytechnic National University (EUSTS)”, which is implemented with the support of the EU Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Program (activity - a series of public lectures). The project team sincerely thanks all the participants of the event and continues to work on preparing other equally interesting activities on topical issues of Ukraine's European integration and cooperation with the European Union.

Event report: On September 19, 2024, a public lecture by Oksana Yurynets, a member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the VIII convocation, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Regional Development and Cross-Border Cooperation in the Committee on European Integration President of the NGO “Agency for European Cooperation” on the topic: ‘Youth and European Integration of Ukraine’.

In her speech, the speaker focused on the content of European integration, and its importance for Ukrainian youth in the context of Ukraine's European integration course. Oksana Yurynets paid special attention to the Association Agreement, highlighting at least ten of its positions, namely: an instrument of pro-European transformation, legal obligations, not declarations, common values, state and society as a European model, strengthening consumer rights, more goods at lower prices, cleaner environment, fewer road deaths, better education, and an impetus for sectoral cooperation. The lecturer focused on the agenda of Ukraine's movement towards EU membership, as well as the involvement of civil society representatives in the negotiation process (including young people). In particular, she spoke about the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of August 27, 2024, according to which 36 negotiation groups were established to be responsible for a specific thematic area of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.  Oksana Yurynets also drew the students' attention to the content of the criteria that must be met by non-governmental organizations wishing to participate in such activities.  Thus, NGOs must have been registered with the state for at least 5 years; have been implementing projects on topics that cover the negotiation section for the last 3 years; have experience in preparing draft laws, reports, analytical assessments, and other documents related to the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to EU law. An equally important part of the selection criteria is actual experience in implementing joint projects with EU partners, including research projects, and membership in the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform will also be an advantage. The key task assigned to the members of the negotiation groups from the public is to participate in the group's meetings, develop analytical materials, draft legal acts, expert opinions, and other documents.

Oksana Yurynets also interested young people in the news from the European Integration Digest, emphasizing that Ukraine has submitted a report to the European Commission as part of the EU's 2024 Enlargement Package; sessions have begun to prepare the Ukrainian delegation for meetings on the negotiating section “Statistics” within the framework of the European Commission's official screening; the EU has extended sanctions against those involved in Russia's aggression against Ukraine for six months; Sweden will allocate more than 40 million euros for the purchase of energy equipment. 

The students were also interested in the information about the myths about Ukraine's accession to the EU, which the lecturer presented and debunked. 

At the end of the event, the participants discussed Ukraine's Report on the 2024 EU Enlargement Package. The speaker noted that this is a document of about 900 pages, which contains updated information on state policy on the path to Ukraine's full membership in the EU for the period April - August 2024. About 140 government agencies were involved in its preparation. A new European Commission report on Ukraine's progress under the EU Enlargement Package is expected in October this year. 

Most of all, students were interested in the realistic timeline for Ukraine's accession to the EU, the key obstacles to Ukraine's membership in the EU, and how Russia's war against Ukraine will affect the process of Ukraine's membership in the Organization.

The announced lecture aroused considerable interest. More than 180 participants registered for the event, and more than 100 people attended (81 online + 55 in person), including students of Lviv Polytechnic National University, teachers, and members of the EUSTS project team. 

The event was held within the framework of the project “European Studies for Technical Students of Lviv Polytechnic National University (EUSTS)”, which is implemented with the support of the EU Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Program (activity - a series of public lectures). The project team sincerely thanks all the participants of the event and continues to work on preparing other equally interesting activities on topical issues of Ukraine's European integration and cooperation with the European Union.

On September 24, 2024, the team of the European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University (EUSTS) project organized an interactive event called “World of Communities”. The event was attended by 58 people, including 49 students and 9 university lecturers.

The event began with a speech by Nataliia Vovk, Associate Professor of the Department of Social Communications and Information Activities, EUSTS project participant, who presented the decentralization process in Ukraine in detail and emphasized the importance of European Union instruments that are already being actively used for the development of local communities. The speaker emphasized the importance of the European integration course and the possibilities of using EU programs in the fields of education, culture, infrastructure, and local government.

After the theoretical part, the participants were divided into six teams, each of which worked on modeling their own community within the World of Communities game. 

The participants' tasks were to create development strategies for their communities, taking into account the priorities of the decentralization reform and the European integration course. Students chose strategies for attracting investment, developing local infrastructure, improving social services, and environmental sustainability. They analyzed the needs of their communities and made decisions on how to optimally use resources to ensure sustainable growth.

The teams also explored opportunities offered by European support programs. Participants actively sought ways to attract international grants and partnerships to finance community development projects. One of the key topics was the issue of community cooperation with international organizations to improve education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Each group presented their community as an active participant in European processes, with the focus on integrating European values and standards into local governance. As a result, all participants emphasized that successful community development depends on the ability to cooperate, adaptation of the best European practices, and effective use of the opportunities provided.

At the end of the event, the participants had the opportunity to test their knowledge during a quiz, which was not only the final part, but also a kind of summary of the skills and information they had acquired. The quiz questions covered key aspects of decentralization in Ukraine, the role of the European Union in supporting reforms, and the opportunities offered by European programs for local communities. Special attention was paid to programs aimed at developing infrastructure, education, social services and the environment.

The World of Communities simulation game, as well as other events organized by the EUSTS project team, is an important step in deepening the understanding of the role of European programs in the development of Ukrainian communities.

The simulation game was also attended by members of the EUSTS project team: Yaryna Turchyn, Director of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oleksandr Markovets, Head of the Social Communications and Information Activity Department, Olha Ivasechko, Iryna Sukhorolska, Oleh Tsebenko, Olena Lukachuk, Associate Professors of the Political Science and International Relations Department, Lidiia Kasha, Associate Professor of the Electromechatronics and Computerized Electromechanical Systems Department of the Institute of Energy and Control Systems.

The project team sincerely thanks all the students and academics staff who took part in this event and will continue to work on preparing other equally interesting events on relevant topics of Ukraine's European integration.

More information about the EUSTS project.