In 2022, Russia’s war against Ukraine imposed significant restrictions on the development of academic mobility, but at the same time, the world community opened up new types of international cooperation for Ukrainian universities.
The University’s Center for International Education told about it at the Lviv Polytechnic Center for Communication.
In 2022, Polytechnicians implemented international cooperation through international academic mobility, training of international students, preparation and implementation of international educational projects and grants, use of online educational activities and implementation of new approaches to organize the international cooperation in accordance with wartime conditions.
An important feature of the Lviv Polytechnic internationalization was the active involvement of students, postgraduate students and employees of all structural units of the University in international cooperation, the deepening of international and intercultural cooperation, and ensuring the internationalization of educational and scientific activities.
In total, in 2022, 137 students and 8 postgraduate students of Lviv Polytechnic have been abroad.
– In 2022, the university student trips abroad under academic mobility programs decreased somewhat due to restrictions imposed by war and martial law. International academic mobility was implemented under Erasmus+ programs, the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD, the Austrian Academic Exchange Service OeAD, the Polish agency NAWA, the US Global UGRAD scholarship programs, government programs of EU countries, double degree and exchange programs. In particular, 130 students completed a semester study abroad at partner universities (including double degree programs) under international academic mobility programs for at least 60 days: 126 people – offline and 4 people online, said Nataliya Hots, Head of the Center for International Education, Lviv Polytechnic.
Thanks to inter-institutional agreements under the Erasmus+ KA1 program, concluded by the Center for International Education and university departments, students and postgraduate students of Lviv Polytechnic completed a semester of study at partner universities, while faculty held lectures and participated in trainings. In total, 82 students and 3 postgraduate students, completed semester studies under the Erasmus+ KA1 academic mobility program in 2022.
– It is worth noting the inter-institutional agreement with Kingston University London (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), according to which 37 students and 6 academics of five Institutes (Institute of Computer Science and Information Technologies, Institute of Architecture and Design, Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Systems, the Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, the Institute of Economics and Management, and the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Transport) took part in academic mobility programs in London, added Nataliya Hots.
Also in 2022, 274 scientific and pedagogical workers of Lviv Polytechnic took advantage of international grants and programs to participate in various academic mobility programs. In the second half of 2022, the activity of Polytechnicians regarding internships and trainings under professional development programs (trainings, seminars and webinars) abroad increased. 176 scientific and pedagogical workers underwent refresher courses in foreign institutions in accordance with orders on business trips.
In addition, in 2022, Lviv Polytechnic continued the implementation of the Visiting Professor program, the purpose of which is to attract well-known scientists and highly qualified specialists to give lectures and conduct optional courses lasting for 60 hours and more. According to this program, 21 international participants of the Visiting Professor program taught offline and/or remotely in 2022. With their participation, 15 international additional courses helped students deepen their knowledge in the chosen field.
– The international teaching under the Guest Lecturer program, which provides for short courses of lectures lasting from 10 hours, has been activated. 27 highly qualified international specialists took part in this program and shared their professional experience with our students, added Nataliya Hots.
More information about current academic mobility programs, as well as how to participate in them, you can learn on the website of the Center for International Education within the Lviv Polytechnic portal.