On January 29, 2026, a roundtable titled "Digital transformation, open science and professional development: the gaps between the best practices of EU universities and Ukrainian reality" was held at Lviv Polytechnic National University in a hybrid format. The event marked the first milestone in the implementation of the three-year project "PhD in the European Research Area: Digital Skills, Scientist Branding, and EU Open Science Values" (DIGITALDOC), which aims to develop PhD students' digital skills and their integration into the European Research Area.
The main target audience of the roundtable included PhD students and young scientists, specifically representatives of Lviv Polytechnic National University, the M.I. Dolishniy Institute of Regional Research of the NAS of Ukraine, and members of the Councils of Young Scientists. Active participation was taken by the faculty of Lviv Polytechnic, Dnipro University of Technology, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, and the Private Higher Educational Institution “European University”. Representatives from the Main Statistical Office in the Lviv Region also joined the event. International expert support was provided by foreign researchers, including the Head of the Young Scientists Council of the Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.
The main gaps the project is designed to fill are the significant discrepancies between the academic practices of EU universities and Ukrainian reality, manifested in digital inequality and insufficient implementation of open science principles. The initiative also aims to address gaps in researchers' professional branding and ethical data management, enabling the successful integration of young scientists into the international space in line with labor market requirements. As noted by the project coordinator, Professor Tetiana Stepura, digital transformations are fundamentally changing lifestyles, learning, and approaches to scientific activity; therefore, the ability to build a personal brand and understand open science as the primary standard in the European Research Area is critically important for a successful career.
The event program included speeches by key team members and invited guests:
- Prof. Tetiana Stepura (Project Coordinator and Professor in the Department of Business Economics and Investment) presented the project concept, its relevance, and key challenges, including the implementation of open science standards and ethical data management.
- Prof. Orest Koleshchuk (Head of the Department of Business Economics and Investment) emphasized the importance of narrowing the gap between Ukrainian academic reality and best European practices, noting that Lviv Polytechnic has always served as a platform for progressive initiatives.
- Assoc. Prof. Olga Korytska (Department of Management of Organizations) provided details on two new optional courses for PhD students launching within the project: “Methods of Professional Development and Networking in European Science” and “Digital Tools for Knowledge Transfer and EU Practices in Open Science”.
- Prof. Oleksandra Mrykhina (Department of Business Economics and Investment) outlined a strategy to ensure project sustainability by transforming the educational process and aligning it with modern labor market requirements.
- Oksana Holod (Main Statistical Office in the Lviv Region) outlined prospects for harmonizing the national statistical system with European standards and presented the State Statistics Service's new digital portal.
- Prof. Serhii Kasian (Representative of the NGO “Innovative University” and Dnipro University of Technology) expressed support for the initiative and emphasized the relevance of a scientist’s brand in the digital world.
- Dr. Tetiana Maslak (Head of the Young Scientists Council) emphasized the need to expand dual scientific supervision and develop interdisciplinary skills, enabling PhD students to effectively integrate research with business requirements and innovative methods.
The project involves not only teaching courses but also conducting workshops for non-academic staff (analysts and statisticians), participating in international conferences, and publishing textbooks.
Lviv Polytechnic invites PhD students across all programs to enroll in optional courses that will help them become modern digital leaders in science. You can follow the project news on the official project page and on social networks.
