A safe, multifunctional space with an open lecture area, reading area, cafeteria, restrooms, and a room for video calls. This is how the Smart Shelter CLUST Space project currently looks like, which is planned to open in the basement of the KPI Library.
The university, together with CLUST, the company that is implementing the project, met with the public and journalists to talk in detail about the smart shelter. The final result can be seen right now with the help of 3D glasses. However, in order to bring the smart shelter project to life, investments are needed: a total of about 350 thousand euros.
"Six months ago, there were shelves filled to the ceiling with books, but they were hardly used. The war forced us to look for spaces where it would be safe. Students come to us to develop, to become creative individuals. And the purpose of this space is to give them this opportunity: to develop their creativity in a safe and comfortable place. In the educational process, it is important to ensure its continuity. I believe that students here will come up with ideas that will spread around the world. The creative educational process should not stop even during the war," says Vitaliy Pasichnyk, Vice-Rector for Research at KPI.
The Ministry of Education hopes that such multifunctional spaces in safe places in educational institutions will become the norm, as it is unlikely that the threat of rocket attacks will ever completely lose its relevance.
"I want this project to scale up and other universities and investors to hear about it. The issue of security of the educational process is always on the agenda. The work of our ministry is now based on the values of openness and constant dialogue. This includes security work," says Oleh Khymenko, Head of the Main Department for the Implementation of Science and Innovation Policies of the Directorate of Science and Innovation of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
To ensure that all safety standards are met and that the space can really protect people from danger, the State Emergency Service cooperates with the university and the company. The State Emergency Service is confident that all parts of the educational process must now work to ensure that the educational process of young people in war conditions is safe and comfortable. To do this, it is necessary to establish cooperation between educational institutions and the Ministry, city authorities, and sponsors.
Employees of Kyiv Polytechnic are also confident in this.
"We expect that the shelter will be the beginning of big changes in the entire library space. It will be another space, like Lampa and Belka, but it will be completely safe. I am sure that this space will be full of students and something cool, new, and interesting will be born here," says Oksana Brui, director of the G.I. Denysenko Scientific and Technical Library. Denysenko Scientific and Technical Library Oksana Brui.
KPI students are also waiting for this opportunity.
"Now we are switching to a mixed learning format, so it is extremely important to take care of the security situation. There are not enough shelters for everyone, and they do not always meet all the requirements. The peculiarity of this space is that it can be transformed into different things: coworking, a place for brainstorming, dual education, meetings with partners. We can even stay here overnight - and it's all on campus, so it's cool. We hope that thanks to our partners, it will be much cooler than Lampa and Bilka," shares his thoughts Ivan Zagorulko, a third-year FEL student.