...When the full-scale russian invasion of our land began, both the academic and our student communities showed resilience to the challenges. Moreover, in February-March 2022, students - members of the KPI volunteer movement - took up new useful activities.
Founded by concerned students, the KPI Student Parliament Public Association, as a form of student self-organization similar to those created in the student communities of universities in developed countries, has chosen international project and grant activities, among other things.
The first pilot project was won by a student research group of the Student Parliament in a competition under the Si (Swedish Institute) Academic Cooperation in the Baltic States program.
The second - "Summer School of Materials Microscopy", with the support of the Director of the E.O. Paton Institute of Materials Science, Associate Professor I.A. Volodymyrskyi, his Deputy for International Activities, Associate Professor E.P. Chvertko and Director of the Institute of Materials Science of the University of Stuttgart, Professor Guido Schmitz, was successfully implemented on July 24-29 at the University of Stuttgart. The funds for this Summer School were allocated by the German Academic Exchange Office DAAD.
Representatives of the Institute of Imaging and Materials Science, postgraduate student Alina Ustymenko, master students Natalia Shamsutdinova, Khrystyna Kapustiak, Kira Kryvenko, Iryna Kozyuk, Yulia Derecha, Maria Bereza and Victoria Dudka attended a course of lectures by world-renowned physicists, performed a course of practical work on electron scanning and transmission microscopes of ultra-high resolution.
According to Nataliia Strelenko, the head of the Summer School from Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, associate professor of the Department of Welding Production, the Institute of Materials Science of the University of Stuttgart has research laboratories equipped with unique modern equipment that has no analogues not only in Ukrainian universities and research organizations, but also in most European universities. Therefore, KPI students also acquired practical skills in working with this unique equipment.
In addition, the participants of the Summer School had the opportunity to present reports on the results of their own research to German scientists.
The informal meetings with students of the Institute of Materials Science at the University of Stuttgart, as well as visits to the Mercedes Benz AG automobile museum (Daimler AG) were also memorable.
Thus, despite the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the development of international activities at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute has not only continued, but has entered a new promising area - involvement of students in international project and grant activities.
However, the first two pilot student projects, although a great achievement of the Student Parliament, involved only 15-20 people.
But how can we make sure that a wide range of students participate in international project and grant activities so that this type of activity becomes systematic in the student environment?
According to the program developed by the three structural units of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute - the Department of Educational Work, the Research Department, and the Department of International Cooperation - an algorithm of actions has been formed that should lead to an increase in the number of students preparing student project proposals for competitions of European project and grant programs.
In a conversation with the Vice-Rector for International Relations of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Serhii Sydorenko, we found out how to implement this program.
- Sergiy Ivanovych, our university is on the way to integration into the European educational and scientific space. What ideas and actions are included in the proposed program?
- An important element of our program is, firstly, to explain to students the importance of immersion in the European research environment for improving their skills, and in the long run, for career and professional growth. Secondly, if the projects of student creative teams are thematically dedicated to the European socialization of young people, then such a program of involving a wide range of KPI students in project activities will be implemented most easily and quickly.
- But writing collective projects in science and technology is much more difficult for students than individual ones, isn't it?
- I agree. Therefore, in our opinion, it is advisable to recommend that students compete for individual student grants in international program competitions in the field of science and technology. I am referring to individual grants for inclusive education, research internships, trips to international conferences, etc. And it is logical to recommend the preparation of collective project proposals in the field of science and technology for participation in European competitions of project and grant programs by student creative teams to students of master's and PhD programs. After all, in their senior years, they already have supervisors and have gained experience in practical research work, some of them have already published in professional journals (without publication activity, teams of authors of project proposals cannot expect to win competitions!)
Thirdly, the program envisages that students will be able to systematically prepare project proposals for submission to international program competitions through a system of scientific student groups, which was created and operates under the coordination of the DNVR. I would like to note that the selection of scientific consultants for the preparation of project proposals by student creative teams from among the scientists of our university will be handled by the DNVR, the NDCh, and the DMS.
Fourthly, students will be assisted in finding those project and grant programs that can be offered to students in the first place. The departments will monitor proposals from the organizers of such international programs. We are talking about competitions under the programs of academic and scientific exchange agencies DAAD (Germany), NAWA (Poland), British Council (UK), JSPS (Japan), Swedish Institute (Sweden), and others. We will also monitor international leadership development programs at KPI's partner universities, internship programs in the parliaments of the European Union, etc. These and other programs will be offered to students, and this will help them create their first project proposals for competitions in the field of European youth socialization. And in the case of the first victories, there is a lot of excitement. Thus, the European world becomes more open to KPI youth!
Fifth, the comprehensive program provides for an in-depth acquaintance of students with the possibilities of European project and grant programs. To do this, we will use an interactive web resource developed by the State Migration Service for master's students, graduate students, and other young scientists - for those who are just starting to engage in project and grant activities. They should remember the name "Intermozaika" and the email address: https://intermozaika.kpi.ua/ and start using its resources and advice on their own. In addition, students will be subscribed to the website "The European World, Open to You!", which will be specially designed to engage students in international project and grant activities. The Kyiv Polytechnic newspaper is launching a section of the same name to inform readers about students' project and grant activities.
- Let's imagine that the program is ready for implementation. What will you and your colleagues do next?
- This is the sixth point of the comprehensive program we are talking about. We need effective horizontal interaction between the DNVR, the NDCh, and the DMS, as well as the interaction of these units with the KPI Student Parliament, which has already implemented pilot projects and demonstrated the ability of the KPI student community to master the field of international project and grant activities. We will also work in tandem with an initiative group of students who came up with the idea of creating the KPI Student Project Office. We believe that where there is initiative and a constructive attitude, there will be success. This is the style of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute!