If, as the saying goes, a theater begins with its coat rack, then one of the oldest laboratories at Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute begins with a spiral staircase. This is the Educational and Research Laboratory of Biopolymer Technology and Modification, where generations of students specializing in this field have studied and conducted research.
This is no exaggeration—the laboratory has existed in Building No. 4 for as long as Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute itself. Over the years, it has had different names and has been equipped in different ways, but its mission has remained unchanged: to train engineers for the pulp and paper industry. The historic spiral staircase leading to the laboratory's vaulted premises in basement dates back to the very founding of Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute, making it an integral part of the university's rich academic heritage.
This year, the laboratory underwent another major modernization. The Faculty of Automation, Industrial Engineering and Ecology, together with leading companies from the pulp and paper industry, played a key role in making this transformation possible. Today, the Department of Ecology and Plant Polymers Technology is a part of this faculty, and its students, postgraduates, and researchers will study and conduct research in the renovated laboratory. The creation of this modern educational and research space within one of the university's historic academic buildings became possible thanks to the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in 2025 between Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute and the Association 'UkrPapir'. The association brings together nearly 40 manufacturers and distributors of pulp and paper products from across the industry. Five member companies contributed directly to the project: Kyiv Cardboard and Paper Mill, PKPF-Ukraine LLC, Weidmann Malyn Paper Mill PJSC, Trade House 'Papir-Mal' LLC, and OJSC “Kokhavinska Paper Factory”. Their financial, technical, and material support made it possible to renovate the laboratory and equip it with modern instruments and equipment essential for training highly qualified specialists for today's pulp and paper industry.
"This is a truly significant occasion for us. We are strengthening our facilities with a clear purpose in mind. This is about much more than simply renovating a room. Above all, we have created a comfortable environment for both students and faculty members to study and work. Moreover, this building is unique—it is the oldest on our campus. Being here, we can truly feel the weight of more than a century of accumulated experience, knowledge, and the achievements of our scientific schools. We believe that studying and working in such an environment has a far greater impact on students and faculty than any ordinary facility," said Rector Anatolii Melnychenko during the laboratory's opening ceremony on June 17. "It is especially important that our partners supported us and helped make this project a reality. We are sincerely grateful for their contribution. What we see here is not an eclectic mix of equipment, but a harmonious combination of our existing instruments—which have served us well and remain fully functional—and the new equipment we needed to provide high-quality training for future specialists."
In the photo: V. Halysh talks about the laboratory and new equipmentAccording to Vita Halysh, Head of the Department of Ecology and Plant Polymers Technology, some of the laboratory's equipment is truly unique and cannot be found anywhere else. Alongside these historic instruments, the laboratory has now been equipped with state-of-the-art technology. For example, the laboratory previously operated a 1-liter reactor for pulp production. It has now been upgraded with a new 30-liter reactor, making it possible to scale up the production of experimental batches of fibrous semi-finished materials used in paper and cardboard manufacturing. The equipment for refining fibrous pulp has also been modernized. In addition, according to Laboratory Head Iryna Deikun, industry partners donated a range of instruments for testing the physical properties of paper, cardboard, and related products. These include equipment for measuring basis weight, determining bursting strength, and testing tensile strength. Thanks to these new capabilities, the laboratory will be able to expand the range of practical laboratory classes offered to students beginning with the new academic year.
The renovated laboratory will serve as a modern educational and research center for students enrolled in the G1 Chemical Technologies and Engineering program. However, it will not be used exclusively by undergraduate students. Doctoral candidates will conduct experiments here as part of their research projects, while the faculty's researchers and academic staff will also use the laboratory's facilities to carry out industry-commissioned projects and collaborative research with partner companies from the pulp and paper sector.
In the photo: New equipment"Just a year ago, we signed a memorandum on cooperation between the industry's enterprises and the university, and today we are already seeing the results—a renovated and modernized laboratory for educating the future professionals who will work at our companies across Ukraine," said Mykola Matskevych, Chairman of the Presidium of the Association 'UkrPapir' and Director of the Corrugated Products Sales Department at Kyiv Cardboard and Paper Mill, speaking to the university's media representatives. "I hope that, very soon, we will once again welcome highly qualified specialists prepared to contribute to the development of our industry, just as we have in the past."
The need for young professionals in this field was also emphasized by other participants at the laboratory's opening ceremony. Nearly all representatives of the partner companies involved in the project spoke about the growing demand for qualified graduates. Companies across the pulp and paper industry are ready to employ graduates of Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute and provide them with favorable conditions for professional development and a high quality of life. It is worth noting that many enterprises in Ukraine's pulp and paper sector are now local branches of major high-tech international companies. However, as Yurii Shepilov, Director of the Research Development Center at Weidmann Malyn Paper Mill PJSC —a member of the renowned Swiss multinational Weidmann Group—pointed out, this business in Ukraine continues to be built on Ukrainian expertise, knowledge, and long-standing traditions.
"To be honest, we are searching for specialists all across Ukraine. We look for people in the east, in the west—wherever we can find them. We bring them to our company and provide housing so they can work with us. There are very few people who truly know how to manufacture paper... We need to train more professionals because there simply are not enough qualified specialists for Ukrainian manufacturers to produce high-quality products capable of competing confidently with Western paper," said Viktor Khomenko, Director of Trade House 'Papir-Mal’, another company based in Malyn. "That is why I sincerely hope this laboratory will play a vital role in educating a new generation of specialists who will join the paper industry, help drive Ukraine's economy forward, and contribute not only to our country's prosperous future but also to our Victory today."
It is therefore safe to say that graduates of the Faculty of Automation, Industrial Engineering and Ecology specializing in this field will have no difficulty finding employment—in fact, employers are already competing to recruit them. In addition, Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute has signed cooperation agreements with Kyiv Cardboard and Paper Mill and Poninkivska Cardboard and Paper Factory Ukraine LLC to implement a dual higher education model for students in this specialty. Following the opening of the renovated laboratory on June 17, representatives of other partner companies also discussed opportunities to incorporate elements of dual education into the academic program. At the same time, the university continues to strengthen its career guidance initiatives by involving specialists from leading pulp and paper companies in supporting and mentoring students.
"Modernizing this laboratory is of exceptional importance to us. Working in such an environment inspires students to learn because they have the opportunity to master the modern instruments and equipment currently used in industry," said Olena Ivanenko, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Automation, Industrial Engineering and Ecology, summarizing the significance of the project in an interview with Kyiv Polytechnic. "It boosts their confidence while helping them develop practical skills, so that after graduation they enter the workforce as well-prepared professionals who are highly valued by employers." She also noted that the Association 'UkrPapir' is committed to continuing its cooperation with the faculty and with Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute as a whole, particularly in conducting research and developing innovative solutions for the paper industry. Such collaboration is especially important today, as the industry faces growing demands for higher-quality paper and cardboard products alongside the rapid advancement of manufacturing technologies.
In the photo: New equipmentA new educational space for training highly qualified specialists for the pulp and paper industry has been opened at the Faculty of Automation, Industrial Engineering and Environmental Protection of Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute.
🤝 The laboratory has been equipped with modern instrumentation donated by the UkrPapir Association and a Weidmann Group paper mill, including a new 30-liter reactor that enables cellulose production processes to be carried out on a significantly larger scale. Previously, students were limited to working with one-liter batches.
⚙️ The laboratory has also received testing equipment for evaluating the strength and physical properties of paper and cardboard, allowing students to develop practical skills using the same technologies and instruments employed throughout the modern pulp and paper industry.
Learn more about the opportunities the renovated laboratory offers to students, faculty, and industry partners in the video.