International Project Activities of Uzhhorod National University in 2025

In 2025, Uzhhorod National University continued to strengthen its position as an active participant in the European educational and research area through the implementation of a wide range of international educational, research and institutional projects. During the year, the University successfully carried out 23 international initiatives supported by the Interreg NEXT programmes, Erasmus+, the Visegrad Fund, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, and other international donors. These projects covered key priority areas including environmental protection, STEM education, medicine, culture, public law, digital transformation, and European integration studies.

A significant part of UzhNU international activity in 2025 was dedicated to cross border cooperation within the Interreg NEXT programmes Poland Ukraine, Romania Ukraine, and Hungary Slovakia Romania Ukraine. Six large scale projects were implemented in this framework.

One of the flagship initiatives was the project “Promoting the Immaterial Wooden Heritage of the Carpathian Euroregion. Technical Handbook on Traditional Wood Processing DRANICA.24”. The project focused on researching and preserving traditional woodworking techniques and promoting the cultural and tourism potential of the Carpathian Euroregion in cooperation with partners from Romania and Hungary.

Environmental education and sustainability were addressed through the project “Environment for the Future by Scientific Education- Work in Nature (EFFUSE win)”, which aimed to improve ecological literacy, strengthen scientific competences and create educational networks in the Slovak Ukrainian border regions.

Another important environmental initiative was the project “Introduction of Monitoring of Wetlands of International Importance in the Carpathian Region WeVaRe”. This project focused on inventorying wetlands, developing innovative monitoring systems, creating digital maps and establishing a cross border database to support long term environmental protection.

The project “Carpathian Youth for ECO SMART Education” aimed to create a modern environmental educational environment for school pupils and students. As part of this initiative, UzhNU is establishing a natural science and environmental education center to support interactive learning, field activities and ecological awareness.

Climate adaptation was the focus of the project “Water Saving Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation”, which promotes innovative climate adaptation measures, pilot solutions in botanical gardens, and the creation of educational centers for climate education in cooperation with the Maria Curie Skłodowska University in Lublin.

STEM education development was addressed through the project “STEMLab Synergy: Shaping Future Skills in Ukrainian and Romanian Schools”. The initiative aims to modernize STEM education by creating modern laboratories, training teachers, supporting career guidance and promoting gender equality in STEM fields, with UzhNU acting as a regional STEM hub.

In parallel, Uzhhorod National University actively implemented eight projects under the Erasmus+ programme in 2025. Among the new initiatives was the project “Bridges of Unity: Integration of Ukrainian Students into European Higher Education Institutions”, which focuses on academic, psychological and social integration of displaced Ukrainian students in Poland, Greece, Lithuania and Ukraine.

Teacher education reform was supported by the project “Empowering Educators for a Sustainable Future: Enhancing Teacher Education Capacity for Ukraine Recovery”, which aims to modernize teacher training through education for sustainable development and alignment with European standards.

Vocational education and rural development were addressed through the project “Empowering Rural Communities through Vocational Training. Digital Innovation and Sustainable Development RuralSkills”, which promotes inclusive education, green and digital transitions, and employment opportunities in rural areas.

The project “Sustainable Agricultural Future: Strengthening Climate Resilience and Green Growth in Higher Education/SAFER” focused on sustainable agriculture education, climate smart farming practices and digital learning tools.

Health education was strengthened through the Erasmus+ KA220 project “Teaching the Fundamentals of Healthy Nutrition in the Training of Healthcare Professionals”, which aims to improve nutrition education for medical specialists and develop new teaching materials and micro qualifications.

Digital transformation and inclusiveness in higher education were addressed by the project “RE-DIRECTION: Rethinking Higher Education in a Digital Context and Integrating an Inclusive and Green Framework Based on EU Best Practices and Policy Recommendations”, implemented with partners from Germany, Greece, Georgia and other countries.

The project “Gender, Digitalisation, Sustainability: Ensuring a Stable Future for All in Europe” focused on developing educational content related to the European Green Deal, circular bioeconomy and innovative digital learning methods.

European integration in the legal field was promoted through the Jean Monnet Module “Europeanisation of Public Law of Ukraine: Methods, Drivers and Impacts”, which introduced a dedicated course for doctoral students and supported research and public dissemination on European administrative and constitutional standards.

In addition, nine educational and research projects were implemented in 2025 with the support of the Visegrad Fund and other international foundations. These included the project “Cross Border Cooperation between Ukraine and the Visegrad Group: Promoting Best Practices”, which developed policy recommendations for cross border governance and EU accession processes.

Scientific education and green approaches were supported through the “ChemHub project - A Powerful UA Visegrad Scientific and Educational Tool for Green Development”, implemented at the Institute of Chemistry and Ecology. Social inclusion was addressed by the project “Inclusive Central and Eastern Europe: Challenges and Integration of Refugees from Ukraine”, which focused on refugee integration, social cohesion and combating discrimination. Strategic cooperation was explored in the project “Prospects for Expanding V4 Ukraine Cooperation in the Context of Ukraine EU Accession Negotiations”. Non formal STEM education was promoted through the project “Positive Energy of Physics: Sharing Experience of Non Formal Education between Visegrad Countries and Ukraine”. Urban ecology was the focus of the project “Back to Nature - A Shared Vision of Visegrad Countries on Urban Nature Restoration”, with Uzhhorod participating as a case study city.Holocaust studies were supported through the project “C;aims Conference University Partnership Programme in Holocaust Studies”, which introduced new academic courses and public outreach activities.Sociolinguistic research was conducted within the project “Dynamics of Language Awareness of Ukrainian Citizens in the Conditions of War and Migration”.

Finally, the project “Nursing Without Borders”, supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, aimed to integrate Ukrainian youth into the European educational space through intercultural dialogue and the development of nursing education in line with international standards.

Overall, in 2025 Uzhhorod National University successfully implemented 23 international educational, research and institutional projects. Looking ahead to 2026, the University plans to further expand its international engagement through participation in European University Alliances, strengthening cooperation with strategic partners such as the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom, Maria Curie Skłodowska University in Poland, and the Technical University of Košice in Slovakia. A key priority remains the initiation of new projects supported by Erasmus+, Interreg and other international donors, as well as the development of new tools for attracting international students and establishing Ukrainian education centers abroad.

Anastasiya Lendel

Information-publishing centre

• International Activities