Ukraine Digital Exchange

In the framework of the «Ukraine Digital» project, supported by the DAAD, the event «Ukraine Digital: from results to new cooperation» was held from 21 to 26 October. An eight-member delegation from the Ukrainian partner universities Dnipro National University (DNU) and Odesa National Economic University (ONEU) came to Mittweida.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Rector of Hochschule Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr. Volker Tolkmitt, Dr. Cornelius Hagenmaier, Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Prof. Dr. Johannes Stelling, Project Manager of Ukraine Digital, Prof. Dr. Serge Velesco, Project Coordinator of Ukraine Digital Daria Litvinova, Head of the International Office Saskia Langhammer, Rector of ONEU, Prof. Anatolii Kovalev, Vice-Rector of ONEU, Prof. Oleksandr Litvinov, Prof. Raisa Hrinchenko, Associate Professor Inna Ukhanova, Senior Lecturer Svitlana Manzhula, Vice-Rector of DNU, Prof. Victor Gasso, Dean of the Faculty of Economics of DNU, Prof. Tetiana Hrynko, Prof. Oleksii Dzhusov and others.

Rector of Hochschule Mittweida Volker Tolkmitt opened the event «Ukraine Digital: From Results to New Cooperation» with a welcome word and made a presentation highlighting 17 years of successful cooperation with Ukrainian universities. The Rector of ONEU Anatolii Kovalev and the Vice-Rector of DNU Victor Gasso also held speeches. Project Coordinator Daria Litvinova presented the results of the programme and plans for the next six months. Project Manager Serge Velesco moderated the opening and then spoke about the prospects for further cooperation, including the new DAAD funding programme.

After the opening ceremony, the delegation from Ukraine, Prof. Serge Velesco and Daria Litvinova held a brainstorming session to exchange impressions and ideas on the project implementation and opportunities for its expansion.

During the visit, representatives of HSMW, DNU and ONEU discussed the achievements and challenges they faced during the three-year Ukraine Digital project, as well as possible areas for future cooperation beyond it. During numerous meetings, participants held discussions on intensifying joint research and academic initiatives. They analysed the results and experience of double degree programmes, academic mobility, innovative forms of education, and joint researches.

In particular, Associate Professor Inna Ukhanova from ONEU and Prof. Serge Velesco have identified a topic for a joint research article – «Study the factors that contribute to student success in digital education». The aim of the study is to evaluate and highlight the results of the Ukraine Digital project in the scientific community.

One of the key events of the visit was the signing of a double degree agreement for the Master's programme in Industrial Management between HSMW and DNU. The meeting was attended by the Rector of Hochschule Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr. Volker Tolkmitt, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Christoph Meyer, Dr. Cornelius Hagenmaier, Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Prof. Dr. Johannes Stelling, Project Manager of Ukraine Digital, Prof. Dr. Serge Velesco, Project Coordinator of Ukraine Digital Daria Litvinova, Vice-Rector of DNU, Prof. Victor Gasso, Dean of the Faculty of Economics of DNU, Prof. Tetiana Hrynko, Prof. Oleksii Dzhusov and Rector of DNU, Prof. Serhii Okovytyi joined online. The double degree master's programme is planned to start at DNU next academic year. The programme with ONEU has been running for 2 years and we have our first successful alumni.

The main achievement of the Ukrainian delegation's visit to HSMW was the signing of a declaration of cooperation for 2025-2030 between the three universities. This declaration includes the following strategic plans for the coming years: further development of double degree programmes, development and implementation of joint disciplines, microcredit course development, inter-university research collaboration, training and support of joint start-up projects, enhancement of academic mobility, capacity building and grant programmes.

The delegation from Ukraine attended the MIKOMI event «Next Level Business: Mittelstand und Gaming im Dialog», where business innovations were discussed, combining the experience of medium-sized businesses with the latest technologies of the gaming industry. Participants had the opportunity to meet experts and professionals who shared their knowledge in the areas of business strategy, digitalisation and game development.

On the third day of the visit, the delegation from DNU and ONEU organised a barbecue evening, which was a great opportunity for informal communication and exchange of ideas between the delegation members, colleagues from Mittweida, as well as Ukrainian and international students. The visit ended with an excursion to Dresden, where the participants had the opportunity to enjoy the city's historical sights, which was a great focus on the culture and heritage of the region.

All the participants of the «Ukraine Digital: From Results to New Cooperation» event had a unique experience that not only facilitated the exchange of knowledge and ideas, but also highlighted the importance of face-to-face meetings with partners. Such meetings are an indispensable factor in building trust and effective implementation of joint initiatives.