From 24 to 28 November 2025, academic staff of the Department of Automation, Computer-Integrated Technologies and Robotics at Khmelnytskyi National University — Professor Valerii Martyniuk and Assistant Oleksandr Sporyi — completed an international professional development programme, “Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management”, at the Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management (FTZNK)” of the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg), Hamburg, Germany.
The aim of the training was to enhance the lecturers’ professional competencies, broaden their specialist knowledge and skills, develop new competencies, and study international practices in sustainable development and climate change management. Particular attention was paid to fostering critical, creative and logical thinking among students, as well as identifying ways to effectively use modern opportunities for creating integrated “smart” energy systems within the educational programme “Automation, Computer-Integrated Technologies and Robotics”.
At the start of the programme, an organisational meeting was held with the Centre’s staff member and Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ project manager Dr Oleksandra Kunik, during which a work plan and key tasks were defined.
During the visit, practical case studies on the use of computer-integrated technologies for creating “smart” energy systems were analysed at the Competence Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. A meeting was held with the Centre’s Director, Professor Hans Schäfers, and Professor Tessa Taefi.
The Competence Centre is a leading research unit of the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, developing practical solutions to current and emerging challenges of the energy transition from an interdisciplinary perspective — from idea generation to implementation. The KhNU lecturers studied the Centre’s experience in smart energy networks and its approaches to aligning technologies, infrastructure and market mechanisms with the aim of shaping a comprehensive energy system of the future.
Systematisation of the materials received and a summary of the internship results were also carried out. The outcomes were discussed with Dr João Eustáquio, Director of the Department for Sustainable Development Research and Practice. Following the completion of the programme, an agreement on international scientific cooperation in the field of environmental research was signed between Khmelnytskyi National University and the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.
During their stay in Germany, Valerii Martyniuk and Oleksandr Sporyi visited the international exhibition SPS – Smart Production Solutions, held in Nuremberg from November 25 to 27, 2025. The exhibition covers the full range of intelligent and digital automation solutions — from basic sensors to complex systems — and is one of the few global platforms presenting integrated solutions for industrial automation.
On 27 November, Valerii Martyniuk participated in the presentation of the “Nature Network of Ukraine” project, where he presented a proposal for an international grant to develop KhNU’s Energy Efficiency Centre as a competence centre in energy and climate management.
As a result of the international professional development programme, Valerii Martyniuk and Oleksandr Sporyi received certificates.
The international professional development of KhNU lecturers at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences successfully ensured the acquisition of European practices in sustainable development and the creation of “smart” energy systems. The outcomes include studying advanced automation solutions (SPS exhibition) and, most importantly, signing an agreement on international scientific cooperation between KhNU and HAW Hamburg, strengthening the university’s internationalisation.