Vice-Rector for Academic and Pedagogical Affairs of Khmelnytskyi National University, Kateryna Skyba, successfully passed the competitive selection process and was selected to participate in the First Training Course of SUUN 2026 “Internationalisation and Higher Education Management”, implemented by Saarland University (Germany) within the international project “Saar-Ukraine University Network (SUUN): Overcoming Borders for a European Future”.
At the launch of the program, the first introductory online meeting of participants was held, bringing together vice-rectors and deans of leading Ukrainian universities. During the meeting, the course structure, key thematic modules, approaches to internationalisation development, quality assurance in higher education, and the formation of sustainable partnerships between universities in Ukraine and Germany were presented.
Special attention during the meeting was paid to the analysis of the current state of internationalisation in the Ukrainian higher education system, the main challenges faced by universities in the context of war, demographic changes, limited mobility, and the transformation of educational models, as well as to the discussion of possible strategies for overcoming these challenges at both institutional and international levels.
The SUUN training program is focused on the practical mastery of modern tools for the strategic management of university internationalisation, including developing institutional strategies and roadmaps, building a portfolio of international partnerships, developing joint educational programs and virtual mobility, attracting international grants, and integrating quality assurance principles and internationalisation into curricula. Significant attention is given to change management, teamwork within institutions, and the building of sustainable international networks.
Khmelnytskyi National University’s participation in this program is particularly relevant in the context of developing a new University Internationalisation Strategy.The methodologies acquired during the training, case studies from European universities, and expert consultations will be directly integrated into KhNU’s strategic planning, including the formulation of clear priorities for international activities, the definition of measurable performance indicators, the renewal of approaches to academic mobility, the development of English-taught programs, digital and blended international interaction, and the strengthening of the institutional capacity of the International Office.
As a result of participation in the program, improvements are expected in the quality of managerial decision-making in the field of internationalisation, expansion of KhNU’s international presence, increased competitiveness of the university within the European Higher Education Area, and the establishment of long-term partnerships that create added value for students, academic staff, and researchers.