From March 27 to 29, 2025, Kateryna Skyba, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of Khmelnytskyi National University, took part in the third transnational partner meeting of the Erasmus+ KA220-HED INSPIRE project – Promoting Post-Conflict Refugee Tourism Entrepreneurship, held at PAR University of Applied Sciences in Rijeka, Croatia.
The INSPIRE project is being implemented with the support of the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme (Key Action 2) from November 2023 to November 2025. Its goal is to foster tourism entrepreneurship among refugees in post-conflict regions through the development of innovative educational tools, including a best practices handbook, training courses, a digital badge, a mobile application, and a database of existing opportunities to support such initiatives.
Project partners include universities and civil society organizations from Ireland, Belgium, Turkey, Croatia, and Ukraine, among them: Technological University of the Shannon (project coordinator), PAR University of Applied Sciences, PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Dokuz Eylul University, Businet, Dnipro VET Alliance, and Khmelnytskyi National University.
During the meeting, participants discussed the progress of the project work packages, project management issues, preparation of educational materials and digital resources, and outlined further steps to ensure sustainability of results and their dissemination to the target audience.
During her visit to PAR University of Applied Sciences, Kateryna Mykolaivna also had the opportunity to meet with Khmelnytskyi National University students currently studying at PAR as part of an Erasmus+ academic mobility program. It was especially gratifying to hear from PAR’s International Relations Office staff that our students have distinguished themselves as diligent, responsible, and active members of the host university's academic community.
Notably, during a welcome event for international students, Maryana and Sofiia delivered a presentation about Ukraine, highlighting the realities of studying during wartime and the challenges faced by Ukrainian students. Their presentation sparked great interest and made a strong emotional impact — some audience members were even moved to tears.
A meeting with PAR University Dean Ms. Gordana further confirmed that our partnership, both within the framework of the international project and in the context of academic exchange programs, is productive, valuable, and full of potential.
Khmelnytskyi National University sincerely thanks PAR University of Applied Sciences for the warm welcome extended to our students and for the high level of collaboration. We look forward to continuing this mutually beneficial partnership and to launching new joint initiatives in the future.