On May 18, 2026, a ceremonial event was held at Khmelnytskyi National University to award certificates to participants of the international online educational COIL course “Breaking Borders: International Business, Trade & Wellbeing Across Cultures.”.
The course brought together students and lecturers from Ukraine, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark, serving as a vivid example of how modern education transcends geographical boundaries and creates a space for genuine intercultural interaction. Throughout the project, participants worked in international teams and discussed current issues of business, trade, and well-being in different cultural contexts.
The ceremonial event was opened by representatives of the university community, including Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Kateryna Skyba, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations and Law Yurii Mudryk, course coordinator and Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Language Education and Intercultural Communication Olena Martyniuk, as well as expert lecturers — Associate Professor of the Department of Management and Administration Olena Savchenko and Associate Professor of the Department of HR Engineering in Business Economics Yevheniia Shelest.
In their speeches, they emphasized the importance of such initiatives for the development of international academic cooperation, the formation of students’ intercultural competence, and the integration of modern virtual exchange formats into the educational process.
A particularly warm part of the event was the reflections shared by student participants of the course. Alina Korzhuk (group SOA-24-1) and Ivanna Slobodianiuk (group MN-23-2) spoke about their experience of working in international teams and participating in interactive lectures and workshops. They also discussed creating collaborative video projects, which became one of the key outcomes of the COIL format. The students noted that such cooperation provided them not only with new knowledge but also with valuable practical experience of communication in a multicultural environment.
Participants also watched a video message from the course partners — PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Belgium). International colleagues thanked the students of Khmelnytskyi National University for their active participation, creativity, and high level of cooperation, and expressed interest in continuing joint international initiatives.
The COIL course “Breaking Borders” once again confirmed that modern education is a borderless space where ideas, partnerships, and new development opportunities emerge. Participation in international teams provided KhNU students not only with new knowledge but also with practical experience of intercultural interaction, which is especially important in today’s globalised world. Our university will continue to participate in similar initiatives, further integrating it into the international educational space.