DEFEP проекти

Interdepartmental Seminar “Projects under the EU Erasmus+ Program: New Opportunities and Prospects for Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions”

30.10.2023 by Anton

On October 27, at the Faculty of Economics and Entrepreneurship of Uman National University of Horticulture, at the initiative of the Department of Economics, an interdepartmental seminar on project activities of higher education institutions was held on the topic: “Projects under the EU Erasmus+ program: new opportunities and prospects for Ukrainian higher education institutions.”

The event was attended by higher education students and teachers of the Department of Economics and the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance. The speaker of the seminar was Olena FILIMONOVA, coordinator of the DEFEP project: Distance Education for Future: best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and labor market (Distance Education for Future: best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and labor market) within the framework of the Erasmus+ program, PhD, leading specialist of the International Relations Department of Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University.

During the seminar, the scientists discussed the development and building opportunities for Ukrainian higher education institutions provided by the EU Erasmus+ program. Olena Borysivna emphasized that the rules of the EU Erasmus+ Program have now been changed to facilitate support for Ukrainian institutions and institutions, educators and scientists in the context of the military aggression of the Russian Federation, in particular those displaced within Ukraine or abroad. Since Russia and Belarus are excluded from funding this program, opportunities for Ukraine, its education, youth and sports have become wider.

The speaker emphasized that Erasmus+ priorities include inclusion and diversity in all areas of education, training, youth and sports; support for Ukraine and temporarily displaced Ukrainians; environment and climate change; addressing digital transformation through the development of digital readiness, resilience and capacity; shared values, active citizenship.

The peculiarities of the introduction of distance education and approaches to its implementation, which are being developed under the DEFEP project Distance Education of the Future: EU best practices in response to the needs of modern higher education and labor market (grant agreement № 101083143 – DEFEP), were also discussed in detail. The participants of the seminar analyzed which educational programs of the second master’s level of higher education can be switched to distance learning in the next academic year at Uman National University of Horticulture as experimental for the project; what challenges and opportunities this creates for students, teachers and university administration;

The interdepartmental seminar has become an excellent platform for a deeper understanding of the EU Erasmus+ Program and its relevance to the Ukrainian higher education environment.

Study visit of the team of Uman National University of Horticulture to the University of Palermo within the framework of the DEFEP project

16.10.2023 by Anton

From October 9 to 13, 2023, the Ukrainian and Moldovan teams of the international DEFEP Erasmus+ Ka2 project “Distance education for future: best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and labor market” visited the University of Palermo. Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work, Doctor of Economics, Professor Mykhailo MALYOVANYI and specialist of the Education Quality Monitoring Department Mariia MALYOVANA took part in the visit from Uman National University of Horticulture.

During the week, the meeting participants had the opportunity to learn about digital tools and practices that are successfully used in the educational process by the University of Palermo teachers. The event was held in the medieval palace Palazzo Chiaromonte-Steri. Massimo Midiri, Rector of the University of Palermo, welcomed the participants.

Luisa Amenta, Vice-Rector for Innovation at the University, introduced the participants to new approaches to student learning and teacher motivation in the context of digitalization of education.

Ignazio Vinci and Simona Mercantini shared their experience of using the FORTHEM digital platform.

During the visit, the participants took part in the presentation of the online learning manual; got acquainted with the Digital Academy, which is a digital platform of the European University; visited classrooms and laboratories for online tests; got acquainted with software tools for organizing online learning: Moodle, OpenBadge, EduOpen (Mooc); learned about the peculiarities of the functioning of the master’s online programs “International Relations, Politics and Trade”, “Digital Humanities for the Cultural Industry”, “Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering”, “Management Engineering”; got acquainted with the experience of Italian colleagues in researching distance learning and its psychological impact on students.

Sincere thanks to the coordinator of the DEFEP UniPa project team Assunta Polizzi for organizing and conducting the event.

Meeting of the Technical Group of the DEFEP

11.10.2023 by admin

On October 10 the meeting of the Technical Group of the DEFEP project was held.

During the meeting, a number of tasks of the Technical Group were discussed. First of all, this is the preparation of tender documents in accordance with the procurement plan for distance education laboratory equipment for each partner university of the consortium.

Special attention was paid to the issue of distribution of tasks for writing the technical section of the collective monograph “Educational innovations as a response to modern challenges: a new model of distance learning”.

Study visit of the ERASMUS+ KA2 DEFEP project team to Spain

10.10.2023 by Anton

From October 2 to 6, 2023, representatives of the Uman National University of Horticulture Olena NEPOCHATENKO, Rector, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Nataliia LYSA, Chief Accountant, Candidate of Economics, Associate Professor, Inna NOVAK, Head of the Department of Management, Doctor of Economics, Professor, and Alla OSIPOVA, Head of the Department of Economics, Candidate of Economics, Associate Professor, took part in a study visit to Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid (Spain) within the framework of the international project DEFEP Project Erasmus+ KA2 international project “Distance education for future: Best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and labor market”

The main purpose of the visit was to study the use of media resources in distance education.

As part of the study visit, the scientists of the University of Horticulture got acquainted with the peculiarities of the organization and course of distance education at the King Juan Carlos University (Madrid, Spain), which were told by the Vice-Rector for Transformation and Digital Education Cesar Caceres, Director of the Center for Educational Innovation and Digital Learning Jaime URQUIZA and Professor of the University Clare CANNON. Also, teachers of the King Juan Carlos University generously shared their rich experience in using pedagogical and technical tools in distance education.

Another interesting experience gained was studying the work of the International University of La Rioja UNIR. The University of Online Education is an institution known for its innovative online learning methodologies. The project participants had a unique opportunity to learn about the methodology and innovative tools used by UNIR. The exchange of ideas and experiences was rich and instructive, serving as a catalyst for innovation. A visit to the URJC Center for Learning Innovations and Digital Education, where video and film content for the educational process is created, was also useful.

The team of Uman National University of Horticulture thanks King Juan Carlos University and the participants of the DEFEP Project Erasmus+ KA2 “Distance Education of the Future: EU Best Practices in Response to the Demands of Modern Higher Education Students and the Labor Market”. This exchange contributes to the development of quality distance education in the face of current challenges.