DEFEP проекти

Uman National University expands the implementation of distance learning within the DEFEP project

09.05.2025 by admin

Uman National University continues to actively implement modern approaches to the organization of the educational process, responding to the challenges of time and the needs of higher education students.

Since 2024, the university has been successfully implementing the DEFEP project (Distance Education for Future: best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and labor market), which aims to adapt the best practices of distance education in the European Union to Ukrainian realities.

The pilot educational program implemented under the DEFEP project was the second (master’s) level study program “Social Security Economics” in the specialty 232 “Social Security”. Thanks to the integration of innovative digital solutions, in particular the use of the Moodle platform, an effective and accessible educational environment has been created that provides an opportunity to receive quality education regardless of the students’ location.

Given the positive experience and results of the pilot phase, the Academic Council of the University decided to expand the practice of distance learning to a number of other educational programs. From now on, distance learning is available in the following specialties:

Expanding distance education at the university is an important step towards creating an open and inclusive educational environment. This allows students to combine their studies with professional activities while maintaining high quality education.

Discussion of strategic issues within the DEFEP project: Uman National University joined the working meeting of partner universities

09.05.2025 by admin

On April 21, 2025, a regular Zoom meeting of participants of the international project DEFEP (Distance Education for Future), implemented with the support of EU countries and aimed at developing distance education in Ukraine, took place. The event was attended by representatives of higher education institutions – project partners, including Uman National University.

The participants discussed a number of key issues important for the further implementation of innovations in the field of distance education. In particular:

agreeing on the structure and content of the Sustainability plan, a document that defines a long-term strategy for the development of project results after the end of grant support. It was agreed to distribute responsibilities between the partners for its content.
drafting a cooperation agreement with representatives of the public, civil society, and business sectors, as well as a draft memorandum on the establishment of the Association to Support Distance Education. The documents are expected to be finalized taking into account the legal opinions of the partner universities.
agreeing on the final version of the letter to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which should outline recommendations for regulatory support for the development of distance programs.
Discussion of the course of the distance learning course “Intercultural Communication”, which has already started. Participants were reminded of the need for active participation of students, timely completion of tasks and interaction with teachers in both asynchronous and synchronous formats.
preparing for the 2025 admission campaign for experimental distance master’s programs. The partner universities shared plans for competitive proposals, targeted recruitment programs, and information and advertising activities to attract applicants.
monitoring the quality of the educational process: a survey of students and teachers is underway, as well as the collection of video feedback as part of internal self-assessment.

Uman National University is actively involved in the DEFEP project, implementing European quality standards for distance learning and maintaining a partnership dialogue to transform the educational environment in Ukraine.

New educational opportunities – distance learning – were presented to bachelor’s students

09.05.2025 by admin

The faculties of Uman National University held meetings with final-year bachelors to familiarize them with the possibilities of continuing their studies in a master’s program. Particular attention was paid to the new format of organizing the educational process – distance learning, which is being implemented within the framework of the DEFEP project (Distance Education for Future: Best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and labor market). This form, along with full-time and part-time education, opens up new horizons for higher education students.

During the meetings, teachers and representatives of the faculty administration told students about the advantages of the distance format, including

flexible study schedule;
the ability to combine studies with work or other responsibilities;
access to educational materials through the electronic platform Moodle;
maintaining the quality of education in the modern digital environment.

Students learned that when applying for a master’s degree, they can choose a form of study according to their life circumstances, combining mobility and convenience with academic efficiency. Most of the participants noted that understanding the flexible learning opportunities increases their motivation to enroll in a master’s program at Uman National University.

The choice is now up to the student: full-time, part-time or distance learning – each of them is adapted to the needs of a modern higher education student.

Developers of the educational program “Social Work and Reintegration of War Veterans” discussed ways to improve it within the DEFEP project

20.03.2025 by admin

A meeting of the working group of developers of the educational program “Social Work and Reintegration of War Veterans” of the second (master’s) level of higher education in the specialty 10 “Social Work and Counseling” was held at Uman National University. The program is being implemented, among other things, through distance learning as part of the international project DEFEP (Distance Education for Future: best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and the labor market).

During the meeting, the participants discussed promising areas for improving the educational program, as well as updating and strengthening its methodological support in accordance with modern European standards and labor market demands.

Particular attention was paid to taking into account the feedback from students, which will improve the quality and competitiveness of the program, ensuring its compliance with the current needs and expectations of future professionals.

Working Group Meeting on the Quality of Distance Learning Held at Uman National University

20.03.2025 by admin

On March 19, within the framework of the international project DEFEP (Distance Education for Future: best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and labor market), a working meeting was held at Uman National University between the project coordinator from the university, professor, vice-rector for scientific and pedagogical work Mykhailo MALYOVANOI and a working group consisting of professor Inna NOVAK and associate professors Alla OSIPOVA and Nina PITEL.
During the meeting, the participants discussed the conduct and further use of the results of the survey of distance learning students, as well as the survey of stakeholders and teachers. Special attention was paid to the issue of monitoring the internal quality assurance system of higher education in the specialty 232 “Social Security”.
The discussion was constructive and made it possible to identify further steps to improve the quality of distance education, taking into account modern European practices and labor market expectations.

The UNUS team took part in the DEFEP project meeting

20.03.2025 by admin

On March 13, 2025, the team of the Uman National University of Horticulture took part in a meeting of the international project DEFEP (Distance Education for Future), which took place online.

An important topic was the issue of continuing to enroll students in distance learning in 2025 and the possible expansion of the list of educational programs. The participants of the meeting discussed in detail the prospects for improving methodological support, measures to popularize distance learning, and the possibility of further disseminating the project results.

Considerable attention was paid to the preparation and organization of the final conference of the project, which is scheduled to be held in October 2025 in a mixed format. The participants discussed the need for universities in Ukraine and Moldova to prepare presentations on the project’s implementation practices and identified the main directions for the future development of distance education. They also discussed the need to amend the grant and partnership agreements due to the reorganization of one of the partner universities.

The meeting was constructive, and the Uman NUS team actively participated in the discussion and determination of the next steps in the implementation of the DEFEP project.

Students’ impressions of distance learning within the DEFEP project

19.03.2025 by admin

An examination of students’ perceptions regarding distance learning within the DEFEP project reveals that Uman National University has effectively adopted contemporary methodologies in the domain of distance education, particularly within the specialty of 232, “Social Security.” The training is facilitated through the electronic platform Moodle, which ensures accessibility to the educational process irrespective of the applicant’s geographical location. The educational program “Social Security Economics” at the second (master’s) level is being implemented within the framework of the DEFEP project (Distance Education for Future:

Best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and labor market).

One student, Oksana Didenko, has offered insights into her educational experience, which can be found below.

She asserts that distance learning at Uman National University has emerged as the optimal choice for her, as it enables her to seamlessly integrate work, personal life, and academic pursuits. The Moodle platform, in particular, is noteworthy for its provision of straightforward access to educational materials, assessment tasks, and the facilitation of communication with instructors and peers.

A notable benefit is the flexibility in scheduling, which allows students to manage their time and commitments in a manner that suits their individual needs and preferences. It provides students with the autonomy to manage their time and the flexibility to adapt their learning pace according to their individual needs and preferences. Moreover, the adoption of European methodologies and best practices in distance education enables the acquisition of knowledge that aligns with contemporary labor market demands.

I am confident that the skills and knowledge gained will become a reliable foundation for my professional development in the field of social security.”

The implementation of distance learning at Uman National University substantiates the efficacy of contemporary European practices in delivering superior higher education.

The Social Security Economics study programme has been accredited until 2030.

13.02.2025 by admin

The second-level higher education programme Social Security Economics, speciality 232 Social Security, has successfully passed accreditation, as confirmed by a certificate from the National Agency for Higher Education and Training, valid until 1 July 2030.

The development of this programme took place within the framework of the international ERASMUS+ project (ERASMUS-EDU-2022-CBHE-STRAND-2) – DEFEP ‘Distance Education for the Future: EU Best Practices in Response to the Demands of Modern Higher Education Students and the Labour Market’.

The project has yielded notable outcomes, including the enhancement of the distance learning component of the programme in accordance with European best practices, encompassing the reinforcement of institutional, organisational, methodological, human and technical support. The faculty members of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Business Technologies have undergone professional development training, thereby acquiring the requisite competencies to ensure a quality educational process. Furthermore, educational materials aimed at cultivating a culture of academic integrity have been incorporated into the curricula, and a state-of-the-art laboratory has been inaugurated.

The success of the programme is attributable to the dedication of the UNUS Department of Entrepreneurship and Business Technologies, with particular recognition for teachers, students and the programme guarantor Inna Chernega.The accreditation certificate serves as a testament to the programme’s compliance with contemporary standards and a guarantee of its future quality.The programme’s innovative approach to distance learning has been met with significant approval by both higher education students and employers, contributing to its notable popularity.

Participation of the Uman National University of Horticulture in the coordination meeting of the DEFEP project “Distance Education for Future”

09.12.2024 by admin

From December 4 to 8, 2024, representatives of Uman National University of Horticulture – Vice Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work, Doctor of Economics, Professor Mykhailo Maliovanyi, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Doctor of Economics, Professor Inna Novak, Head of the Department of Economics, Candidate of Economics, Associate Professor Alla Osipova and Specialist of the Department of Educational Quality Monitoring Maria Maliovana – took part in the coordination meeting of the DEFEP project “Distance Education for Future”, which took place at the State University of Moldova in Chisinau.

In addition, other team members from the Uman National University of Horticulture, who are actively involved in the project, joined the discussions and working sessions in Zoom format. This hybrid format allowed all participants to contribute to the discussions regardless of their physical location.

This project brings together partners from different countries to develop an innovative distance learning system adapted to modern challenges. The coordination meeting was an important event to discuss achievements, challenges and perspectives, as well as to share experiences in implementing European best practices and developing new approaches to ensure quality in distance learning.

Special attention was paid to the issues of adapting educational programs to the requirements of the labor market, creating digital tools for teaching and developing the educational environment in a distance format.

Within the framework of the event, the Uman National Horticultural University presented the results of the pilot implementation of an educational program in a distance format. In particular, Inna NOVAK made a presentation focusing on modern competencies in the field of social security, innovative teaching methods and adaptation of the program to the requirements of the labor market.

Regular meeting of the team of Uman National University of Horticulture involved in the implementation of the DEFEP project

27.11.2024 by admin

A regular meeting of the working group of the team involved in the implementation of the project “Distance education for the future: best EU practices in response to the demands of modern higher education seekers and the labour market (DEFEP)” was held at the Uman National University of Horticulture. During the event, the results of the work for the period June-December 2024 were summarised and the plans for the next stage of the project were outlined.

The participants of the meeting presented reports on the implementation of the project’s objectives, highlighting in particular the key results in adapting distance education to modern challenges, introducing innovative approaches to teaching and ensuring compliance with labour market requirements. The discussion helped to summarise the achievements and identify areas for further improvement.

Particular attention was paid to the plans for the implementation of the WP8 work package, which includes: ensuring the sustainability and scaling of the distance education system; developing promising student competences, taking into account cognitive, behavioural and technological changes; strengthening cooperation with the consortium member universities in Ukraine and Moldova.

The meeting was an important stage in the internal coordination of the UNUS team’s work within the DEFEP project. The tasks and initiatives discussed will contribute to the effective implementation of the project and its long-term impact on the development of distance education in Ukraine. The UNUS team continues to work actively on the implementation of the project, implementing the best European practices for the development of modern education.