An inaugural online meeting to launch a strategic partnership between the cities of Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukraine) and Berkeley (California, USA) was recently held. The event was an important step towards long-term cooperation among local governments, higher education institutions, businesses, cultural institutions, and public organisations from both cities.
Representatives of the Berkeley City Hall attended the meeting, the Mayor’s Office, the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco, the University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley), the Ukraine Matters public organization, as well as representatives of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council, the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, the Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas, the Ivano-Frankivsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Ivano-Frankivsk Drama Theater and other institutions.
The initiators of the meeting were Volodymyr and Natalia Goshylyky (Ukraine Matters), who emphasised the common features of Ivano-Frankivsk and Berkeley as university centres, innovative and culturally active, with a developed civil society and high potential for international cooperation.
The participants identified several priority areas of cooperation, including:
- academic exchanges and joint scientific research;
- development of innovation and startup ecosystems;
- cultural diplomacy and artistic exchanges;
- municipal cooperation;
- support for entrepreneurship;
- humanitarian and social initiatives;
- sustainable development and community regeneration;
- tourism and intercultural interaction.
Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University was represented at the meeting by Svitlana Kropelnytska, director of the Project and Educational Centre for the Development of Innovation and Investment in the Region “Agents of Change”, chairwoman of the board of the NGO “AGENTS OF CHANGE IF”, and associate professor of the Department of Finance of the Faculty of Economics.
During the presentation, the Centre “Agents of Change” of the VSCNU was presented as a university platform in collaboration with the NGO “AGENTS OF CHANGE IF” for the development of project management, innovation ecosystems, cluster initiatives, international partnerships, and support for sustainable community development.
Among the proposed areas of cooperation:
- implementation of joint educational and mentoring programs for students and young leaders;
- development of COIL programs, guest lectures and international educational modules;
- supporting entrepreneurship, startups and innovation ecosystems;
- cooperation in the field of cluster development and regional innovations;
- implementation of green recovery, resilience and sustainable development projects;
- development of cooperation between public organisations and communities in the field of social innovations;
- preparation of joint grant applications for international programs and funds.
Special attention was paid to the experience of the Centre “Agents of Change” in implementing projects to develop territorial communities, support international cooperation, foster youth leadership, and collaborate with the Carpathian University Science Park, the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance, and international partners.
As a result of the meeting, the parties agreed on:
- formation of thematic working groups;
- preparation of joint project proposals;
- development of partnerships between universities, public organisations, and businesses;
- working out mechanisms for concluding an official twinning agreement between cities;
- attracting new partners and stakeholders to cooperation;
- searching for grant and investment opportunities for the implementation of joint initiatives.
The participation of Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University in this meeting was an important step towards expanding the university’s international ties and developing new cooperation formats between Ukraine and the United States.
We are convinced that partnerships between universities, communities, businesses, and public organisations will become a powerful tool for developing human potential, fostering innovation, promoting international integration, and supporting post-war reconstruction in Ukraine.