Today, a multidisciplinary seminar “University 2030: Development Models, Challenges for Quality Assurance Systems” was held at Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University.
During the event, the analytical publication “Innovative University and Leadership” (2024-2025) was presented. Strategic directions for the development of universities in the context of global transformations and challenges of our time were also discussed.
The topic of the first day of the seminar was the university’s mission, strategy, and social role. Valentyna Yakubiv, rector of the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, welcomed the participants. She emphasised the importance of the presented publication for the university community and the outline of long-term guidelines for the development of higher education:
“This is a publication that offers various scenarios for the development of the higher education system of Ukraine until 2030. While reading it, I found myself thinking that, in each of these scenarios, I would like to see my university in the best possible condition. This book is about not only surviving in the difficult conditions of global transformations, rapid change, and the challenges of modernity, but also preserving academic university education and its values, and navigating this difficult path together with students and youth in a time of profound social change.
I would like to sincerely thank Taras Finikov, a member of the University’s Supervisory Board, for his help in organising this event, his support, and for inviting our speakers, who are today presenting the chapters of the book they worked on directly. This is extremely valuable for us — both for our university and for the Ivano-Frankivsk university community as a whole. This is an opportunity to see where we are today, honestly, determine future development priorities, and outline a real roadmap from today to the university in the first, most successful development scenario. I sincerely wish that the indicators and benchmarks described in the best scenarios of the book become an achievable reality for us.”
Taras Finikov, PhD in History, President of the International Foundation for Educational Policy Research, Coordinator of the Polish-Ukrainian Project “Innovative University and Leadership”, Professor at the University of Warsaw, Member of the Supervisory Board of the Carpathian National University, delivered an introductory speech on the mission and strategy of the university. He outlined key conceptual approaches to developing a strategic vision for a modern university.
Serhiy Fedonyuk, Candidate of Geographical Sciences and Associate Professor at the Department of International Communications and Political Analysis of Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University, reported on the university’s position in global scientific and technological trends. In his report, he focused on the challenges of global competition, innovation, and interdisciplinarity in modern science.
Doctor of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of Educational Programs at the IT STEP University Higher Education Institution, Taras Rak, presented a vision of the interaction between the university and society, emphasising mutual influence, partnership, and higher education institutions’ responsibility to communities and the labour market.
The university as a space for the development of students and staff was discussed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Professor of the Department of Environmental Protection Technologies and Occupational Safety of the Ivano-Frankivsk National University of Oil and Gas, Senior Researcher of the Centre for Information, Analytical and Technical Support for Monitoring of Nuclear Energy Facilities of the NAS of Ukraine, Teodozia Yatsyshyn. She focused on human capital as a key value of a modern university.
The first day of the seminar ended with a lively discussion, during which participants had the opportunity to ask the speakers questions and share their own thoughts and visions for the future of university education in Ukraine.
The seminar became an essential platform for professional dialogue, exchange of experience, and formation of a shared strategic vision for the development of universities towards 2030.
