Liliya Turovska, Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work and International Activities of Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, participated in the RIFF Study Visit to the Czech Republic, held on April 20-24, 2026. The visit brought together representatives of Ukrainian institutions to familiarise themselves with European approaches to the development, management, and international integration of research infrastructures.
The program began at Masaryk University in Brno with a meeting with Rector Martin Bareš and a discussion of the current challenges facing science and higher education in Ukraine today. The key objective of the study visit was to explore how research infrastructures can support high-quality research, strengthen universities’ institutional capacity, and open new opportunities for international cooperation.
During the visit, the participants became acquainted with leading Czech research infrastructures in various priority areas: biomedicine, environmental sciences, nanotechnology, semiconductor technologies, social sciences and humanities, as well as large European research facilities. The program included visits and presentations to CEITEC Masaryk University, RECETOX, EIRENE, CZECRIN, CzechBioImaging, CzechGlobe, CEITEC Nano, Czech Semiconductor Centre, and ELI ERIC – Extreme Light Infrastructure. This ESFRI project operates across several European countries.
Particular attention was paid to the role of ESFRI – the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures – in shaping the European research infrastructure landscape. The meetings discussed issues of strategic planning, transparent evaluation, sustainable funding, open access to equipment and services, and the integration of national infrastructures into wider European networks.
For Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, participation in the RIFF Study Visit is important for developing its own ecosystem of research infrastructures. The experience gained will contribute to improving approaches to managing scientific equipment, expanding access to shared-use centres, developing interdisciplinary research centres, and strengthening cooperation with European partners.
The visit also provided an opportunity to become acquainted with practical models for combining research infrastructures with innovative activities, international projects, PhD training, open science, and regional development. This is especially important for the university in the context of setting strategic priorities in the fields of science, internationalisation, digital transformation, and integration into the European Research Area.
Participation in the RIFF Study Visit was another important step towards strengthening Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University’s international visibility and establishing its role as an active partner in the European Research Area.
