On December 10, 2024, a landmark event for Ukrainian education took place – the Workshop „European Practices for Implementing the Third Mission of Universities” within the framework of the Erasmus+ project КА2 Universities-Communities: strengthening cooperation. The event brought together leading experts from across Europe to discuss topical issues of university development and their role in society.
The participants of the Workshop focused on the following key issues:
– сonceptual foundations of the third mission: What are the theoretical approaches to understanding the third mission? How is it related to the mission of teaching and research?
– practices of implementing the third mission in different countries: What tools and mechanisms do universities in Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden and Latvia use to engage with society? What successful cases can be identified?
– experience that can be applied in Ukraine: How to adapt European experience to Ukrainian realities? What are the barriers and opportunities for the development of the third mission in Ukrainian universities?
The speakers of the Workshop presented various approaches to the implementation of the third mission:
– Oksana Holovko-Havrysheva (UAES) and Diana Spulber (University of Genoa) shared the experience of Italy, in particular, the university’s cooperation with local communities and businesses to address pressing issues in the region.
– Maryna Lytvyn (UAES) presented the experience of the University of Latvia, which actively supports start-ups and promotes the commercialisation of scientific developments.
– Iryna Snovydovych and Yaryna Tanchak (Ivan Franko National University of Lviv) spoke about the experience of the Czech University of Applied Sciences, which focuses on the practical application of scientific knowledge and training of specialists in demand in the labour market.
– Nataliia Shofolova (Institute of Higher Education of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine) presented the experience of Lund University, which has a developed system of innovation support and promotes the commercialisation of scientific developments.
– Marianna Hladysh (Ivan Franko National University of Lviv) shared the experience of private universities in Germany, which demonstrate high flexibility and adaptability to market needs.
The workshop became a platform for sharing experiences and ideas on how to implement the third mission of universities. Participants gained valuable knowledge about European practices and discussed the possibilities of adapting them to Ukrainian conditions. The implementation of the third mission is a key factor in the development of a modern university and contributes to solving urgent problems of society. International cooperation in this area opens up new prospects for Ukrainian universities.
