The Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague (Czech Republic) and Sumy State University jointly implemented the development project “ENHANCEMENT OF THE PHD STUDENTS POTENTIAL FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN UKRAINE” during March-December 2022, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. The project was implemented in a consortium with other 4 Ukrainian universities: Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, Sumy National Agrarian University, Polissia National University, “Chernihiv Polytechnica” National University. The project coordinator from the Czech side is Doctor of Science, Professor David Herak, Technical Faculty. The coordinator of the project from the Ukrainian side for Sumy State University is PhD, Associate Professor Oksana Zamora, Department of International Economic Relations of the BiEM Institute.
The project was aimed at increasing the potential of postgraduate students of Ukraine through the development of their skills and knowledge regarding qualitative research, as well as through the provision of grant funding and the creation of an environment and tools for its guided practical implementation. The training and research of young scientists was based on the close cooperation of researchers from Ukraine and the Czech Republic, who directed them to the best research ideas, advanced projects and standards of European science.
As part of the project, the following events took place:
- In-depth skills and knowledge of graduate students of Ukrainian universities regarding the design and conduct of qualitative research, submission of applications for receiving grants for them.
The content of the activities: an improved environment in which PhD students received mentorship, their research was supported by equipment, and they were involved in the work of a research group and a study visit to Prague. An educational drone was purchased for Sumy State University for use by the Department of International Economic Relations as part of teaching the “Tourism” specialty. A virtual course for 97 young researchers on the quality of scientific research “Practical Tools for Grant-Funded Research” was successfully conducted, which was supported by a specially developed MOOC course. Later, an intensive course in academic writing in English was also announced, where 98 participants from all partner universities of the consortium were enrolled. As part of the “Academic Writing and Presentation in English for Researchers” course, 21 participants from Sumy State University had the opportunity to improve their skills in writing scientific texts in English, and as a result, to get qualitative abstract that could be submitted to an international conference at the end of the project. As part of the competition for the best theses and the highest score for passing the course, BiEM graduate student D. Tkachenko received a grant to publish his article in an indexed journal.
- Advanced skills and knowledge of graduate students of Ukrainian universities regarding the development of international cooperation and multidisciplinary research.
Content of activities: Research groups were created and supported to develop qualitative studies and publish their results. Young scientists attended a summer school on project design for scientists and had the opportunity to win mini-grants for research. The competition for mini-grants for multidisciplinary research and a study trip to Prague were open to project participants.
Mini-grants were awarded to multidisciplinary teams headed by graduate students of Sumy State University A. Synkina (research topic “Stress-induced Menstrual Disorder In Adolescents During War”) and A. Treus (research topic “Allocation Responsible Investments In Environmental Protection Projects: Case Of Post-War Reconstruction Of Ukraine And SDG 13”). The results of scientific projects were published in indexed journals.
The summer school was held on October 17-21, 2022 in Prague hosted by the Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, and was attended by 3 graduate students of BiEM Institute of Sumy State University. On October 22-28, 2022, an educational visit took place on the basis of the same university, in which 3 post-graduate students of BiEM Institute of Sumy State University also took part.
The project ended with an international scientific conference hosted by the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague and the publication of an international Book of Abstracts. 64 participants took part in the conference (45 submitted theses for publication), 1 representative of the department of IER of Sumy State University was a member of the organizational and 1 of a scientific committee of the conference. Each project partner university received a set of 10 Books of Abstracts for their library.
