DIGI UNI: Supporting Education in Ukraine through Digital Innovation

Symbolic picture for the article. The link opens the image in a large view.
Original photo by Domenico Loia on Unsplash
4. October 2023

In the midst of challenging times brought on by the war in Ukraine, an innovative initiative unfolding for the next 4 years is here to support the country’s higher education system. The Open Ukrainian Initiative DIGI UNI aims to transform higher education in Ukraine through digital innovation and collaboration with European partners. With a strong partnership network of 26 institutions, including FAU, DIGI UNI is on a mission to ensure inclusive education and empower students and educators, even in the face of adversity.

The Ukrainian education system has faced immense challenges due to the ongoing conflict and displacement of students and universities. More than 30% of Ukrainian students have fled abroad in search of safety, stability and opportunity. In this context, DIGI UNI emerges as a response to the pressing need for educational continuity, inclusion and modernization.

Partners

The KNU-FAU Alliance – a joint project of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU) among with other Ukrainian universities and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) – has proven its necessity and success through a variety of collaborative projects in education and science, which paved the way to even new levels of European-Ukrainian cooperation.

Now the DIGI UNI project unites 26 partners all over Ukraine and Europe. The main coordinator of the project is Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU) – one of the most prominent universities in Ukraine. Among European universities that joined the project are FAU, the Universität zu Köln, and GWL Uni Hannover (Germany), Université de Strasbourg (France), Universidad de Alicante (Spain), Uniwersytet Poznan (Poland), and Masarykova univerzita (Czech Republic).

Goals

The project aims to establish a high-performance digital ecosystem for Ukrainian universities and educational institutions to sustain inclusive education in Ukraine. It includes establishing all the necessary infrastructure for digital education.

The main objectives of the project include:

  1. Systematic improvements and innovations in the tertiary sector.
  2. Inclusive higher education regardless of social status or location.
  3. Modernization of the Ukrainian higher education system.
  4. Establishment of an Open Digi-Uni-Ukraine Charter for mutual recognition of achievements.
  5. Building synergies between Ukrainian and European universities.
  6. Facilitating Ukraine’s accession to the EU.

To achieve these ambitious objectives, the project will develop the common quality standards for education and equip educators with the necessary digital skills. The learning experience will be enabled through the DigiPlatform, which will contain cutting-edge digital courses from both European and Ukrainian partners, adjusting to the individual needs of students and empowering them to chart their own learning paths.

DIGI UNI promises to provide a lifeline of educational opportunity, modernization, and resilience. In these challenging times, DIGI UNI commits to inclusive and innovative education, ensuring that every Ukrainian student has the chance to reach their full potential. Stay tuned for updates on this remarkable journey of higher education transformation.

Category: Allgemein