As part of implementing international educational initiatives and continuing integration into the European Higher Education Area, National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” continues to expand academic mobility and adopt innovative teaching methods.
On 18 September 2026, the inaugural kick-off session for teacher-facilitators was held within the framework of a large-scale international Erasmus+ project under the “Virtual Exchanges in Higher Education and Youth” action titled “Acquiring Transversal Competences through Virtual Voyages” (Registration No. ERASMUS-EDU-2024-VIRT-EXCH No. 101193593), сo-funded by the European Union. The event brought together a strong academic team from Poltava Polytechnic, comprising 14 academic staff members competitively selected to participate in the programme as teacher-facilitators, alongside colleagues from numerous European and partner institutions.
The international project consortium, which unites leading educational institutions and expert organisations from seven countries, is coordinated by “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad (Romania). The partnership network includes prominent institutions such as Millennium Centre and the consulting company Predict CSD Consulting (Romania), IUL Online University (Italy), Fırat University (Türkiye), Moldova State University, Caucasus University and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University (Georgia), Gavar State University (Armenia), as well as National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”, which worthily represents Ukrainian higher education within this prestigious academic alliance.
The strategic mission of the “Virtual Voyages” project is to prepare higher education students for the challenges of today’s global labour market by developing transversal competences, lifelong learning skills, and soft skills. The entire educational trajectory will unfold on the innovative online platform thevoyage.eu, which creates an inclusive and safe environment for virtual exchange between students and educators. The programme's curriculum is focused on two key practice-oriented modules. The “Learning to Learn” module covers effective time-management strategies, information flow management, contemporary cognitive techniques for efficient learning, and cultivating a balanced lifestyle culture for continuous intellectual development. In turn, the “Career Box” module focuses on career guidance tools, self-discovery, personal branding for future professionals, preparing competitive international-standard application documents, and techniques for successfully navigating job interviews with employers.
The kick-off online session marked the first practical step in implementing the comprehensive “Train the Facilitators” professional development programme. During the orientation meeting, participants became thoroughly acquainted with the architecture of the upcoming virtual exchange, the schedule of collaborative activities, the structure of learning materials on the voyage: the EU platform, and the programme's key performance indicators. Organisers and participants paid particular attention to advanced methodologies of non-formal education, the dynamics of macro- and micro-groups, intercultural interaction practices, resolving potential conflict situations, and effectively integrating artificial intelligence tools and modern digital services into the educational process to optimise learning trajectories.
The academic staff of Poltava Polytechnic have been entrusted with the responsible mission of mentoring and supporting students during both synchronous and asynchronous activities. As teacher-facilitators, they will directly moderate classes in blended and hybrid formats for international student cohorts of 15–20 participants, provide professional feedback, motivate young people to engage actively on the platform, and participate in regular weekly consortium mentoring sessions. Delivering on such an extensive scope of responsibilities demands high professional competence, and both students and educators will receive formal recognition through prestigious European Erasmus+ Youthpass certificates.
The interdisciplinary team of Poltava Polytechnic teacher-facilitators who successfully underwent competitive selection and embarked on their project work includes:
• Iryna Chernetska – PhD in Technical Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Heat and Gas Supply, Ventilation and Thermal Power Engineering, Educational and Research Institute of Oil and Gas and Energy;
• Olena Dvirna – PhD in Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Computer and Information Technologies and Systems, Educational and Research Institute of Information Technologies and Robotics;
• Olena Haytan – Senior Lecturer at the Department of Computer and Information Technologies and Systems, Educational and Research Institute of Information Technologies and Robotics;
• Alina Hlushko – PhD in Economic Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Finance, Banking and Taxation, Educational and Research Institute of Finance, Economics, Management and Law;
• Yuliia Hunchenko – Senior Lecturer at the Department of General Linguistics and Foreign Languages, Faculty of Philology, Psychology and Pedagogy;
• Tetiana Kushnirova – Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor at the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation, Faculty of Philology, Psychology and Pedagogy;
• Oleksandra Kuzmenko – PhD in Economic Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Computer and Information Technologies and Systems, Educational and Research Institute of Information Technologies and Robotics;
• Olena Martus – Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Oil and Gas Engineering and Technologies, Educational and Research Institute of Oil and Gas and Energy;
• Oleksandra Maslii – PhD in Economic Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Finance, Banking and Taxation, Educational and Research Institute of Finance, Economics, Management and Law;
• Yuliia Nikolaienko – PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation, Faculty of Philology, Psychology and Pedagogy;
• Yuliia Nikolenko – Assistant Lecturer at the Department of General Linguistics and Foreign Languages, Faculty of Philology, Psychology and Pedagogy;
• Anna Pavelieva – PhD in Philological Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation, Faculty of Philology, Psychology and Pedagogy;
• Halyna Talovyria – PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of General Linguistics and Foreign Languages, Faculty of Philology, Psychology and Pedagogy;
• Tetiana Yeriomenko – Lecturer at the Department of General Linguistics and Foreign Languages, Faculty of Philology, Psychology and Pedagogy.
Participation in the project's activities is fundamental to the personal and professional development of the academic staff at Poltava Polytechnic. This initiative gives educators a unique opportunity to move beyond traditional lecturing and become facilitators in a global digital environment. Direct exchange of best practices with European colleagues, accelerated enhancement of digital literacy, mastery of diversity mediation skills, and adoption of cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies substantially strengthen the international expert standing of Poltava scholars.
These activities are equally vital for the student community and the university's overall advancement. In today's context, virtual exchanges serve as an indispensable, barrier-free instrument for international academic mobility, enabling Ukrainian students to gain valuable global experience and build intercultural networks directly from their home institution. Through the coordinated efforts of the International Relations Department, the university once again reaffirms its leadership in implementing innovative international projects, making a substantial contribution to the digital modernisation of higher education and Ukraine's integration into the global academic community.
On her own behalf and on behalf of the entire team, the project coordinator from Poltava Polytechnic, Anna Pavelieva, expresses profound and sincere gratitude to the President of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”, Volodymyr Onyshchenko, and the Rector of the university, Olena Filonych, for their comprehensive support of innovative international initiatives, strategic vision for the university’s development, inspirational leadership, and the provision of exceptional conditions for the professional development of academic staff and the effective integration of Poltava Polytechnic into the European academic community.
