Master student of group 501-FM, speciality 292 International Economic Relations of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” Mariia Zaitseva completed her studies under the Erasmus+ credit academic mobility programme at University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt and shared her impressions of the mobility programme in Austria.
In the modern world, gaining international experience is becoming an important part of professional and personal development. Poltava Polytechnic actively supports its students in their desire to open new horizons by participating in Erasmus+ academic mobility programmes. Due to the cooperation with the leading European higher education institutions, our students have a unique opportunity not only to acquire knowledge, but also to develop intercultural competences, improve teamwork skills and deepen their knowledge of foreign languages.
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” actively cooperates with European higher education institutions within the Erasmus+ KA 131 and KA 171 programmes. Among the partners of the university, a special place is occupied by Austrian higher education institutions, in particular, University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna, University of Applied Sciences Burgenland GmbH and University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt.
Every semester, these higher education institutions accept students of Poltava Polytechnic to study within the Erasmus+ credit academic mobility, which helps them to gain international experience, develop intercultural communication and professional skills necessary for a successful career in the globalised world.
A vivid example of successful participation in the mobility programme is the story of Mariia Zaitseva, a student of group 501-FM, 1st year, speciality 292 International Economic Relations. Her studies at the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt were a real breakthrough: interesting educational projects, meeting like-minded people from all over the world and an unforgettable experience of immersion in the European academic environment. Mariia shared her achievements, impressions, and challenges that helped her take an important step towards her future professional fulfilment.
This story proves that international programmes are not only an opportunity to study, but also a key to self-development, global thinking and self-confidence.
”I am proud to say that I have successfully completed all the subjects I have chosen as part of my participation in the Erasmus+ credit academic mobility programme at the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt! Studying was interesting, informative, and sometimes even exciting. I really liked the more practical approach to studying the disciplines, because I felt like a real manager of various companies.
A memorable moment was the celebration of winter evenings with students. One of the warmest and most atmospheric events was the joint preparation of Christmas gingerbread. We gathered in the university kitchen, where we shared recipes and funny stories, decorated pastries and enjoyed communicating with each other in a cosy company.
We also visited a chocolate factory, where we learnt how real Austrian delicacies are made. It was an amazingly tasty and informative tour! I have never tasted so much chocolate in my life!
I especially remember the Christmas markets in Vienna. It's an incredible holiday atmosphere filled with bright lights, the aroma of mulled wine and lots of souvenirs.
In addition, over the Christmas weekend, I had a great opportunity to fly to Poland and walk around festive Warsaw, meeting my loved ones even so far away from my motherland Ukraine.
As for my studies, they continued to impress me with their intensity and interest. Each subject was a new insight, and thanks to interactive assignments and group projects, I was constantly improving my knowledge. Communication with professors and students from different countries helped me broaden my horizons and gain valuable experience.
One of the brightest and most exciting moments in my studies was our group presentation to the L'Oréal brand management. We presented the product we had created, having worked on it for several weeks as part of one of our study projects.
It was a real challenge – from developing a product concept to preparing a presentation in English to representatives of a world-famous company. We demonstrated our vision, marketing strategy, and unique product benefits. It was incredibly nice to hear favourable feedback from professionals! At such moments, you realise that the training was successful!
This experience taught me many valuable skills: how to work in a team on real cases, how to communicate my ideas effectively, and how not to be afraid to speak in front of representatives of leading companies. It was an important step in my professional development that I will remember for a long time!
I would like to thank my university, Poltava Polytechnic, for such a great opportunity to join this project and take part in the international academic mobility programme Erasmus+. It gave me an incredible experience that will be the basis of my future professional development!”
“International academic mobility is one of the key directions of Poltava Polytechnic's development, and we are sincerely proud of our students' achievements in this context. Erasmus+ programmes open up unique opportunities for young people to immerse themselves in the modern European educational environment, which contributes to both their professional growth and personal development.
Mariia's experience illustrates how international programmes help to develop intercultural communication, teamwork and presentation skills, which are extremely important in today's globalised world. At the same time, such programmes enable our students to represent Ukraine, its culture and potential on the international stage.
We are truly grateful to our Austrian partners, the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt, for their warm welcome and high level of organisation of the educational process. This partnership allows our students to acquire the best educational practices and confidently move towards their professional dreams.
We are convinced that participation in Erasmus+ programmes is a powerful contribution to the future of our students and the entire Ukrainian society. We are grateful to everyone who contributes to the successful development of academic mobility!” said the Coordinator of International Cooperation of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation Anna Pavelieva.
You can read about Mariia Zaitseva's first impressions of studying at an Austrian university here. In 2024, Mariia Zaitseva also participated in the 10-day Study Tours to Poland (STP) grant programme in Toruń, Poland.
You can read about the experience of studying at University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt by Poltava Polytechnic student Mariia Bovkun here and here.
It should be noted that teachers of Poltava Polytechnic can participate in academic mobility programmes and internships, and students can study abroad under Erasmus+ grant programmes for a semester or a whole academic year at leading universities in Austria, Greenland, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, and the Czech Republic.
For more information on current internship, teaching and academic mobility programmes abroad, please contact the International Relations Department (room 320-F, interoffice@nupp.edu.ua) or the Coordinator of International Cooperation of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation Anna Kostiantynivna Pavelieva (room 310-C, email: kunsite.zi@gmail.com, phone: +3-8-(095)-91-08-192).
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