It should be recalled that during the autumn semester of academic year 2023/2024, two students of Poltava Polytechnic, Yelyzaveta Kalashnyk and Anna Bulavenko, studied under the Erasmus+ credit academic mobility programme at a partner university, Avans University of Applied Sciences.
Anna Bulavenko, a second-year student of speciality 183 Environmental Protection Technologies of the Educational and Research Institute of Oil and Gas of Poltava Polytechnic, shared her impressions of studying in the Netherlands:
“So, an incredible, exciting and unforgettable journey under the Minor: “Disruptive events” programme has come to an end. This was my first experience of studying abroad, and I liked it so much that I decided to continue my studies in the Netherlands and enrolled in another exchange programme.
First of all, I want to tell you about the moments that impressed me the most, namely, a trip to France and Greece to help migrants. It was quite difficult emotionally, because you see a completely different side of life.
Since the end of the 20th century, refugees have been trying to get to Britain from Calais in northern France. They come from countries such as Afghanistan, Eritrea, Sudan and Syria and try to cross the sea through the Channel Tunnel.
In total, we spent three days in France. On the first day, we visited a volunteer organisation to help pack food, clothes and other essentials. In the afternoon, we went to a park. There we treated migrants to drinks, distributed food packages and supported them. Unfortunately, only a few of them thanked us, so it was morally difficult for me. The second day we spent in the kitchen, where we prepared lunches for migrants. This day made us an even closer team.
Greece is an important place in Europe where thousands of refugees are stranded. Including to the north of the Greek capital Athens.
This is where the Ritsona camp is located, where we spent seven days with the students. Migrants stay here while waiting for asylum.
There we talked to migrants, visited the Red Cross and the Dutch Embassy. We helped refugees and learnt to work in a team. During this week, I became more open in expressing my opinions and began to appreciate what I have. During my studies, I visited France, Belgium, Portugal, Greece and many cities in the Netherlands.
I can talk endlessly about all the wonderful moments I had during this semester. An exchange programme is an opportunity to meet different people, see the world and gain useful knowledge. It’s not easy, but it’s definitely worth it.”
Avans University of Applied Sciences is a highly ranked Dutch university located in three cities: Breda, Hertogenbosch and Tilburg, which is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands, founded in 2004 by the merger of two educational institutions – Hogeschool Brabant and Hogeschool’s-Hertogenbosch. Avans University of Applied Sciences is accredited by NVAO, the accreditation organisation for higher education institutions in the Netherlands and Flanders. The university has more than 30,000 students studying 40 courses in 21 institutes. It employs 3,000 people. The oldest branch of the Avans University of Applied Sciences is the Kunstacademie in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, which was founded in 1812.
The Advance University of Applied Sciences has been recognised as the best large university of applied sciences in the Netherlands.
The university has campuses in Breda, Hertogenbosch and Tilburg. The closest airports to the places of study are in Eindhoven, Rotterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands), as well as in Antwerp and Brussels (Belgium). In total, the educational institution has 13 campuses, 4 of which are located in Breda, 6 in Hertogenbosch and 3 in Tilburg. The infrastructure includes a full range of educational and sports facilities, cafes, restaurants, student clubs, etc. Avans University of Applied Sciences has Xplora Knowledge Centres, which combine a media library, computer databases, a study centre, and a social work centre. Here, students can solve academic issues, work on projects, and communicate with colleagues. The Xplora format is an opportunity to conduct independent research, take a creative approach to learning, and be freer in choosing information. Most Avans buildings have Wi-Fi and computer labs with comfortable workstations. For collaborative work on projects, there are special rooms where you can discuss research results, view audio and video materials, etc. in a relaxed atmosphere.
The advantage of Dutch higher education is the close relationship between theory and practice, interactivity, and focus on students’ individual needs. The university is actively implementing a project-based learning system: students independently lead projects in small groups, applying the knowledge they have gained in practice.
Avans University of Applied Sciences offers students training at 21 faculties in 10 areas:
- Economics and Society;
- Land and Environment;
- Exact Sciences and Informatics;
- Behaviour and Society;
- Arts and Culture;
- Health;
- Education;
- Management and law;
- Technology;
- Language and communication.
It should be recalled that applications for credit academic mobility to the Finnish university Laurea University of Applied Science in the 2024/2025 academic year are now open. The deadline for applications is 8 April 2024, at the Austrian University of Applied Sciences Burgenland and the Austrian University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna, and Polytechnic scientists are invited to 2 trainings within the framework of the DAAD’s “Bologna Hub Peer Support II” project.
In the spring semester of the academic year 2023/2024, 16 students from different structural subdivisions of Poltava Polytechnic are studying under the Erasmus+ credit academic mobility programme at the university “1 DECEMBRIE 1918” University of Alba Iulia, four female students of our university are mastering useful professional skills at the Romanian university “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, a master’s student of philology is studying under the Erasmus+ academic mobility programme at Vilnius University of Applied Sciences (VIKO), a rehabilitation student is successfully studying the latest therapeutic techniques at the Romanian partner university, a student majoring in “Management” has recently completed a semester of study at Wiener Neustadt University of Applied Sciences, 4 students of Educational and Research Institute of Finance, Economics, Management and Law of Poltava Polytechnic Polina Kulyk, Dana Sholokh, Anastasiia Duchkova and Daiana Kuchka have completed their studies at Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland, and students of ERIFEML have successfully completed their studies at the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna in Austria, Polytechnic teachers and students attended lectures on building acoustics from a representative of a British acoustic design and consulting agency, a Polytechnic scientist visited Washington, DC as part of the “Open World” programme and got acquainted with American higher education by visiting one of the local communities, visited one of the leading universities in Florida, visited Embry-Riddle University, a private aviation university also known as the “The Harvard of the Skies”, and visited Everglades University, a private university; a philology student improved her digital skills by participating in the Erasmus+ academic exchange programme in Italy; students of the Educational and Research Institute of Finance, Economics, Management and Law shared their positive impressions of studying at the Austrian partner university.
It should be noted that students of Poltava Polytechnic have the opportunity to study abroad under the grant programmes of credit academic mobility for a semester or a whole academic year at the leading universities of Austria, Greenland, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, and the Czech Republic.
For more information about the current academic mobility programmes, 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).
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
