In a constantly changing world that demands new knowledge and skills, education remains the cornerstone of personal and societal development. It not only imparts fundamental knowledge but also shapes critical thinking, develops creative abilities, and prepares for future challenges. In this context, international educational experience takes on special significance, allowing students to acquire unique competencies, broaden their worldview, and adapt to global realities. Such opportunities for Ukrainian youth are actively implemented through academic mobility programs.
In the autumn semester of the 2025/2026 academic year, Kateryna Bondarenko, a student of group 303-EM, speciality 073 “Management”, continuing the tradition of successful international cooperation of Poltava Polytechnic, is studying under the Erasmus+ credit academic mobility program at the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna in Austria. She shares her first impressions of studying and living in Vienna:
“For two months now, I have been studying at the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna in Austria, and I can confidently say that this is the best time of my student life.
Studying in Austria differs significantly from studying in Ukraine. Classes last 3-4 hours, allowing for deeper immersion in the material. There are only 2-4 classes per week, leaving students with a lot of free time. I am studying disciplines such as Employer Branding and Digital Recruiting, Labour and Organisational Sociology, Austrian Language and Culture, European Economic Development & EU Integration, Intercultural Management, and International Project Management.
Even while studying in English, we always remembered Ukraine; for example, in the first Intercultural Management class, there was a workshop where each student brought an item from their country's culture and gave a presentation on the cultural differences between their country and Austria.
However, what I like most are the lecturers, who are always willing to help and advise if a problem arises, and the fact that they are practitioners. For example, the “Employer Branding” discipline is taught by Florian Kowatz, who is the head of “KR8 bureau” – an agency that creates brand strategies for companies.
Academic mobility is also an incredible opportunity to meet many people and make new friends. This semester, over 70 students, not only from Europe but also from Japan, Canada, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, and Chile, have enrolled in this program at the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna.
The Erasmus Student Network organises numerous events for students, such as excursions, museum visits, trips to other cities, hiking, picnics, and much more.
Although my studies here are not yet finished, I can confidently say that Erasmus+ is an unforgettable experience worth living through. Such an experience not only deepens my knowledge but also opens a new perspective on the world, significantly influencing my development as an individual and a future specialist”, – says Kateryna.
In the previous academic year, students Tetiana Holub and Karyna Kalnyk studied at the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna (you can read about their impressions of participating in the academic mobility program here and here), and in the 2023/2024 academic year – Oleksandra Kurylo and Veronika Melnyk (you can read about their experience of studying under the academic mobility program at this institution here), and Kseniia Kolomiiets.
As a reminder, faculty members of Poltava Polytechnic are eligible to participate in academic mobility and internship programs. Students can study abroad through Erasmus+ credit academic mobility grant programs for a semester or a full academic year at leading universities in Austria, Greenland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.
For more detailed information on current internship, teaching, and academic mobility programs abroad, please get in touch with the International Relations Office (office 213-C, interoffice@nupp.edu.ua) or the coordinator of international activities at the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” – Anna Pavelieva, Ph.D. in Philology, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation (email: kunsite.zi@gmail.com, phone: +38-(095)-91-08-192).
Media Centre of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
