National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” continues its steadfast integration into the European educational and scientific area. On October 5, 2026, the partners of the international grant project under the Erasmus+ KA220-ADU program entitled “IN SITU” (Situated, inclusive and sustainable digital practices for adult education), co-funded by the European Union, held its first start-up meeting. The online event brought together key experts and work package leaders from six organisations across five European countries: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Romania, and Ukraine.
The project consortium comprises six organisations from five European countries:
• Haute École Libre Mosane (HELMo), Belgium – the project coordinator, a leading higher education institution in the fields of social work and pedagogy.
• Initiatives pour une formation efficace ASBL (Inforef), Belgium – experts in digital platform development and ecodesign.
• Association Régionale du Travail Social Hauts de France (A.R.T.S – IRTS), France – one of the largest training centres for social workers in France.
• Lekama Développement, Luxembourg – a non-governmental organisation addressing mental health issues in the digital era.
• Universitatea Aurel Vlaicu din Arad (UAV), Romania – a public university with robust expertise in social work.
• National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” (NUPP), Ukraine.
This preparatory meeting marked a significant milestone on the path toward the official launch of the project, scheduled for November 2026. A source of particular pride is that the “IN SITU” initiative secured funding amid exceptionally competitive international conditions: based on the selection results of the Belgian National Agency AEF-Europe, only two projects out of 36 submitted applications in the adult education sector were awarded funding, one of them being “IN SITU”. Furthermore, European experts specifically commended the consortium for its high level of maturity and the impeccable quality of the partnership documentation.
Pascale Pereaux, Project Manager at the leading Belgian higher education institution HELMo, coordinated the meeting. Poltava Polytechnic was represented by our university's project manager and International Relations Coordinator Anna Pavelieva. During the discussions, the partners agreed on the framework principles for communication and cooperation, with English as the primary working language and French used additionally for specific consultations. The participants noted an atmosphere of mutual trust and a shared commitment to creating practical solutions for individuals requiring support in the digital environment.
The concept of “IN SITU” is grounded in the findings of a comprehensive study conducted by the consortium among 308 respondents across five countries. The survey revealed a paradox of modern digitalisation: although more than 90% of respondents regularly use conversational artificial intelligence tools, only a few demonstrate a genuine understanding of algorithmic logic, bias risks, and data-processing mechanisms. At the same time, over 75% of educators, social workers, and adult educators report persistent strain due to a shortage of adapted methodologies, chronic time constraints, and the dominance of monopolistic solutions from tech giants (“Big Tech”). The project aims to transform this reality by shifting the focus from simple button-pressing to cultivating conscious “digital sobriety,” personal data protection, and environmental responsibility.
In response to these challenges, the consortium will develop a triad of innovative open-access deliverables covering both organisational-level work and direct engagement with adult learners. These include an adaptive online learning platform (WP3), designed in accordance with strict ecodesign principles to operate reliably even on older smartphones or with unstable internet connectivity. Another pioneering solution is an eco-inclusive educational kit (WP4), created using an “offline-first” approach: before turning to screens, participants will explore the principles of AI and media literacy through tactile tabletop games, flashcards, scenario simulations, and pictograms, thereby helping to overcome the fear of making mistakes as well as language barriers.
Within this comprehensive system, Poltava Polytechnic will carry out a strategic mission: our university will lead Work Package 2 (WP2). Polytechnic researchers will coordinate the development of a reference self-assessment tool for organisations and the formulation of the “Index of Ecological and Inclusive Digital Practices in Learning”. This methodological framework will enable educational institutions and social organisations to evaluate the sustainability of their digital solutions. It will subsequently undergo pilot testing in at least 50 European organisations (a minimum of 10 in each partner country).
The three-year project will follow the European Commission’s official project management methodology – PM². This ensures strict adherence to all lifecycle phases – from operational planning to the final deployment of outcomes in 2029. To maintain the highest quality of the deliverables, the partners have established a two-tiered governance structure, encompassing regular meetings of the Project Steering Committee (PSC), coordination by the Project Coordination Team (PCT), and the involvement of the Co-Creation and Validation Committee (CCV) to test and validate pedagogical materials directly with end users.
The start-up meeting enabled the partners to align their immediate next steps. In early November 2026, during the first week of the program's official launch, the partners will hold the official kick-off meeting. Looking ahead, the team will engage in a series of transnational hands-on workshops: the first in-person partner meeting will take place in Liège, Belgium, followed by joint events hosted across France, Romania, Luxembourg, and Ukraine. Poltava Polytechnic's participation in the “IN SITU” project once again reaffirms the university’s strong standing on the international stage and the tangible contribution of Ukrainian academics to the development of cutting-edge European education.
“On behalf of our entire interdisciplinary project team, I express my sincere gratitude to Volodymyr Onyshchenko, President of National University ‘Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic’, and Olena Fylonych, Rector of the University, for their comprehensive support, multifaceted facilitation of international activities, and unwavering trust. Thanks to the strategic leadership of the university administration and the robust institutional framework established for implementing large-scale grant initiatives, we have the opportunity not only to integrate into the European research area, but also to confidently lead key work packages, demonstrating the resilience and innovative potential of Ukrainian higher education”, – emphasised Project Manager and International Relations Coordinator at Poltava Polytechnic, Anna Pavelieva.
As a reminder, academic staff members of Poltava Polytechnic can participate in academic mobility programs and professional internships. At the same time, students can study abroad through Erasmus+ international credit mobility grant programs for a semester or an entire academic year at leading universities across Austria, Greenland, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, and the Czech Republic.
For more detailed information regarding current internship, teaching, and academic mobility opportunities abroad, please get in touch with the International Relations Department (Room 213-C, interoffice@nupp.edu.ua) or the University’s International Relations Coordinator Anna Pavelieva (+3-8-(095)-91-08-192).
