Poltava Polytechnic’s international educational space is actively expanding thanks to the successful implementation of the COIL project, “Intercultural Collaboration: Ukraine and Austria”, conducted in partnership with the Austrian University of Applied Sciences Burgenland (Hochschule Burgenland). Following the initiative's official launch, students from both countries actively participated in the first joint online sessions. This phase represents a crucial step in the practical application of innovative intercultural communication methodologies. It provides participants with a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of neighbouring linguacultural societies while developing key 21st-century skills.
The initial online classes for students within this COIL project took place in October 2025. The project moderators are Yuliia Nikolaenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation at Poltava Polytechnic, and Martin Jandl, Master of Philology and English Language Lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland (Hochschule Burgenland).
Students from both universities participated, actively communicating and exploring various cultural aspects of Ukraine and Austria through COIL, a collaborative online education model.
During the session focusing on the first topic, “Getting to Know Ukraine and Austria”, students:
- developed English language communication skills and the ability to cooperate in a multicultural environment during group discussions, where they selected and compared various aspects of life in Ukraine and Austria (national cuisine, holidays, popular music, cities, foreign languages studied, nature);
- learned about the features of the higher education systems in both countries and shared their impressions of student life at Poltava Polytechnic and the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland;
- used the case study method to analyse real-life intercultural communication situations (“Intercultural Communication Challenges”) and discussed: the appropriateness of using humour when communicating with partners from a non-native linguacultural society; how to conduct a first meeting in a multicultural team; how to react to partner behaviour that does not align with native cultural norms; and whether good proficiency in a partner's native language is sufficient for achieving mutual understanding and practical cooperation.
This COIL project not only provided students with new country-specific knowledge but also immersed them in intercultural communication in English, one of the most effective ways to develop foreign-language communicative competence. Simultaneously, this positive experience in intercultural communication helps overcome communication barriers, increases interest in establishing international cooperation, fosters tolerance and respect for the cultural diversity of the modern world, and significantly contributes to the students’ readiness to participate in intercultural dialogue.
Thus, the initial sessions within the COIL project “Intercultural Collaboration: Ukraine and Austria” demonstrated their high effectiveness as a platform for developing foreign language communicative competence, enhancing soft skills, and cultivating intercultural tolerance.
The implementation of similar international initiatives is a key element of Poltava Polytechnic’s internationalisation strategy, providing students with a unique cooperative experience with peers from abroad. This positive start lays a solid foundation for fruitful work in the coming months, contributing to the training of highly qualified specialists prepared for effective interaction in any multicultural environment in the globalised world.
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” thanks its partners from the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland for their fruitful cooperation and assistance in implementing this important project!
It is worth noting that Yuliia Nikolaenko recently participated in the Erasmus+ academic mobility program for the third time at the Austrian University of Applied Sciences Burgenland (Hochschule Burgenland); previously, she had participated in the Erasmus+ and CEEPUS academic mobility programs at the same institution.
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 Poltava Polytechnic’s International Relations Coordinator – 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).
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National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
