National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” has secured another achievement within the European Union's Programme Erasmus+ Key Action 171 (“International Credit Mobility”, Call 2026). The joint project application submitted by our university and the leading higher education institution of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship in Poland – the University of Rzeszów (Uniwersytet Rzeszowski) – has been officially approved and awarded funding by the Polish National Agency of the Erasmus+ Programme. This success is the natural outcome of the Polytechnic’s systematic efforts to expand partnerships with leading European educational centres and consistently implement its internationalisation strategy.
The partnership with the University of Rzeszów holds special strategic significance for Poltava Polytechnic. As the largest comprehensive university in south-eastern Poland, it is renowned for its solid research facilities, state-of-the-art laboratories, high academic standards, and openness to global academic dialogue. At the same time, since the first days of the full-scale invasion, the city of Rzeszów has become a vital humanitarian, logistical, and diplomatic hub of solidarity with our country. Deepening academic ties with the principal university of this border region not only brings scholarly communities closer together, but also lays a robust foundation for long-term cross-border cooperation, cultural exchange, and comprehensive support for Ukraine.
In the context of the full-scale war, such international mobility programmes become of paramount importance. They help preserve and enrich the intellectual capital of Ukrainian students, ensure the continuity of high-quality professional development, and prepare a new generation of specialists capable of effectively integrating European best practices into our country’s post-war recovery. Studying abroad, young Ukrainians serve as true ambassadors of their nation, conveying the truth about the Ukrainian people’s struggle, dismantling stereotypes, and building enduring horizontal professional connections with peers across the European Union. Another crucial aspect of the programme is its accessibility and inclusiveness, as EU funding ensures equal access to international experience for every motivated participant.
Academic cooperation will begin in the arts and humanities, specifically within the “Fine Arts” field, with the prospect of expanding to other joint educational programmes. Undergraduate students (starting from their second year of study) and master’s students will have a unique opportunity to undertake a four- to five-month study period at the University of Rzeszów during the spring/summer semester of the 2026/2027 academic year.
Mobility participants will receive a monthly European grant to cover living expenses, separate reimbursement for round-trip travel costs, and guaranteed full academic recognition and transfer of acquired ECTS credits. For higher education students with fewer opportunities or disabilities, programme regulations provide a substantial monthly top-up allowance, removing financial barriers to studying abroad. In addition to studying specialised courses in English, students will have an excellent opportunity to learn Polish language and culture free of charge at the Foreign Language Centre of the University of Rzeszów.
An integral component of the project will be staff mobility for Poltava Polytechnic academic personnel, who will undertake a funded teaching visit for 5 working days (plus 2 travel days), delivering a minimum of 8 teaching hours. This will enable lecturers not only to share their scholarly insights and findings with a European audience, but also to adopt advanced pedagogical methods, discuss prospects for collaborative research under the Horizon Europe programme, and establish the groundwork for new joint initiatives.
The mobilities will begin on 22 February 2027 and continue until 31 July 2028, with an open and transparent call for applications for studies in the spring semester launching in October 2026. The key selection criteria will traditionally include high academic performance, English language proficiency of at least B1 level for students (B2 for philology majors and academic staff), a compelling motivation letter, and active involvement in the university’s scientific and community life.
“Winning the Erasmus+ KA171-2026 call alongside the University of Rzeszów is a remarkable achievement that clearly demonstrates the high level of trust European partners place in Poltava Polytechnic, as well as our capacity to successfully execute large-scale international projects even in this exceptionally challenging period. We express our sincere gratitude to the Erasmus+ Programme Coordinator at the University of Rzeszów, Mgr Lucyna Kustra-Kłeczek, and the Vice-Rector for Academic Research and International Cooperation, Prof. Jolanta Szempruch, for their openness, profound professionalism, and mutual support at every stage of the application process.
On behalf of our entire team, I would like to extend our special and warmest appreciation to the President of Poltava Polytechnic, Volodymyr Onyshchenko, and the Rector, Olena Filonych. Thanks to their visionary strategic leadership, unwavering faith in the university’s international success, comprehensive support, and the creation of the most favourable conditions for growth, our academic community is confidently advancing to the forefront of the European Higher Education Area. At the same time, our students and faculty are granted tremendous opportunities to attain new professional heights”, – noted Anna Pavelieva, International Relations Coordinator of Poltava Polytechnic.
It is worth noting that the academic staff of Poltava Polytechnic regularly undertake international internships and teaching visits, while students successfully pursue studies under Erasmus+ credit mobility grant programmes for a semester or an entire academic year at leading universities across Austria, Greenland, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, and the Czech Republic.
Anyone wishing to learn more about the terms of participation in the new project with the University of Rzeszów, application file preparation, and the launch of the call for applications is invited to contact the International Relations Department of Poltava Polytechnic (Room 213-C, email: interoffice@nupp.edu.ua) or reach out directly to the university's International Relations Coordinator, Anna Pavelieva, by phone at +38 (095) 91-08-192.
