Mariupol University Team Visited Genoa to Present the Results Achieved During the First Year of the SPARK Project

Social Inclusion Begins with a Willingness to Recognise the Needs of Those Facing Difficult Life Circumstances and to Create Opportunities for Their Full Participation in Society. For the Mariupol University community, this topic is especially meaningful, as the experience of war, displacement, and recovery continues to shape a new understanding of the role of higher education in supporting people and strengthening communities.

Representatives of the resilient Mariupol State University travelled to Italy to participate in the coordination meetings of the international Erasmus+ project Supporting the Penitentiary System Advancement through Reflection and Knowledge about Linguistic and Cultural Diversity (SPARK).

The university delegation included Acting Rector Tetiana Marena, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology and Education Lenina Zadorozhna-Kniahnytska, Professor of the Department of Marketing and Tourism Andriy Stoyka, and Senior Lecturer of the Department of Pedagogy and Education Iryna Khadzhynova.

The project activities took place from 6 to 8 July, bringing together researchers, academics, representatives of civil society organisations, and experts in social inclusion, intercultural communication, mediation, and prison education from across Europe. Participants discussed contemporary approaches to supporting people with experience of deprivation of liberty and explored the role of education in their social reintegration.

For us, participation in this project is much more than international cooperation. It is an opportunity to bring the Ukrainian experience into the European professional dialogue and jointly seek solutions to the challenges facing our societies today. Universities should be spaces where new approaches to inclusion, social cohesion, and support for people in vulnerable situations are developed.”

Tetiana Marena, Acting Rector of Mariupol State University

The highlight of the working visit was the presentation of the results achieved during the first year of the SPARK project by the Ukrainian team. The presentation was held in the Sala del Maggior Consiglio of the historic Palazzo Ducale, one of Genoa’s most renowned architectural and cultural landmarks. The achievements of the Ukrainian partners were presented by Professor Andriy Stoyka and Mariia Nesterova, President of the Association of European Values Researchers in Education.

Their presentation showcased the experience of the Ukrainian partners in organising the national seminar, engaging higher education institutions, civil society organisations, and professional communities, as well as presenting the Ukrainian perspective on the concept of deprivation of liberty in the context of the full-scale war. Particular attention was paid to the issues of forced displacement, social isolation, the reintegration of people affected by the war, and the role of universities in advancing inclusive practices and supporting vulnerable groups.

It was important for us not only to present the achievements of the Ukrainian team but also to communicate to our European partners Ukraine’s perspective on the challenges associated with war, forced displacement, and social integration. International discussions such as these help make European educational projects more responsive to today’s realities while opening new opportunities for cooperation between universities.”

Professor Andriy Stoyka, Mariupol State University

In addition to the project coordination meetings, the programme included thematic panel discussions, interactive workshops, and expert lectures focusing on social inclusion, intercultural communication, education in contexts of deprivation of liberty, and the development of international university cooperation.