Deeds, not words: MSU discusses value orientation for higher education
On March 14, as part of an international conference, the value orientation of higher education in the context of European integration was discussed at the Kyiv front office of Mariupol State University. The event became a platform for dialogue between educators from Ukraine, Germany, Estonia and representatives of students and youth associations.
The event was organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine and co-organized by the Ukrainian Association of Educators and Researchers of European Integration, Zaporizhzhia National University and Mariupol State University.
The Rector of Mariupol State University, Mykola Trofymenko, was the first to address the conference participants with an opening speech. He emphasises that the Russian – Ukrainian war is a war of values, in particular, and educational institutions play an essential role in strengthening the country’s position.
Svitlana Shytikova, the coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office, took the floor afterward. The speaker stressed the importance of international partnerships to promote common values and that this should be done by educators, researchers, and students.
Iryna Sikorska, Director of the Center for International Education at Mariupol State University, addressed the academic community as the Chair of the Board of the Ukrainian Association of Aducators and Researchers of European Integration. Through the prism of the association’s work, she examines how non-formal education affects the development of skills for European integration and how higher education institutions are involved in promoting European values.
The conference began with a presentation by Dominik Brodowski, Vice President for Internationalization and European Relations of Saarland University, Germany. Using the example of the Alliance of European Universities Transform4Europe, the speaker considered the association of educational institutions for strengthening Europe and European values.
Olena Tupakhina, Vice-Rector of ZNU and member of the Board of the Association of Educators and Researchers, presented the results of the study on the values of Ukrainian students. A roundtable discussion was held on the eve of the conference. The survey shows that higher education institutions are among the top places in terms of their influence on young people. The participants of the scientific event conclude that it is important for students to work with teachers who convey European values to ensure that they understand them correctly.
The student community was represented by Bohdan Zarytskyi, a war veteran and student of Mariupol University. In his report, he examined the narratives existing among Europeans about Ukrainians. He highlighted the desire to help the 'victim' rather than to strengthen the combat capability of the 'hero', as well as the difficulty of accepting the new realities of a larger military threat.
