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Andriana KOSTENKO, Olena KUPENKO, Kristina SAKHNO and Tetiana POVALII (members of the Department of Psychology, Political Science and Sociocultural Technologies) in cooperation with the NGO “Intellect of Sumy Region” and the veteran center “Veteran-PRO Sumy Region” joined the organization and holding of the workshop.
The event took place on 9-11 December 2025 at Sumy State University. It brought together veterans, people with disabilities, specialists in supporting veterans, as well as other experts working with the veteran community. The workshop was aimed at strengthening the active participation of veterans in public life and developing local initiatives.
The event goal was to increase ability of veterans to initiate and implement their own community projects via management tools, psychological resilience, and adaptive sports as effective ways of social integration and development.
The workshop program was built on the principle of gradual transition: from awareness of their own experience and resources to creation of specific project solutions. On the first day, participants worked with personal stories and motivation, got acquainted with the ecosystem of veteran policy in communities. They formulated problems, goals, and objectives of their own initiatives. They joined practical classes in adaptive sports, in particular sitting volleyball.
The second day was dedicated to tools and resources for implementing veteran projects. Participants took part in aqua aerobics and music therapy classes, received practical advice on preparing grant applications, typical mistakes, and funding opportunities from state and donor programs. Considerable attention was paid to teamwork on their own project ideas.
The final workshop day focused on the role of veterans as agents of change in their communities. Participants learned about risks of project activities, presented completed mini-projects, received expert feedback. They participated in physical practices to restore resources, reduce stress, and support psychological resilience.
As a workshop result, participants increased awareness of support programs and grant opportunities, developed at least 5-6 ideas for mini-projects to implement in communities, gained practical experience in adaptive sports and physical practices, and formed active environment for further cooperation and mutual support. The event was an important step in development of veteran initiatives in the region. It once again confirmed veterans are not only recipients of assistance, but also powerful creators of change in their communities.
The second stage of the XVI International Taras Shevchenko Language and Literature Contest was held at Sumy State University. Students of professional pre-higher education institutions, as well as applicants for higher education in humanitarian and non-humanitarian specialties, participated.
On December 5, Sumy State University hosted an event titled “Reflective Analysis of Community Service-Learning Experience”, organized within the framework of the international project “Service-Learning in Higher Education for Ukraine’s Recovery” (ServU), No. 101128922 – ServU – ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE.
BiEM Institute students conducted a series of trainings and webinars for residents of the Sumy urban territorial community within the socially oriented learning course “Entrepreneurship and Digital Business Communications”. It is implemented under the international project “Service-Learning in Higher Education for Ukraine’s Recovery” (ServU), No. 101128922 – ServU – ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE.
On 5 December 2025, an event on the occasion of the International Volunteer Day was held at the St. Nicholas Residence. Students, activists, local authorities and SumDU leadership joined the event.
The International Volunteer Day is an important holiday for SumDU because its students are traditionally active participants in the charity movement. It was volunteers who were repeatedly the first to aid in difficult situations. They eliminated the consequences of enemy strikes, supported victims and contributed to university and city development.
On 4-6 December 2025, results of the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking 2025 (assessment in sustainable development) were presented at the National Chi Nan University (Taiwan). SumDU has been on the second place nationally for the third year in a row. It is included in the list of the 400 best universities worldwide.
Within the EU project “Service-Learning in Higher Education for Ukraine's Recovery” (ServU), No. 101128922 — ServU — ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE, medical students together with Viktoriya PETRASHENKO (PhD, associate professor of the Department of Pediatrics) began practical implementation of the course “Supporting Children’s Mental Health” in the Sumy community.
Vasyl KARPUSHA (SumDU rector) presented a case with relevant developments during the panel discussion “ESG-2015 and Institutional Changes at Ukrainian Universities”. It took place on 28 November 2025 at the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University within the 5th International Conference “Development of Internal Quality Assurance Systems in Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine”.
SumDU has once again confirmed its high scientific potential, having received support for projects in various areas.
According to the Ukrainian President Decree No. 130/2025-рп “On Allocation of Grants of the Ukrainian President to Support Research and Development of Young Scientists in 2026”, the grants were received by:
SumDU sincerely thanks the Ignatianum University in Kraków and its rector (professor Tomasz HOMI) for warm words of support on the occasion of the Day of Dignity and Freedom in Ukraine.
In the greetings, Polish colleagues emphasized indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people, resistance importance, and values of freedom, democracy, and dignity. This is especially relevant for Ukraine in difficult times.