SumDU will develop socially oriented education

SumDU representatives participated in the conference “Socially Oriented Education for Ukrainian Recovery”. It took place within the ServU project at the Ukrainian Catholic University (28-30 November 2023).

The conference is a part of a large SumDU project under the Erasmus+ program together with Ukrainian Catholic University, Dnipro Polytechnic, KU Leuven (Belgium), Università LUMSA (Italy), Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (Germany).

SumDU participants were Inna SHKOLNYK (vice rector), Yurii ATAMAN (head of the Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Sports Medicine), Iryna TSEHELNIKOVA (head of the Group for General Organizational Support and Foreign Management Protocol of International Cooperation). They discussed prospects for development of socially oriented education in Ukraine.

On the first conference day, a ServU presentation occurred. It will last for 3 years. During this time, joint work with local communities is also provided for.

Cooperation between universities and communities through socially oriented learning was also the topic of a panel discussion during the second conference day. In particular, foreign partner universities shared their project implementation experience. In each of these institutions, there are courses and programs for teachers and students with socially oriented projects in communities. Most of these projects involve working with schools, charities, businesses, people in difficult life circumstances or teenagers who have problems with the law. Many of these projects are international.

On the last conference day, Ukrainian universities shared their own examples of socially oriented projects. They voiced a desire within the ServU project to systematize their activities on socially oriented education and develop specific programs or courses.