BSUN WGs on Migration, Sustainable Development and Human Security meet online for coordinated action

The International Collaboration Department (ICD) staff at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute attended the meeting of the Black Sea Universities Network (BSUN) Working Groups (WGs) on Migration, Sustainable Development and Human Security that took place fully online on 9 May 2025.

At the heart of the event were two thought-provoking presentations. The first, titled “Human Security Centred Automotive Engineering,” was delivered by the BSUN Secretary General, Prof. Eden Mamut from Romania’s Ovidius University of Constanta. The second was given by Dr Ralph Wolff, President of the World University Consortium (WUC) – a branch of the World Academy of Arts and Science (WAAS).

The WAAS was created by Albert Einstein, Robert Oppenheimer, Bertram Russell and others in the 1960’s to address the threat of nuclear destruction by education and changing modes of thinking. Today, its emphasis is on Human Security in all its dimensions. WUC is committed to building global partnerships to transform educational systems through human-centred content, the appropriate uses of technology and innovative pedagogies.

Professor Mamut noted that BSUN had formed a partnership with WAAS.

Dr Wolff underlined WUC’s intent to work with academic disciplines relevant to the future of the Black Sea Region, guided by the principle of putting people first. He explained that the goal is to cultivate a new mindset and embed it in a curriculum – global in perspective, human in scale. Next steps would include fundraising efforts to support faculty development and create a pilot programme.

Meeting’s discussions were dominated by the preparation of pilot proposals based on relevant running bachelor and master’s programmes, including societal needs, and how to guide the activities of WGs. Given that WAAS and WUC are promoting human security concepts developed in partnership with the UN as a global initiative called Human Security for All – HS4A, pilot proposals from each university are supposed to specify what HS4A means in the context of their degree programmes.

Recognising the complexity of this undertaking, a representative of the ICD suggested sharing a template for pilot proposals, along with the action plan outlining next steps and deadlines to ensure good progress.