University governance, research, international activities: Kyiv Polytechnic expands cooperation with Estonia
Anatolii Melnychenko, Rector of the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, together with the heads of 12 Ukrainian universities, a delegation of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine led by Deputy Minister Mykola Trofymenko, and representatives of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament) and the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, paid a working visit to Estonia.
During meetings with Estonian government officials and educators — representatives of Tallinn University of Technology, the University of Tartu and the Estonian Academy of Arts — a wide variety of subjects were under discussion: modern models for the development of higher education and science, and international cooperation; support for higher education institutions (HEIs) in securing European funding for research; building up the governance capacity of Ukrainian HEIs, and modern human resources policies; operations of grant offices; and expanding the participation of Ukrainian universities in international consortia.
Furthermore, the Kyiv Polytechnic Rector spoke at the seminar themed “University Governance Reform in UA,” organised by Estonia’s Ministry of Education and Research. In particular, he presented the transformation of university’s governance system, based on the principles of decentralisation, efficiency, clear responsibility for results, and the maintenance of democratic decision-making mechanisms.
The Estonian experience helps to benchmark the models of university governance and identify the solutions that may be adapted for use in Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, ranging from human resources policies and grant management to the organisation of research activities and the formation of international partnerships.
The visit took place within the framework of a Ukrainian-Estonian project to modernise university governance and human resources policies, coordinated by the University of Tartu and supported financially by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV).
