Organizational meeting at Lviv National Environmental University

The organizational meeting of the partners of the EU Erasmus+ DEFEP project “Distance education for future: best EU practices in response to the requests of modern higher education seekers and labor market” took place on January 28-30, 2024, at Lviv National Environmental University. Acting Rector, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor Vasyl Lopushniak, DEFEP Project Coordinator Olena Filimonova, Vice-Rectors, and Deans of LNEU welcomed all participants.

The event brought together the project co-executors in a hybrid format and began with a Coordination Meeting. The main topics discussed were the features and results of the project implementation during the first year, challenges, next steps, and preparation for interim reporting to the EU EACEA.

On the occasion of the visit of most DEFEP project participants, a meeting of the Coordination Council and all project committees was held. At the joint meetings of the Coordination Council and the Executive Committee, issues of preparation for the pilot phase and the implementation of the tasks of work packages 4, 5, and 6 were considered. Together with the Quality and Ethics Committee, we discussed the criteria for assessing the quality of tasks and project results. Together with the Communication and Transparency Committee and the Promotion Group, we discussed approaches to promoting experimental master’s degree programs and disseminating the project. The meeting of the Coordination Council, along with the Executive Committee and the Methodological Working Group, was devoted to the preparation of a monograph based on the results of the tasks of Work Package 3 on improving the methodology of distance education.

Moreover, during discussions and brainstorming sessions, all representatives of partner HEIs from Ukraine had the opportunity to propose amendments to the Licensing Conditions for Educational Activities (approved by CMU Resolution No. 1187) regarding distance learning.

Along with the results of fruitful cooperation, certificates, and the value of communication, all participants of the meeting received pleasant impressions and positive emotions during these days, which inspire the team to further effectively fulfill the project’s tasks and introduce experimental master’s degree programs in the distance form of higher education.

The DEFEP project team is sincerely grateful for the hospitality of the staff and management of Lviv National Environmental University, particularly Acting Rector Vasyl Lopushniak for his assistance and support, Head of the Department of Accounting and Taxation Liudmyla Hnatyshyn, and Associate Professors Oksana Prokopyshyn and Olha Maletska for their fruitful cooperation, and the Erasmus+ program for the opportunity to implement our project.