On Monday, April 18, at 12:00 in the Academic Council conference hall of Uzhhorod National University (Narodna Square, 3) was held a press conference with the developers of the Concept of innovative development for SU "Uzhhorod National University" at 2015-2025 following the results of the implementation of research project funded by the International Visegrad Fund (Project Coordinator – director of the Institute of European Integration Studies Ivan Artomov).

The event was attended by journalists from different mass media of Transcarpathia and correspondents of nationwide publications and TV channels in the number of 22 persons.

Concept was presented and on numerous questions of journalists were answered: Project Coordinator – director of the Institute of European Integration Studies Ivan Artomov, Concept developers – Volodymyr Smolanka – Doctor of Sciences (Medicine), Rector of the SU “UzhNU”, Volodymyr Pryhodko – Dr., Professor, Head of the Department of International Economic Relations of the SU “UzhNU”, Serhii Ustych – Dr., Prof., Director of the Institute for Transfrontier Cooperation (ITC), Alina Gus – Ph.D., Leading specialist of the ERI of European integration studies of the SU “UzhNU”, Tetyana Buturlakina – Ph.D., Associate Professor of Finance and Banking Department, Director of the Career Centre of the SU “UzhNU”, Joseph Holovach – Ph.D., Associate Professor, Director of the Research Institute of Analytical Technique Means of the SU “UzhNU”.    

On March, 3rd in Kosice (Slovakia) was held an International scientific and practical conference as a part of the research project "Innovative university – tool of integration to European educational and research area" (No. 21470150) with the financial support of the International Visegrad Fund.(Project Coordinator - Director of the Institute of European Integration Studies of SU "UzhNU", Ph.D., Associate Professor Ivan Artjomov).

The event was held at the Science Park TECHNICOM of Technical University of Košice - UzhNU partner in project implementation.

The purpose of the conference is to discuss issues on innovative activity of higher education institutions through functioning of science parks as important mechanisms for transformation of scientific and technological capabilities of universities with the participation of international experts in the project.

Participation in the conference take members of the international expert group of the research project, rectors, vice rectors, researchers of Uzhhorod National University and Kosice Technical University.

In passing, at the conference was held a presentation of the Concept of innovative development for SU "UzhNU" developed by project implementers.

Event was opened by rector of TU Košice Prof. Stanislav Kmet. He spoke about a wide range of educational and scientific services, which is aimed at providing activities TU Košice, described the functions performed by Science Park TECHNICOM, creating conditions of permanent research and development.

Participants of the conference were welcomed by rector of Uzhhorod National University, Doctor of Medicine, Professor Volodymyr Smolanka. Rector emphasized that relatively new higher education institution, which last year celebrated its 70th anniversary, has become a powerful educational and research center, where formed scientific schools, known in international dimension, carried out cooperation with many leading universities around the world.

Thus, university rectors signed a Memorandum of understanding between Science park "UzhNU" and Technical University of Košice.

Reports submitted for discussion:

• INNOVATIVE AREAS OF SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY OF UZHHOROD NATIONAL UNIVERSITY  

• INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT MODEL OF UZHHOROD NATIONAL UNIVERSITY 

• INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY OF THE UNIVERSITY AS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR OF REGIONAL GROWTH

• INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT AND DIVERSIFICATION OF FINANCING SOURCES OF INNOVATIVE UNIVERSITY

• THE SYSTEM OF INDEXATION AND MONITORING OF EFFECTIVENESS  FOR INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY OF THE UNIVERSITY

• SCIENCE PARK – INNOVATION MECHANISM OF UZHHOROD NATIONAL UNIVERSITY TRANSFORMATION 

• USP TECHNICOM AS RECOGNIZED CENTER OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN INNOVATIVE AREA

• MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE SCIENCE PARK AND ITS ROLE IN INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY

• INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT AS AN EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR INNOVATIVE PROCESSES MANAGEMENT IN UZHNU

These issues were highlighted in speeches of the participants from Uzhhorod National University: Doctor of Science (Physics and Mathematics), professor, Vice-Rector for Research Ihor Studenyak, Doctor of Economics, Head of the Department of International Economic Relations, Director of Research Institute of Public Administration and Regional Development professor Volodymyr Pryhodko, Ph.D., leading specialist of the Institute of European Integration studies Alina Gus, Doctor of Social Sciences, Director of the Institute for Transborder Cooperation - UzhNU's partner in project implementation Serhiy Ustych, PhD, Director of the Career Centre of the SU “UzhNU”, associate professor Tetyana Buturlakina, Ph.D (Physics and Mathematics), Director of the Research Institute of Analytical Technique Means of the SU “UzhNU”, associate professor Joseph Holovach.

With great interest were heard speeches-presentations of Slovak partners, including Jacob Frantisek - Associate Professor, Director of University centre for innovation, technology transfer and intellectual property protection of Technical University of Kosice and Peter Tapaka - Head of regional development department,KOSICE SGR. 

Results of this conference were summed by two rectors of higher educational institutions, and noted that signed Memorandum of Understanding and presented Concept of innovative development for SU "UzhNU" will be important to strengthen international cooperation of universities.

To slovak colleagues were transferred several sets of educational-methodical complex developed during project implementation with members of the international team of experts. This set contains 5 English publications on issues of universities innovative activities - study manual, anthology, glossary, work program with appropriate discipline, Concept of the Science park SU “UzhNU” and catalog of innovative projects.

According to the research project calendar of events at the meeting of the Academic Council of SU "UzhNU" held on March 24th, the Concept of innovative development of the university was presented. The Concept declares the striving of the university for changing its status of traditional classical university to the one of research and innovative university. 

Everyone could get acquainted with the Concept on the university website, which had been placed there about a month ago (see the link: https://drive.google.com/a/uzhnu.edu.ua/file/d/0B6GcxUlmVu6xNVNlRXkzcTEySlE/view). Its authors were presented at the Academic Council meeting. They are the director of the Institute of European Integration Studies Ivan Artomov, the Head of the Department of International Economic Relations Volodymyr Prykhodko and the Director of the Career Center of UzhNU Tetyana Buturlakina.

Expert opinion on the Concept of innovative development for SU “Uzhhorod national university” at 2015-2025 prepared the First Vice President of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, national expert on the reformation of higher education  in Ukraine, Doctor of  pedagogical sciences, professor Volodymyr Luhovyi. 

By its decision the Academic Council of the university approved the Concept of innovative development for SU “Uzhhorod national university” at 2015-2025 and recommended:

• recommend structural subdivisions of university to use the basic provisions of the Concept of innovative development for SU “Uzhhorod national university” at 2015-2025 in strategic and current planning activities in process of integration to European educational and scientific area and transforming university in research innovative institution of higher education.
• note fruitful cooperation of SU "UzhNU" with Technical University of Kosice (Slovakia), Debrecen (Hungary) and Rzeszow (Poland) universities on joint implementation of research work on the development of the Concept of innovative development for SU “Uzhhorod national university” at 2015-2025, which is a powerful motivation for the university in successful implementation of the laws of Ukraine "On higher education", "On scientific and scientific-technical activities".
• note effective work of Institute of European Integration Studies employees and experts included in creative group on development of the Concept of innovative development for SU “Uzhhorod national university” at 2015-2025.
• project coordinator, associate professor Ivan Artomov apply to the Institute of Higher Education of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine (Director - Doctor of Sciences (Dr. Hab.) in Education, professor Svitlana Kalashnikova) with a proposal to consider this Concept on the Scientific Council of the Institute on March 31, 2016.

Currently, the Institute of European Integration Studies of SU "Uzhhorod National University" finalizing implementation of the above mentioned research project. As part of project implementation its performers prepared educational-methodical complex, which was presented and transmitted to partners from Slovakia, Hungary and Poland for use in universities in those countries.  

The review on this complex prepared a Doctor of Education Sciences, associate professor, Head of the Department of Policy and Governance in Higher Education of Institute of Higher Education of the NAES of Ukraine Jeanneta Talanova.

ERI of European Integration Studies of the SU "UzhNU" continues its work on implementation of the research project "Innovative university – tool of integration to European educational and research area" (No. 21470150) with the financial support of the International Visegrad Fund.

Project implementers prepared the first part of educational and methodical complex, which will be a strong basis for further work to develop a draft Concept for innovative development of Uzhhorod National University.