Woskob New Century Fund and BRIDGES Round table: new horizons for cooperation between Ukrainian farmers and University of Pennsylvania
Representatives of the Ukrainian agricultural sector took part in a round table organized by the Woskob New Century Fund of the University of Pennsylvania (Penn State University, USA) together with the BRIDGES Agricultural Advisory Center. The event became a platform for an open dialogue on developing the potential of Ukrainian agriculture, strengthening international partnership and expanding opportunities for cooperation between Ukrainian and American educational and scientific institutions, even in wartime conditions.
The round table brought together representatives of the agricultural business, the scientific community, teachers and practitioners who continue to work on the development of the industry, introducing innovations and finding new opportunities for professional growth. During the meeting, the participants discussed prospects for further cooperation with American partners, participation of Ukrainian specialists in educational and research programs of Penn State University, as well as opportunities for implementing new joint projects. The organizers noted their openness to new ideas and initiatives aimed at developing agricultural science, education and consulting.
Cooperation between the University of Pennsylvania and Ukrainian agricultural education has more than thirty years of history. It began back in 1992, when the couple of Helen and Alex WOSKOB founded the Center for Ukrainian agriculture at Penn State. It was this initiative that became the basis for the development of partnership relations between the American University and the Ukrainian agricultural Academy, whose legal successor today is National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine.
The next important stage was the creation of the Woskob Ukraine New Century Fund endowment in 2006, which is now headed by George and Nina WOSKOB. For many years, the foundation supports academic exchanges between teachers and students, organizes scientific seminars, conferences and cultural events, promotes joint educational, research and advisory projects that strengthen the partnership between Ukraine and the state of Pennsylvania.
One of the most successful initiatives of the foundation is the program Woskob International Research in Agriculture (WIRA), started in 2008. It opens up opportunities for Ukrainian scientists, postgraduates and students to participate in international research projects, professional development and academic exchanges in the field of agricultural sciences and rural development. The organizers said that a new set of program participants is planned for the beginning of 2027, and information about the beginning of registration will be published separately.
An important role in the development of the Ukrainian-American partnership is played by BRIDGES Agricultural Advisory Center, which is a key partner of Penn State University in Ukraine. The center was founded by Vlad KONOVALCHUK — a graduate of Penn State, who received master's and doctoral degrees in agricultural, environmental and regional economics from this university, as well as Lina DOTSENKO — doctor of economics, specialist in agricultural advisory education and consulting, who completed an internship at Penn State as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's faculty exchange program.
Today, BRIDGES actively combines Penn State's expertise with the needs of the Ukrainian agricultural sector, establishing cooperation between American scientists, Ukrainian universities, producers and professional associations. The Center also participates in the activities of the Consortium for rural development and the agricultural sector of Ukraine (CURAD), which is coordinated by Penn State University with the participation of a number of leading US universities.
Special attention was paid to educational opportunities for Ukrainian farmers during the event. In particular, the Penn State Extension Service provides free access to webinars translated into Ukrainian. The first training materials dedicated to ensuring high quality milk by improving the health of animals and improving their conditions are already available today. This format allows Ukrainian specialists to use up-to-date science-based recommendations and practical knowledge from leading US experts for free.
For scientists of National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine such cooperation opens up broad prospects for international cooperation. Participation in academic mobility programs, joint research, international projects and the WIRA program, as well as access to the expertise of one of the world's leading agricultural universities create new opportunities for professional development, expanding international contacts and introducing innovative approaches in the field of agricultural science, education and consulting. That is why the initiatives of Penn State University and the BRIDGES Agricultural Advisory Center can become an effective platform for developing new partnerships and implementing promising international research and educational projects.
In early 2027, a new recruitment for the WIRA program will take place. All recruitment announcements will be published on the Facebook page at the link: https://www.facebook.com/bridgesbusinessprogram.