Within the framework of the implementation of the Jean Monnet Module project, a scientific and practical conference on inclusion in the economy was held.
On October 23-24, 2024, a large-scale event took place at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine. The Department of Production and Investment Management organized the 8th International Scientific and Practical Conference titled "Inclusive Development of the National Economy: Global Trends, Opportunities for Ukraine, and the Role of the Agri-Food Sector, Experience, and Cooperation with the EU." This conference has already become a traditional platform for the annual gathering of educators, researchers, and business practitioners from various countries worldwide to develop inclusive approaches to Ukraine's economic development.
This year, the scientific event gained special significance as it was held within the framework of the implementation of the European Union Erasmus+ Program project, the Jean Monnet Module “EU Practices of Social and Economic Inclusion” (Jean Monnet Module 101127466 – EPSEI–ERASMUS-JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH). The project is being implemented by the team of the Department of Production and Investment Management under the leadership of Associate member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Economics, Professor Lidiia Shynkaruk.
Traditionally, representatives of foreign universities participated in the conference, including institutions such as the International University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), the European Institute of Further Education (Slovakia), Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), Purdue University (USA), and the University of Haifa (Israel).
Today, Ukraine is actively integrating into Europe, which necessitates the development and implementation of various scientific and educational projects, including the Jean Monnet Module project “EU Practices of Social and Economic Inclusion” supported by Erasmus+. This project is led by Associate member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Economics, Professor Lidiia Shynkaruk, with the team of the Department of Production and Investment Management.
The conference was opened with a welcoming speech by Professor Lidiia Shynkaruk, Associate member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Economics, and Professor of the Department of Production and Investment Management. Her scientific school was among the first in Ukraine to initiate research on issues of inclusion in national economies.
A significant moment for the project team and participants was the greeting from Petro Krainik, Project Manager of the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine and Curator of Jean Monnet Programs. He congratulated the project team and conference participants, highlighting the importance of focusing on economic inclusion in the project. According to Petro Krainik, this approach is among the first of its kind in Ukrainian universities. In his opinion, in the context of Ukraine's European integration, it is crucial to understand inclusivity in direct connection with European values.
A welcoming address was also delivered by Oksana Tonkha, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation at NUBiP of Ukraine, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, and Professor. According to Oksana Tonkha, in today’s context, issues of inclusion are of great importance, particularly regarding agricultural inclusion, as challenges related to natural resource management and the relationship between humans and nature are especially critical in this sector. She expressed her gratitude to the leader of the Jean Monnet Module project “EU Practices of Social and Economic Inclusion” Lidiia Shynkaruk, and the project’s working group for their efforts.
On behalf of the Faculty of Agrarian Management, Deputy Dean, Candidate of Economic Sciences, and Associate Professor Larysa Karpenko delivered a speech. She emphasized the high relevance of the issues of risks and the specific challenges of Ukraine's development during wartime, opportunities for inclusive development of the agri-food sector, and Ukraine's food security. She wished the participants fruitful discussions and expressed confidence that the ideas presented at the conference would contribute to the future synthesis of scientific approaches and the development of recommendations for the further inclusive development of the national economy.
The plenary session was opened by the project coordinator, Lidiia Shynkaruk, with a presentation titled "ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INCLUSION: EU EXPERIENCE FOR UKRAINE." In her speech, she outlined the key topics to be discussed at the conference and highlighted six main priorities for 2019-2024: The European Green Deal, Europe fit for the digital age, an economy that works for people, stronger Europe in the world, promoting the European way of life, and a new impetus for European democracy.
The presentation by Doctor of Economics, Professor, Honored Worker of Education of Ukraine, Full member of the Academy of Economic Sciences of Ukraine, and one of the first Jean Monnet project coordinators in Ukraine, Lyudmyla Batchenko, emphasized that building Ukraine's economy on the principles of inclusion can undoubtedly accelerate overall socialization, stimulate the socialization of business at all levels, and advance the ideas of social partnership. She also reminded the audience of a famous quote by management guru Peter Drucker, who said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it." Promoting ideas of inclusivity in the economy, she noted, is already a step toward building the future.
Dr. Hana Sarkanovic-Kyoze from Bosnia and Herzegovina began by expressing her support for Ukraine in its difficult struggle against a treacherous enemy. She thanked the organizers for the invitation and outlined her vision of the role of enterprises of different sizes in agriculture. In her opinion, large agricultural formations should continue their operations, but state support should be directed toward small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises. Dr. Hana Sarkanovic-Kyoze answered participants' questions about Ukraine's integration into Europe and the promotion of European values.
The President of the European institute of further education, Dr. Jozef Zaťko from Slovakia, spoke about the opportunities and prospects for joint educational and scientific projects between Ukraine and Slovakia. He called for enhanced cooperation, emphasizing that our countries share much in common, even similarities in language.
Lyudmyla Shepeleva, a practical psychologist from Boston (USA), discussed the inclusion of individuals in the socio-economic space under martial law. She shared American experiences in integrating war veterans into civilian life through programs for physical, psychological, and mental adaptation, highlighting these as essential components of forming an inclusive social environment.
The presentation by Doctor of Economics, Professor Ruslan Buriak, who spent nearly two years as a research fellow at one of the leading universities in the United States, was rich with up-to-date statistics on trends in U.S. agricultural development. Ruslan Buriak focused particularly on the structure of wheat production, consumption, export, and import in America, comparing these figures with similar data for the European Union and China. He also provided intriguing insights into potential price changes for agricultural products in Europe should Ukrainian agricultural exports cease, highlighting the significant global impact of Ukraine's agricultural sector.
The opinions of young people on various issues are always relevant. Students and postgraduate students from NULES and other universities actively participated in the conference. Wang Yi, a postgraduate student from the Department of Production and Investment Management from China, spoke about the threats and risks in Ukraine under martial law. Meanwhile, Valentina Mykhailiuk, a Meal Manager at the "League for the Development of Science" and a second-year master’s student in the educational program "Management of Investment Activity and International Projects," shared her personal experience of participating in civic projects.
The presentation by the head of the Department of Economic Theory, Doctor of Economics, Professor Mykola Talavyra, focused on bioeconomics, particularly the macroeconomic factors driving the development of bioeconomy. Bioeconomics is an important issue on the global agenda as well as for regions and individual countries.
The presentations by Natalia Vengerska, a lecturer in Business and Economics at the International Centre of Liverpool John Moores University (UK), were also of great interest. She focused on the role of business associations in the inclusive development of rural economies. Additionally, the presentation by Yuri Vlasenko, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor at the Department of Economic Theory, addressed inclusive transformation in rural areas in the context of environmental change.
Kateryna Alekseieva, PhD in Public Administration and Associate Professor at the Department of Production and Investment Management, highlighted the institutional prerequisites for inclusive development in the agricultural sector. Finally, Oleksandr Chemodurov, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor at the Department of Production and Investment Management at our university, discussed the investment component of inclusive economic development in Ukraine.
Doctor of Economics, Professor Marina Dіelini, spoke about social inclusion. In her view, social inclusion is a very broad concept that concerns the involvement of people in society as a whole. Marina Delini distinguished between the concepts of Social Inclusion and Social Integration, defining them as complementary rather than mutually exclusive.
Oleksandr Shcherbatyi, a master program student, raised the issue of modern challenges and prospects for concrete production in Ukraine. At present, there is no substitute for concrete, and therefore the issue of its production, especially in the context of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, remains highly relevant. Liliya Ivanova, a bachelor program student, gave a presentation in English on the concept of inclusivity and inclusive policies for Ukraine's post-war recovery. Meanwhile, Vladyslav Tsykunov, a PhD student, discussed the current state of energy security in Ukraine's agricultural sector.
Students from the Faculty of Humanities and Pedagogy of NULES also actively participated in the conference and presented compelling reports. For instance, international student Valeria Shyshkina spoke about the impact of climate change on food security, Anastasiia Kutsolabska addressed gender equality, and Daria Kovalenko highlighted the role of international aid in supporting rural areas during wartime.
Doctor of Economics, Professor Emiliia Prushkivska, gave an expert presentation on circular economy and sustainable growth in the European Union during the session "EU Principles on Diversity and Inclusion for Sustainable Development." She discussed the creation of incentives for producers to manufacture products and take actions toward "greening" the economy. According to Emiliia Prushkivska, a careful attitude toward resources paves the way for rational economic management, embedding an inclusive approach into economic development.
Other significant presentations were delivered during sessions such as "EU Experience and Mechanisms for Ensuring Inclusive Development of the Agri-Food Sector and Food Security" and "Socioeconomic Factors of Inclusive Development: EU Experience and Opportunities for Ukraine."
During the plenary sessions and sectional discussions, participants addressed the features and risks of inclusive development in Ukraine during wartime, EU experiences and mechanisms for ensuring inclusive development in the agri-food sector, opportunities for Ukraine's inclusive economic development, and the socioeconomic factors of inclusive growth. They also explored the challenges of Ukraine's post-war recovery and defined future priorities.
Over the two days, the conference brought together researchers, practitioners, and scientists from various countries. The voices of the younger generation—PhD students and undergraduate students—were given special attention, as they actively contributed to the discussions.
Even in the face of war, Ukraine remains a key country in ensuring global food security. After the long-awaited victory, Ukraine will be able to implement the fundamental principles of inclusive development, and now is the time to work on developing guidelines for the post-war recovery of our country. The 8th International Scientific and Practical Conference "Inclusive Development of the National Economy: Global Trends, Opportunities for Ukraine, and the Role of the Agri-Food Sector, Experience, and Cooperation with the EU" held as part of the implementation of the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union, Jean Monnet Module "EU Practices of Social and Economic Inclusion", was conducted at the highest level. The main outcomes of its work can serve as valuable recommendations for shaping the economic policy of our country.
On behalf of the conference’s organizing committee, we sincerely thank all participants for their contributions! We wish for Victory and fruitful work on the recovery and rebuilding of our country!
Glory to Ukraine!
Kateryna ALEKSEIEVA
Associate Professor, Department of Production
and Investment Management.
Translated by Oleksandr CHEMODUROV
