New countries – new opportunities: impressions of students of the Faculty of economics about studying at Partner Universities under Erasmus+

Anna PAVLOVA, a first-year master's degree student of specialty 072 «Finance, banking, insurance and stock market», in 2024 participated in the EU program Erasmus+ in the University of technology and arts (University of Technology and Arts) in Warsaw.

According to Anna, studying in Poland has increased her independence and responsibility for the results in training and developing professional skills. Working together on educational cases with students from Turkey, Iran, India, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan has significantly expanded the perception of the world and understanding of various approaches to solving problems. An important experience during the program was the study of macroeconomic indicators of different countries and their impact on international markets. Participants of EU program Erasmus+ studied the dynamics of a number of indicators (in particular, GDP, unemployment and inflation) and analyzed their role and impact on the formation of economic policies in certain countries. Every student had the opportunity to share the experience of their country, which significantly enriched the educational process. As a result of this activity, participants better understood the economic realities of other countries and saw how various factors affect the development of economies in a global context; analyzed the role of international cooperation in solving global economic challenges.

 

Andriy ZAICHENKO, fourth-year bachelor's degree student, specialty «Entrepreneurship and trade» studied under the EU program Erasmus+ in the University of Applied Sciences Wiener-Neustadt (Fachhoschule Wiener Neustadt) (Austria).

Andriy is convinced that training according to the program Erasmus+ in the University of Applied Sciences Wiener-Neustadt (FHWN) offers a unique experience, combining a high level of academic training with a hands-on approach. Students had the opportunity to study in English, work on real-world tasks-cases, and choose courses from various fields, such as business, technology, or engineering. Lecturers in most cases are employees of large corporations (Erste bank, Sparkasse). The University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt has a state-of-the-art infrastructure and supports international integration at all levels. Its location near Vienna adds opportunities for traveling and exploring Austrian culture, as Vienna is only 30 minutes away by high-speed train.

Anastasia ANTYPENKO a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in entrepreneurship and trade took part in the summer semester of the Bachelor's program in agriculture in the University of applied sciences Weienstephan-Triesdorf (HSWT Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften Weihenstephan-Triesdorf) during April 22 – July 12, 2024.

Under the guidance of experienced instructors, students from different countries had a good opportunity to learn about the peculiarities of the agricultural and food industries in Germany and about current trends in the development of these industries. Anastasia noted that she really enjoyed this internship. During the classes, instructors considered practical examples to confirm theoretical knowledge in each subject. The openness of instructors also pleasantly surprised everyone, because there was no topic that students could not ask about; in general, the administration and teachers sincerely helped international students during mobility.

It was also a good experience to practice English and understand that you should not be shy about your English and accent. Young people from many countries of the world took part in the program, and everyone has their own pronunciation and speech style, but everyone communicates together in English and develops, so the language barrier quickly disappears. Thus, during training seminars and unforgettable excursions, the internship participants improved not only their language skills, but also actively developed their personal and professional potential.

Anastasia confidently sums it up, «I do not regret participating in the summer semester of the Bachelor's program in agriculture at the University of Applied Sciences Weienstephan-Triesdorf. Thanks to this, I was able to compare my studies in Germany and Ukraine; improve my English and German skills; meet different people. In addition to educational content, the summer semester contributed to the discovery of Germany's cultural heritage. This is an interesting and wonderful experience that I would recommend everyone to go through!»

Olexandra SYLCHENKO a fourth-year student of the Bachelor's degree, specialty «Entrepreneurship and trade» during the fall semester of the 2024-2025 academic year continued her internship in the Latvian University of life sciences and technology (Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies) EU Erasmus+ within the Erasmus+ project.

Olexandra studied innovative methods of business management, cross-cultural communication and business planning. A special experience of her internship was cultural exchange, which allowed her to plunge into the diversity of traditions and customs of other countries, primarily Latvia. Olexandra started new friendships with her peers from different parts of the world, which became an important element of her international experience. She also had the opportunity to improve her language skills by communicating with people from different countries.

Tetiana DOBROVOLSKA, third-year student of specialty 051 - Economics, EP «International Economics» combines training in NUBiP of Ukraine with training in the University of Luxembourg in the specialty «Accounting and taxes», because she is convinced that in the modern business world it is important to master both the basics of organizing international economic activities and professionally know the accounting and taxation systems of European countries.

Training at the University of Luxembourg was in French, and this is not always easy, because you need to constantly work with new terminology and complex concepts. According to Tetiana, despite all the difficulties, the experience of studying at a European University is incredibly important for her development, because it contributes not only to professional growth, but also to personal development. According to the girl, «Overcoming challenges today contributes to the growth and formation of a more stable and confident personality tomorrow...».

 

Tetiana SVENTSITSKA and Anna MYKHAYLYUK fourth-year students of the specialty 051 – Economics, EP «International Economics» also successfully receive a French-Ukrainian diploma at the University of Lorraine in France, where they have already mastered such disciplines as «Multicultural team management», «Project management», «Negotiations in the international environment», «Marketing» and others. Classes are held in three languages: Ukrainian, French and English, which contributes not only to professional, but also to language development.

According to Tetiana, the girls are actively engaged in volunteer activities, participate in student events and organize their own. One of the latest projects was a Nativity scene, which our students presented in the city center and at the university to introduce the French to Ukrainian traditions and customs. All this helps Tetiana and Anna develop important organizational and social skills, as well as promotes cultural exchange between representatives of countries.

Olexandra ILCHUK the third-year student of the EP «Analytical and accounting and legal support of business» of specialty 071 «Accounting and taxation» during the autumn semester also received a positive experience of studying in the University of Bern (Switzerland).

Olexandra successfully completed the study of semester subjects in NUBiP of Ukraine and completed the following courses in German at the University of Bern (Uniburn).

«The combination of knowledge and experience in obtaining a specialty at a leading Ukrainian university and studying courses in Switzerland, namely Foundations of Higher Mathematics and Statistics I+II, Management, Financial Accounting I — Basic principles, Data analysis in economics help me find answers to relevant for me, and give me confidence that I am moving in the right direction in times of challenges today!» — Olexandra sums up.

While in Switzerland, Olexandra, together with Ukrainian families and volunteers, organizes charity fairs for local residents, where they sell their hand-made souvenirs, and transfer the collected funds to the needs of the Ukrainian military.

During September 16-20, 2024, summer school «Sustainable State of Nature» in Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (Poland) was held. Students of the Faculty of Economics — Kateryna KOSTYUK and Yulia LYUBAR actively participated in its work.

Kateryna KOSTYUK, the first-year master's degree student of specialty 072 «Finance, banking, insurance and stock market» notes that international programs have become a valuable experience for her, which allowed her to combine her studies with intercultural communication and expand her professional horizons. As a student of the Master's program «Finance, banking, insurance and stock markets», Kateryna especially appreciated the economic aspect of the summer school discussions on the introduction of sustainable development in the financial sector.

The program of the event included various thematic lectures and practical exercises aimed at understanding the importance of environmental initiatives in the modern world.

One of the main advantages of this exchange program was the possibility of cooperation with international students and instructors, which contributed to the development of her communication skills in English, as well as an interdisciplinary approach to solving current problems. Participation in the summer school provided insight into various sustainable development practices in Europe, which inspires the introduction of new approaches in future professional activities.

Kateryna is sure that international programs, such as this summer school, are extremely important for the formation of a competitive specialist. They allow you not only to gain new knowledge, but also to find like-minded people and expand your professional network. Such experience motivates continuous development and confidence that the knowledge and ideas gained during international events can have a significant impact on society and the economy.

 

Yulia LYUBAR a third-year student majoring in entrepreneurship and trade was impressed both by the rich program of events of the «Sustainable State of Nature» summer school in Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, and the high level of its organization.

Most of all, she liked the individual and informal approach to learning. Traditional classroom training was supplemented by visits to businesses and organizations, which helped to better understand the topics of training courses.

Participation in the summer school brought up-to-date knowledge on the problems and practices of sustainable development in European countries, new invaluable experience that should be implemented in Ukraine, and also expanded the circle of communication with students from Poland and other European countries. Summer school in Poland left warm memories of meeting new friends who inspire you to develop further!