Interview with the newspaper «Ukraine Moloda» by the rector of NUBiP of Ukraine Vadym Tkachuk: the agricultural sector needs multidisciplinary specialists

 

First, students with visual, hearing and musculoskeletal disorders will be able to study here. And, secondly, they will train specialists to work with people who have special educational needs.

It is also expected that the project will become a platform for developing other technologies related to the arrangement of barrier-free spaces.

In general in NUBiP of Ukraine today, there are more than 300 laboratories equipped with modern equipment. Obviously, this is why this educational institution is in demand among applicants.

 

The rector of the University, professor, doctor of economics, honored worker of education of Ukraine, tells about the innovative success of the University in an interview with «UM» Vadym Tkachuk.

 

 

 

— That's right. The changes that have taken place in the agricultural sector have two features. On the one hand, the introduction of the latest technologies has led to a reduction in the number of employees in this sector of the economy.

 

On the other hand, the professional level of people employed in this field requires broader and more comprehensive knowledge and competencies, which today cannot be limited to the study of highly specialized subjects.

 

For example, the agronomist you mentioned today should not only know the technology of growing certain crops, but also have knowledge of engineering, economics, marketing, energy saving, digital competencies, etc., using various innovations in their work, in particular artificial intelligence.

 

In general, the time has come to introduce multidisciplinary programs into the educational process, which, for example, combine information technology with a deep knowledge of production technology.

 

For example, we can also cite the synthesis of engineering and veterinary aspects related to the treatment, care and health of animals. It is also important to have knowledge of economics, management, and land management.

 

We have a number of humanities specialties that are popular among young people, but at our university they have specifics — they are linked to the agricultural sector. We are talking about international relations, psychology, social work and rehabilitation, journalism, physical culture, tourism, law, etc.

 

This can be ensured by scientific activities, cooperation with business and a focus on practical training. Last year alone, the university opened or significantly updated 20 laboratories. For example, the laboratory of modern technologies in the transport industry was replenished with new equipment thanks to Hyundai. The Polish company Mzuri helped to modernize the laboratory of tillage and sowing equipment. And that's not all. We already have a list of the following laboratories that we will equip this year. It is this fact that NUBіP differs from other higher education institutions: research allows you to produce new knowledge, and collaboration with business provides a direct connection with production.

 

 

— We must reflect on the challenges of the time. Despite the problems associated with the war and the demographic situation, we maintain a student body. However, in the academic year, due to the imperfection of the admission rules, we have a slightly smaller number of applicants from among college graduates. But in general, both the basic institution and our separate divisions — institutes and colleges that train specialists in five fields — fulfilled the state order and recruited students at last year's level.

 

However, there are a lot of challenges today. Unfortunately, state orders for some agricultural specialties have decreased by 20 percent, and for specialties related to forestry — even more. Therefore, here we check the hours both with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and food, and with the educational community as a whole.

 

If we rely on agriculture, which is the locomotive of the Ukrainian economy, then we must be aware that this sector needs to train appropriate highly qualified personnel. Here, you can't do without a proper fixed state order.

 

 

— We have employers' councils at every faculty and educational and scientific institute. We also have a university-wide Council, which is headed by a well-known farmer of the Kiev region — director of LLC «Agrofirma "Kolos"» Leonid Tsentylo.

Therefore, we constantly consult with businesses in order to focus on the requests that they set for the professional training of students who will come to work there. This dialog also allows you to adjust your curricula in accordance with the requirements of leading companies in the industry. As a result, our graduates have a better chance of finding a job and realizing their career needs. Some of them find their first job in the companies of our employers.

 

In general, the University's close cooperation with business has been going on for more than a decade and is not limited to updating laboratories or adjusting the content of education. Another innovation that we want to introduce is certified places of practice. We are talking about practical training, where the student masters skills directly at the workplace and at the same time has the opportunity to undergo general adaptation in the company, get acquainted with its ideology, business development plans. We also discuss options for obtaining a minimum level of social and household needs and communication with top management. We are currently developing a certification algorithm to have a database of practices that guarantee a high level of student training.

 

 

 

— In research, we have a strong position in terms of not only the availability of scientific schools, research results, but also fairly decent funding. Now we are positioned in the top ten universities and institutions throughout Ukraine in terms of these indicators.

 

To do this, we participate in competitions of the National research foundation, the Ministry of education and science, have quite powerful grants from various international organizations, and also advise businesses. NUBiP is one of the top five universities in the country in terms of funding for won projects of the «Horizon of Europe» program.

 

The scale and importance of research is indicated by innovative developments created by scientists of the Institute of Agricultural Radiology, which is part of the university structure. After the Chernobyl disaster, this institute collected data, researched and implemented various methods to reduce the impact of radiation on milk, meat, ecosystems, soils, vegetation cover, and so on.

 

The team was headed by a professor Valeriy Kashparov who, by the way, was elected a full member of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences last year — the only one among Ukrainian scientists. After the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the Japanese side invited our scientists to cooperation. They still advise their colleagues today. These technologies, of course, are also used in Ukraine.

 

We also have up-to-date scientific developments in regenerative agriculture. We are talking about the restoration of soils, including after military pollution. According to various estimates, today more than five million hectares of agricultural land are over-saturated with various substances, mainly of chemical origin, as a result of the fighting.

 

Scientists of the University conducted research and developed scientific methods of both biological and chemical effects on such lands in order to restore their fertility and return them to use. The dynamics also show that soil quality is rapidly deteriorating in Ukraine. Ukrainian chernozems and humus, which we consider one of the country's business cards, have decreased by up to 20 percent in some regions over the past 30 years.

 

That is why our scientists work hard to develop sustainable farming practices where we meet the needs of today and do not harm future generations.

 

Here it is worth mentioning the professor's school Semen Tanchyk, under the leadership of which the system of biologization of agriculture was developed for the first time in Ukraine. We are talking about the main theoretical and practical developments devoted to the justification of resource-saving technologies for growing agricultural crops, taking into account the requirements for preserving the environment.

 

Professor Mykola Dolya is known in the domestic business environment for developing and implementing technologies to reduce the impact of pesticides and herbicides on the soil. Let's say you have introduced a certain amount of chemicals for plant protection, and their effect is such that they will affect this crop next year.

 

That is, we are talking about the negative impact of their residual amount. And Mykola Dolya a professor of plant protection comes to a businessman and, after conducting certain soil tests, says, «I offer you a set of measures and select such crops, the impact on which these substances will be minimal. Accordingly, this makes it possible to increase the yield by 15-20 percent.» And who would refuse such an offer?

 

We are also working quite well with stem cells in veterinary medicine, thanks to which new technologies for treating animals are being developed. We have made significant progress in creating new varieties of agricultural crops, an excellent feed quality laboratory, where scientists develop the right feeding rations for animal husbandry and poultry farming.

 

A few years ago, we had a unique aquaculture center, on the basis of which we develop a scientific direction related to aquatic bioresources. This industry has a certain dependence on imported feed, so our researchers develop their own samples in order to ensure the Ukrainian component in the development of this business.

 

At the same time, we continue to master new scientific areas and have recently opened such a specialty as nutrition. We discussed this topic for quite a long time, but still decided that the culture of proper nutrition is worth it for as many specialists as possible to deal with it.

 

Now we already have the appropriate laboratory base. This direction is headed by the head of the Association of nutritionists of Ukraine Oleh Shvets — one of the engines of development of this business. He is actively developing a baby food program in schools.

 

There are also scientific topics on the nutrition of the military who defend our state. A modern laboratory also looks very interesting, where a blood test can be used to build a person's personal diet accordingly, taking into account their metabolism and body characteristics.

 

By the way, the demand for nutrition was formed by experienced people, specialists who chose a master's program to improve their knowledge. Over time, it has gained popularity among school leavers who enter the corresponding Bachelor's degree program.

 

In general, virtually every department has its own scientific topic, regardless of whether it is funded or initiated. Therefore, it is quite logical that in terms of the number of patents received in 2024, NUBiP was recognized as the best among higher educational institutions.

 

Today, all this is in demand. Businesses make orders for them, so thanks to contracts with entrepreneurs regarding their direct use in practice, scientific support and consulting, we have additional funds for further development of innovations.

 

 

 

— We have a license from the Ministry of education and science of the People's Republic of China for ten years, as well as an agreement to train 900 specialists for four years. Our teachers go to Linyi University at the expense of the Chinese side and teach students there.

 

In addition to the specialties you mentioned, we also work on forestry. Perhaps we will prepare such an area as well. This experience is new for us, but we continue to develop further. Of course, I would like Chinese students to come to us, but the conditions of martial law do not allow us to actively attract foreigners today. But this project is definitely successful, because there is a demand for our high quality education.

 

One more thing. It is very important for us to develop international relations. Ukraine, and consequently its higher education, is integrating into the European Union. Since joining the Bologna agreement, a lot has already been done, and there is still a lot to come.

 

But the key to successful progress is internationalization. Our university now has close ties with 141 universities and organizations from more than 40 countries, and is an associate partner of two European University Alliances — EUgreen and UNIgreen.

 

Higher education applicants are offered 8 double degree programs, which we implement in partnership with leading European universities of life sciences. Last year alone, 186 students interned and studied there. And each of them carried a piece of Ukraine with them and introduced it to new friends. These are young educational parliamentarians.

 

And one more thing. Today we have 289 training courses taught in English. They are read by 200 teachers who have received appropriate certificates. If our students want to study in English, they are formed into groups, and we provide them with such an opportunity.

 

By the way, the quality of the educational and scientific potential of our university is confirmed by the international ratings of QS and Times Higher Education, in which we have been positioned for several years in a row.

 

 

— As for supporting the Defense Forces of Ukraine, we have been doing this systematically since the first days of the war. More than a hundred teachers, students and staff have joined the units that now protect the sovereignty of the state. Unfortunately, many of them gave up the most valuable thing — their lives, defending our right to exist.

 

The academic community of the university has implemented many volunteer projects and continues to do so now. Until this year, most employees transferred their one-day earnings to the support fund of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the National Bank — this is about one million hryvnias a month.

 

In addition, we support our employees who are currently fighting the enemy in the ranks of the Armed Forces: responding to requests as quickly as possible, we constantly buy what is needed for their units — EWs, cars, devices and drones, etc. Our position is clear: we should not get tired of supporting the military until we win victory and a just peace for our country.

 

As for the inclusivity program that we are implementing, last year we completed its first stage — creating architectural accessibility for people with disabilities. The laboratory you mentioned is the first both at the University and in Ukraine. We will continue this work further.

 

 — Yes, I have been in this position since June 14, 2024, but I have been working at the University for 35 years. My first job, and and in other respects — my whole life! — are connected with this educational institution. Therefore, I am familiar with various areas here: I was an assistant to the vice-rector for international relations, head of the planning and finance department, research department, director of the Center for international relations, vice-rector for economic and international affairs. And half a year ago, fate decreed that the team supported me as rector.

 

What are your dreams? The biggest dream of every Ukrainian is a just peace and Victory. As for professional activity, I want to do something good and fulfill the University development program, which has been implemented for more than 10 years — «Holosiivska initiative–2025». Now we are working within the last year of its second period. And we are developing a program until 2030.

 

I realize that I should become an organizing force for the implementation of the tasks that we have jointly defined for ourselves. This is not the rector's desire or any of my personal ambitions: we formed areas of activity from the bottom up, when each team at the department, at the educational and Education and Research Institute, at the faculty formed their own specific plan, and we have only systematized them into a common program. Therefore, there is a desire that we can really do something useful for the University and for our state as a whole.

 

I would also like to provide comfortable conditions for all participants of the educational process to stay at our university, and this requires a lot of effort. I mean both financial stability and orientation to each person, because our human resources potential is one of the best in Ukraine.

 

It is also important for me to preserve the traditions and key foundations that have been formed over many generations, which glorify the University. This is what makes NUBiP unique. And in these traditions — historical, scientific schools — there is also a place for cultural, artistic and sports: we have 8 folk groups, among them — the famous song and dance ensemble «Kolos», which is ten years older than me!

 

More than 9 thousand students are covered by physical education and various sports every year. The University today takes the first place in the student sports contest of the capital and the third — in Ukraine. I want to support and develop all this.

 

The National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine today is not just a center where we train some specialists, but first and foremost it is a carrier of social values. We have a program called «Specialist, citizen, patriot». That is, relatively speaking, we not only train an agronomist, but also strive for him to be a conscious person and a patriot of Ukraine.

 

Therefore, my task as rector is to be constantly at the forefront of all these processes and fulfill the tasks that the team and the state have set for me. Together — to Victory!