The Gala Concert of the Alma Mater–2024 Student Creativity Competition: A Creative Gift for the 220th Anniversary of the University

220 years ago, the history of the first university of Naddnipryanska Ukraine began. Over these years, Karazin University has built a powerful scientific and educational community, with many achievements, traditions, values, a shared mission, and goals.

One of the most beloved traditions at Karazin has become the annual Alma Mater student creativity competition, which has faced challenges due to quarantine restrictions and, later, the full-scale invasion of Russia.

This year, Karazin University celebrates 220 years since its founding, and the Karazin community has made every effort to revive this glorious tradition, which year after year unites, inspires, and reveals the creative potential of our students.

The gala concert of the Alma Mater student creativity competition took place at the M. V. Lysenko Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. The theme of the competition was "Art Despite the War."

"Here, strong, unbreakable people, true Ukrainians, have gathered — those who learn and teach, even under shelling and the sounds of alarms. Because we understand that the country is counting on us. We are grateful to our defenders for allowing you to experience the taste of student life. These are the memories that will stay in your hearts forever," said Rector Tetyana Kaganovska in her address.

This year, 23 schools and education and research institutes participated in the competition both online and offline. Participants most often focused on the musical works of Svyatoslav Vakarchuk and the poetic works of Serhiy Zhadan, Honorary Doctors of Karazin University. The majority of the student performances were dedicated to the love for their homeland, the strength of the Ukrainian spirit, and the daily struggle of our people for the right to exist. The heartfelt performances touched the deepest corners of the human soul and left no one indifferent.

The jury of the competition recognized each school and education and research institute in various nominations, as well as determined the winners of the online competition and the prizewinners who presented their performances offline.

According to the competition results, the prize places among online participants were as follows:

• 3rd place: "Karazin Business School" and the School of Economics
• 2nd place: Bakhmut Education and research Professional-Pedagogical Institute
• 1st place: School of Mathematics and Informatics

As for the offline competition results, the winners were:

• 3rd place: Education and Research Institute of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, Education and Research Institute "Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogical Academy"
• 2nd place: Schoolof Physics, School of History
• 1st place: School of Philology, School of Philosophy

The Grand Prix of the Alma Mater-2024 competition was awarded to the School of Medicine.

Congratulations to the winners and participants, and we wish them inspiration and success in creative and academic endeavors!

All photographs can be found at the link.