Karazin University Joins the Second Transnational Meeting of the Erasmus+ Project EUComplianceM4UA in Portugal

From October 6 to 9, 2025, the second transnational meeting of partners of the international project EUComplianceM4UA, co-funded by the European Union, took place at the Infante D. Henrique Portuguese University in Porto, Portugal.

The event served as an important milestone in summarizing the results of the project’s first year and defining the strategic directions for further cooperation.

Karazin University was represented by Iryna Shteimiller, Head of the International Relations Office; Maryna Vasylieva, Deputy Director of the Education and Research Institute “Ukrainian Engineering Pedagogics Academy” and Professor at the Department of Pedagogy, Methodology and Education Management; and Roman Nesterenko, Deputy Head of the International Relations Office.

The meeting brought together representatives of nine partner universities, including five Ukrainian higher education institutions:

• Central Ukrainian National Technical University,

• Izmail State University of Humanities,

• Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics,

• Donetsk State University of Internal Affairs, and

• V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University.

International partners were represented by:

• Wismar University of Applied Sciences: Technology, Business and Design (Germany, project coordinator),

• Infante D. Henrique Portuguese University (Portugal),

• University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague (Czech Republic), and

• University of Economics and Innovation in Lublin (Poland).

The first day of the meeting included the official opening ceremony, welcome addresses from the University of Porto administration and project coordinators, and partner presentations. Participants discussed the outcomes of the first year of EUComplianceM4UA implementation, the progress of work packages, and the next steps in introducing the Compliance Management academic course in Ukrainian universities.

The second day had a practical focus. Partners visited leading Portuguese enterprises — the textile company Calvelex and the Footwear Industry Technology Center, where they learned about European models of quality management, corporate ethics, and sustainable development. Later that day, the second round of Ukrainian universities’ presentations took place, focusing on adapting educational programs to compliance standards.

The third day was dedicated to analytical and coordination activities, including the preparation of the interim report, quality monitoring, and discussion of the project’s communication strategy. An online presentation by the Ukrainian Association of Compliance was also held, with participation from the project coordinator, Professor Ali Arnaut.

A memorandum of cooperation between the EUComplianceM4UA consortium and the Ukrainian Association of Compliance was signed during the meeting.

On the final, fourth day, discussions focused on reviewing the implementation status of work packages related to staff training, development of educational materials, and the integration of compliance principles into Ukrainian academic programs. Participants also discussed a strategic action plan for the next 12 months.

The highlight of the event was the presentation by Professor Carlos Brito, President of the Association of Economists of Northern Portugal, who shared his vision of the role of compliance in modern economic and educational policy.

The meeting in Porto confirmed the high level of cooperation among partners, the systematic implementation of project goals, and a shared commitment to promoting European standards of integrity and transparency in education.

Karazin University’s participation in the EUComplianceM4UA project contributes to strengthening the culture of academic integrity, enhancing transparency in governance, and integrating the Ukrainian educational environment into European practices of corporate responsibility and sustainable development.