Karazin University Strengthens Academic Partnership: Participation of the School of Economics in the International Symposium “Universities for the Future: Knowledge Economy”

In August 2025, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University and the Lviv Polytechnic National University signed a memorandum of cooperation, marking a new chapter in inter-university partnership. The School of Economics at Karazin University became one of the key drivers of this initiative, joining collaborative projects aimed at developing the knowledge economy and an innovative educational ecosystem.

On October 10, 2025, the International Symposium “Universities for the Future: Knowledge Economy” was held at Lviv Polytechnic National University, dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Institute of Economics and Management. The event brought together scholars, faculty members, experts, and stakeholders from across Ukraine to discuss strategic challenges in education, science, and innovation in the modern world. Karazin University was represented by Dean of the School of Economics Vitalii Dyachek, Head of the Department of Economics and Business Administration Viktoria Prokhorova, Professor Svitlana Shepelenko, and Associate Professor Yuliia Dudnieva.

The symposium was officially opened by Orest Koleschuk, Head of the Department of Enterprise Economics and Investments at Lviv Polytechnic, who highlighted the importance of inter-university cooperation as a key factor in the development of the education and science system.

Welcoming remarks were made by:

• Roman Korzh, Vice-Rector for Institutional Development at Lviv Polytechnic, who emphasized the need for inter-university alliances to build a unified educational space in Ukraine;

• Mykhailo Honchar, Director of the Institute of Economics and Management, noting that the Institute’s anniversary serves as an incentive to develop new models of inter-university cooperation, integrating science, education, and innovation for Ukraine’s future;

• Vitalii Dyachek, Dean of the School of Economics at Karazin University, highlighting that signing the memorandum symbolized the unification of Ukrainian universities’ efforts toward innovative development and national recovery;

• Viktoria Prokhorova, Head of the Department of Economics and Business Administration at Karazin University, emphasizing universities’ role in shaping an ethical management culture, sustainable development, and the creation of inter-university research platforms.

During the plenary session “University in Modern Education: Model, Mission, Opportunities”, presentations highlighted emerging trends in higher education. Key speakers included:

• Yurii Rashkevych, Professor at Lviv Polytechnic, former Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, member of the National Qualifications Agency, who outlined strategies for professional growth and micro-qualifications as a means to adapt education to labor market needs;

• Vasyl Kozyk, Professor at Lviv Polytechnic, who stressed the growing role of universities in developing competencies for the new knowledge economy;

• Innola Novikova, Head of the Department of Agroeconomics and Management at Kyiv National University of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, who discussed the potential of education as a tool to enhance Ukraine’s economic competitiveness;

• Svitlana Shepelenko, Professor at Karazin University, in her report “Dual and Multi-Level Education: Key to the Economy of the Future”, underlined the importance of combining academic training with the real needs of business.

The discussion following the presentations evolved into a professional dialogue on the future of Ukrainian education — from reforms and digitalization to balancing academic traditions with the demands of the new economy.

In the afternoon, a panel discussion “Joint Educational Initiatives: From Program Development to International Projects” took place, involving program guarantors, international project coordinators, and representatives of partner universities.

Key topics included the modernization of educational programs in C1 Economics and International Economic Relations and D3 Management, integration of Jean Monnet, Erasmus+, and Horizon Europe components, development of academic mobility, and presentation of the Winter School initiative “Economy of Knowledge and Digital Future.”

Vitalii Dyachek and Viktoria Prokhorova presented Karazin University’s experience in implementing next-generation interdisciplinary courses that develop students’ global understanding of economic processes and intercultural skills.

Participants noted that such initiatives not only broaden the horizons of university education but also unite the academic space of Ukraine — from Kharkiv to Lviv — around shared values of quality, trust, and openness.

Partner universities agreed to continue working on joint research initiatives, creation of open educational platforms, and development of new academic formats that support the growth of the knowledge economy and a sustainable society of the future.

Karazin University’s participation in the symposium demonstrated its role as an active driver of educational change, a university that does not merely respond to contemporary challenges but anticipates them, shaping the future of Ukrainian higher education in the European context.