Conference of the University Staff at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University: The Rector’s Report on a Year of Resilience and Shared Responsibility

On 24 December 2025, a meeting of the Conference of the University Staff was held at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. The conference took place in a hybrid format, allowing delegates to participate remotely.

The conference was opened by the Chair of the meeting, Hanna Titenko, Director of the Education and Research Institute of Ecology, Green Energy, and Sustainable Development. The Presidium also included Tetyana Kaganovska, Rector of the University; Serhii Yeltsov, Head of the Academic Affairs Office; Olena Fridman, Academic Secretary of the University; and Anton Serdiuk, Head of the Student Council of Karazin University.

The key item on the agenda was the presentation and discussion of the Rector’s Annual Report on the University’s activities in 2025. Delivering the report, Rector Tetyana Kaganovska emphasised that it was a special one for her, as her term of office as Rector will conclude in six months.

In her address, the Rector stressed that 2025 became a continuation of the difficult yet responsible path of the University’s work under the conditions of a full-scale war. According to her, all decisions taken were guided by the main priority — preserving people, students, the academic community, and the future of the University. Education, research, and the continuity of university life remained the core priorities.

Special attention was paid to honouring the memory of Karazin University members who lost their lives defending Ukraine.

Speaking about the results achieved, Tetyana Kaganovska noted the stable positions of Karazin University in national and international rankings, an increase in student enrolment, the development of educational programmes, and the preservation of the full educational cycle — from Bachelor’s to Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The University community currently numbers nearly 16,000 students.

The report also highlighted the development of research and innovation activities, the expansion of international partnerships, the implementation of grant-funded projects, support for research infrastructure, and the introduction of energy-independent solutions. The Rector pointed out the growth in research and publication activity, the University’s participation in international research programmes, and the strengthening of its positions in global scientometric databases.

An important component of the report was the University’s social mission, including support for veterans and internally displaced persons, the development of the Mental Health Centre, student-led charitable initiatives, and active cooperation with local self-government bodies.

Summing up her address, the Rector expressed gratitude to all staff members and students for their trust, shared responsibility, and unity, emphasising that people are the main resource of Karazin University — a community that has preserved professional dignity, resilience, and the ability to look to the future even in the most challenging times.

Following the report, a discussion took place with contributions from Vil Bakirov, Advisor to the Rector; Pylyp Kuznietsov, Director of the Education and Research Institute “School of Physics and Technology”; Svitlana Virotchenko, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages; Denys Kovalenko, Director of the Education and Research Institute “Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogical Academy”; as well as representatives of trade union organisations.

According to the protocol provided by the Counting Commission, all decisions were adopted by a majority vote. The decision approving the Report on the University’s activities in 2025 was supported by 543 delegates, representing 98.4% of those who took part in the vote.

Within the framework of the conference, delegates also considered the approval of the draft new version of the University Charter, the Anti-Corruption Programme of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University for 2026–2028, amendments and additions to the Collective Agreement, as well as the results of the implementation of the Comprehensive Occupational Safety Measures in 2025 and the action plan for 2026.