Representatives of the Department of Physical Geography and Cartography Participated in the Erasmus+ Academic Mobility Programme at the University of West Attica (Greece)

24 august 2026 year

Education, Science, International activities

From June 29 to July 3, 2026, Associate Professor of the Department of Physical Geography and Cartography of the School of Geology, Geography, Recreation and Travel Business Kateryna Borysenko, as well as PhD students of the Earth Sciences educational programme Yuliia Serzhantova and Polina Dovzhenko, participated in blended academic mobility under the European Union's Erasmus+ programme at the University of West Attica (Athens, Hellenic Republic).

The mobility programme was held as part of the First Erasmus+/ICM Education Week at the "Egaleo Park" campus (Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering). Working meetings were held with Professors Georgios Hloupis, Nikolaos Merlemis, and Vasileios Pagounis. The programme was coordinated by the Erasmus+ Office of the University of West Attica, in particular by International Credit Mobility Coordinator Dr. Fani Papoutsi and Student Mobility Coordinator Eva Konstantopoulou.

The academic programme combined teaching activities, presentations of research achievements, and professional exchange of experience in English:

• As part of the teaching component, Associate Professor Kateryna Borysenko delivered guest lectures entitled "Field GIS Technologies in Physical-Geographical Research" and "Virtual Field Trips and GIS in Modern Geographical Education";
• As part of the educational and research programme, the department's PhD students presented their dissertation research areas: Yuliia Serzhantova gave a presentation entitled "Cartographic Research in Earth Sciences", while Polina Dovzhenko presented the topic "Cartographic Support for the Assessment of Natural Conditions and Resources of Territorial Communities Affected by Military Actions".

The presentations and talks generated considerable interest and lively discussion among students, PhD students, and the academic staff of the Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, as well as colleagues from Montenegro who were at the university under the Erasmus+ programme. The discussions focused on areas and prospects for scientific and educational cooperation in the fields of Earth sciences, cartography, geoinformatics, and geodesy. Particular attention during the discussions was devoted to the functioning of Karazin University during the war, preserving its educational and research potential, and the current situation in Ukraine, which elicited a sincere response and expressions of solidarity from the international community. International colleagues highly appreciated the resilience of Ukrainian researchers, their active participation in international projects, and their commitment to developing academic partnerships despite the challenges of wartime.

In addition to the educational and research programme, the researchers participated in the interdisciplinary laboratory "Creating the Future of Learning", familiarized themselves with the infrastructure of the University of West Attica and the modern equipment of the faculty's laboratories. The participants also took part in international networking with colleagues from Armenia, Montenegro, Uganda, and Greece, during which they discussed prospects for joint research projects, preparation of publications, and expanding future academic mobility.

The academic programme was complemented by an introduction to the historical and cultural heritage of Athens, the port city of Piraeus, and the island of Aegina, which is an important component of intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding within the Erasmus+ programme.

Upon successfully completing the mobility programme, the participants received certificates.

Participation in the Erasmus+ programme was an important step in developing international cooperation within the Department of Physical Geography and Cartography. It contributed to the exchange of modern educational practices and opened up new opportunities for implementing joint international educational and research initiatives. We sincerely thank our colleagues at the University of West Attica for their warm welcome, the high level of programme organization, and their openness to partnership!