Sustainable Excellence of Ukrainian Youth in the Textile and Garment Industry

24 october 2024 year

Within the framework of the TEX4YUA project, "Sustainable Excellence of Ukrainian Youth in the Textile and Sewing Industry," funded by the Swedish Institute under the SI Baltic Sea Neighbourhood Programme, representatives of project partners from Ukraine participated in their first training visit. Partners included the Education and Research Institute (ESI) “Ukrainian Engineering Pedagogics Academy” of Karazin University, NGO “Innovative Generation” (Kharkiv), and Lutsk National Technical University.

Karazin University was represented by Oleg Lytvyn, Acting Head of the Department of Food Technology, Light Industry, and Design of ESI "UIPA," and Roman Nesterenko, Deputy Head of the International Relations Department.

The University of Borås, home to over 18,000 students and more than 800 staff, also includes the Swedish School of Textiles as part of its institution.

The visit included a roundtable with the leadership of the Department of Textile Technology, discussing current trends in modern textile industry development and educational programs in textile technology. Plans for collaboration between Ukraine and Sweden were made to jointly develop innovative educational components for teaching Ukrainian and Swedish youth. Such cooperation aims to raise youth awareness and encourage the development of new textile manufacturing technologies.

As part of the visit, participants toured textile and polymer laboratories (yarn, weaving, knitting, dyeing and printing, garment, research, and testing labs). They also met with Professor Navar Khadi, took part in a seminar on digital tools for textile education (led by Dr. Sweta Iyer), and explored a virtual laboratory.

The Ukrainian delegation also visited the Svensson factory — one of the most dynamic and innovative companies in Europe — and the Textile Museum. Svensson, established in 1887, is a global leader in producing innovative materials for professional greenhouse cultivation.