Within the EDUC-WIDE project, partners gathered for the T4.1 Monitoring Meeting to review progress in implementing the EDUC Strategy for Reforming Research Assessment across the alliance.

This task focuses on translating the jointly developed strategy into concrete institutional and systemic changes, including advancing reforms in research assessment in line with the EDUC framework and strengthening collaboration through the Research Assessment Expert Group (RAEG).

During the meeting, partners reviewed progress on both individual and joint tasks, focusing on:
integration of RRA principles into institutional practices;
development of policies and tools supporting responsible and fair research evaluation;
coordination of upcoming activities, including expert meetings and deliverables.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of continued alignment across institutions, ensuring that reforms are not only implemented locally but contribute to broader European and national policy developments.

On May 15, the Carpathian National University named after Vasyl Stefanyk will host an international scientific event dedicated to rethinking approaches to research evaluation.

The event will bring together researchers, academic leaders, and international experts to discuss key challenges in modern science — from researchers’ well-being to the impact of artificial intelligence on evaluation systems.

The focus of the event includes three key directions.

Key speakers:

• Ester Cois — lecture on researchers’ well-being and fair evaluation
• Luciano Colombo — on the role of artificial intelligence in the future of research evaluation

The program features expert lectures and discussions, Q&A sessions, an interactive workshop “Redesign the Perfect Evaluation System”, networking, and exchange of experience.

We aim to bring together lecturers, researchers, and early-career scientists to discuss what the academic system of the future should look like — more human-centered, balanced, and innovative.

📍 Format: hybrid (offline + online)
👥 Target audience: researchers, lecturers, PhD students, and everyone involved in academia
💬 Languages: English / Ukrainian

Registration form: https://forms.gle/wgF3XXWU2BWYU3ZT7

Associate Professors Iryna Matiash-Hnedyuk and Tetiana Hulyak of the Department of English Philology successfully completed an international internship at the University of Jaume I (Spain), which took place from March 2 to 29 as part of the EDUC-WIDE project (Expanding EDUC Opportunities for Inclusive ERA Development).

Iryna Matiash-Hnedyuk implemented the program “English Accents in the Spanish Classroom: Attitudes, Acquisition, and Academic Practices,” dedicated to issues of the perception of English accents in a Spanish-speaking educational environment, the specifics of their acquisition, and academic practices in English language teaching.

Tetyana Hulyak’s program, “Multimodal Approaches to SLA: From Usage-Based Theory to Digital Learning Environments,” is aimed at researching the impact of multimodal language input and digital technologies on second language acquisition processes.

The program mentors were leading scholars from the Department of English at Jaume I University: Professor Richard Nightingale and Professor Laura Portolés Falomir.

Interacting with Spanish colleagues, including Gema Gayete Dominguez, Maria Reyes Sayas Cano, Nerea Peraire Queral, and Andreea Izabela Gorgoteanu, helped them immerse themselves in the university ecosystem and try job shadowing.

As part of the internship, our university’s faculty members delivered lectures and seminars for students, familiarized themselves with the organization of the educational process and teaching practices at Jaume I University, and collected empirical data for future research.

International academic mobility is an integral part of the development of a higher education institution and contributes to the implementation of innovative methods in the educational process and the deepening of academic partnerships.

On February 14-16, Valentyna Yakubiv and Volodymyra Boichuk took a trip to University of Potsdam within the framework of EDUC activities. University of Potsdam held a session of EDUC Council of Rectors, which agreed on multiple strategic decisions that will affect alliance’s development trajectory for the next decade.

During January 26-30, 2026, the teachers and researchers of the Department of Theory and Methods of Preschool and Special Education of the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, Marianna Matishak and Iryna Skomorovska, underwent training at the University of South-Eastern Norway on the content of the project “Rebuilding futures: Empowering educators and students through cross-border collaboration and invention pedagogy (REFINE)” within the framework of the EDUC-WIDE SEED PROJECTS – 2024.

The training program provided for familiarizing the project participants with the university campus, creative workshops and the DigTekLab digital technology laboratory, as well as enriching their experience in interdisciplinary learning in the context of the STEAM approach and invention pedagogy (creativity, cooperation, practical creative activity). Colleagues from the University of South-Eastern Norway Larysa Dahl Kolesnyk, Camilla Groth and Nazanin Garmsiri presented the possibilities of using digital tools to implement invention pedagogy through maker activities in educational settings. Camilla Groth introduced the researchers to the features of the concept of “worldmaking”, the key provisions of invention pedagogy, and presented the methodology for implementing these in the process of professional training of future teachers. During the workshop, Marianna Matishak and Iryna Skomorovska, with the support of Norwegian colleagues, created their own “maker” project (didactic board game “Didital Detox Game”) using digital tools and technologies available in the laboratory. The results of their creative work were presented during a seminar meeting with USN colleagues from the research group of Human rights and Democracy, situated at the city of Drammen.
During this educational visit, teachers and researchers from the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University got acquainted with the features of organizing a maker space in a Norwegian school, and also visited the Notodden public library, which is an important cultural center, a space for communication and creative development of the city community. The project participants had the opportunity to share reflections, discuss the work plan and subsequent activities that will be implemented at the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University.

Want to improve your language skills without having to travel?
What if your next language course could also help you develop intercultural competence, international professional contacts and career skills?

Introducing the EDUC E-tandem Language Programme
The EDUC E-tandem Language Programme is a tool for developing language skills and intercultural competences. The programme brings together two administrative staff from different EDUC universities to practice the language of their choice, improving their intercultural communication skills in a friendly and professional atmosphere.

How the programme works: you are paired with a colleague from another EDUC university; you practice your chosen foreign language; learning takes place through live communication, not classroom lessons; intercultural communication skills are developed at the same time.

Why join?

improve your foreign language for everyday professional activities; increased confidence in working in a multicultural environment; preparation for staff mobility, internships and international cooperation; support for long-term professional and career development.

Program details

online meetings in tandem format (March – October 2026); minimum 12 hours of participation (including 3 hours of work with a tutor); flexible, friendly and professionally supported format.

Who can apply?

administrative staff of EDUC partner universities (members of the administration, employees of the project management department, scientific library, research department, teaching and methodological department, human resources department, press service);

English level A2–B1 (for communication with tutors)(you can also choose higher levels (B2-C1); you can choose not only English, but also another European language for practice);

motivation and compatibility of participants are important.

Limited places

Up to 8 participants per university (+ waiting list)

Application deadline: February 13, 2026
You can apply via the application form:

https://nettskjema.no/a/576512#/page/1

Partner universities within the EDUC alliance:

University of Paris-Nanterre

University of Rennes

University of Pécs

University of Jaume I

University of Cagliari

Masaryk University

University of Potsdam

University of South-East Norway

PARTICIPATION IS FREE!

The project team sincerely wishes you peace, faith, and prosperity. May the Christmas light warm your hearts, give you strength and hope, and may love, harmony, and the support of loved ones reign in every home.

We express our deep gratitude to the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their courage, resilience, and daily defense of our country. Thanks to you, we have the opportunity to work, teach, advance science, and preserve Ukrainian traditions.

Christ is born! Let us glorify Him!

Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University invites university lecturers and postgraduate students to apply for the new European competition EDUC Research & Innovation Fellowships, funded by the European Union within the EDUC-WIDE project.

Program Objective: EDUC Fellowships provide an opportunity for researchers from our university at any stage of their career to develop new skills, gain experience in an international environment, expand scientific contacts and form long-term partnerships between EDUC Alliance universities and its innovation ecosystem.

Partner universities where mobility is possible:

Masaryk University (Czech Republic), University of Pécs (Hungary), University of Cagliari (Italy), University of Potsdam (Germany), University of South-Eastern Norway (Norway), Universitat Jaume I (Spain), University of Rennes (France), University Paris Nanterre (France)

Application deadline: December 1, 2025

Mobility period from 4 to 12 weeks

Applications are submitted online via the OpenUP platform (https://educ.openup.education/welcome). Instructions for submitting by vocation (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VAcTz2N5Dk_4aWukVQu8exRQ7mQTLSLB/view?usp=sharing)

Detailed information at

www.educalliance.eu/calls/educ-wide-fellowship-call

The EDUC university alliance offers access to its technologies and services available via core facilities and research infrastructures. The call is open from 20th November 2025 until 27th February 2026, 12:00 CET.

The aim of this call for proposals is to stimulate direct interactions between EDUC partners and promote the existing core facilities across the consortium, namely in the Widening countries (Masaryk University, Czech Republic; University of Pécs, Hungary; and Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, Ukraine). Researchers and Ph.D. candidates from the EDUC consortium are invited to propose research projects that can be implemented utilising available core facilities. Within one project proposal, the applicant can ask for one or more services/technologies from one or more EDUC partners participating in the call.

Applicants/users

• Researchers working at EDUC member institutions
• Ph.D. candidates of EDUC member institutions

For the purpose of this call, each applicant’s affiliation with an EDUC institution will be verified by their respective EDUC-WIDE member institution.
Only cross-border applications will be supported. It is not possible to request the measurement in the country of the applicant’s home institution.

List of eligible EDUC member institutions (as project applicants):

• Masaryk University, Czech Republic
• University of Cagliari, Italy
• University of Pécs, Hungary
• University of Rennes, France
• University of Potsdam, Germany
• University Paris Nanterre, France
• University of South-Eastern Norway, Norway
• Universitat Jaume I, Spain
• Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, Ukraine

Details