On April 16, 2025, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University hosted the International Scientific Online Conference “University Autonomy in the Development of Democratic Values in Higher Education: the EU Experience for Ukraine” in accordance with the implementation results of the Module “University Autonomy in the Development of Democratic Values in Higher Education: the Experience of the EU Member States for Ukraine” (within the programme Erasmus+: Jean Monnet).

The conference was opened with a welcome speech by Nataliia Vinnikova, Head of the Academic Council at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, Vice-Rector for Research and International Affairs, Doctor of Science in Philology, Professor.

The moderators of the conference were participants of the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet project “University Autonomy in the Development of Democratic Values in Higher Education: The EU Experience for Ukraine” Tetiana Kostiuk, Professor at the Department of Political Science and Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Doctor of Science in Public Administration, Associate Professor; Oksana Bulvinska, Senior Researcher of the Library, PhD in Education, Senior Researcher; Natalia Mospan, Professor of  the Department of Linguistics and Translation, Faculty of Romance and Germanic Philology, Doctor of Science in Education, Professor.

During the plenary session, the following speakers presented their research: Oksana Bulvinska, Senior Researcher of the Library, participant of the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet project, PhD in Education, Senior Researcher (report “Classification of University Autonomy Models in Europe”); Mariia Stadnіichuk – third-year PhD student in Preschool Education, Faculty of Pedagogical Education (report “University Autonomy in Ukraine: Law and Realities of Implementation”); Anna Kawula and Anna Włoch, Faculty of Education, University of the National Education Commission, Krakow (Republic of Poland), PhD (report “Polish-Ukrainian Socio-Cultural Cooperation Based on Selected Projects”).

The conference continued with thematic discussion platforms in the following areas:

• “Higher Education as a Space for the Formation of European Democratic Values”;
• “University Autonomy Models in EU Countries: Experience for Ukraine”;
• “University Autonomy, Academic Freedom, and Social Responsibility as Factors in Ensuring the Quality of Higher Education".

The discussion of current problems about university autonomy in the development of democratic values in higher education was joined by: Tetiana Kostiuk, Professor at the Department of Political Science and Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, participant of the Erasmus+: Jean Monnet programme project “University Autonomy in the Development of Democratic Values in Higher Education: the Experience of the EU Member States for Ukraine”, Doctor of Science in Public Administration, Associate Professor (report “Democratization of Education in Post-War Ukraine for Democracy and Security in Europe”); Olena Orzhel, Chief Researcher at the Department of Interaction between Universities and Society, Institute of Higher Education, NAES of Ukraine, Doctor of Science in Public Administration, Associate Professor (report “Inclusion as a Key Value of the EU”); Oleksii Nalyvaiko, Deputy Dean for Research at the School of Psychology, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, PhD in Education, Associate Professor (report “Legal Challenges and Prospects for the Development of University Autonomy in the Context of Changes in Higher Education”); Yelyzaveta Tarapata, PhD student at the Faculty of Pedagogical Education, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University (report “Financial Autonomy of European Universities: the Relationship between Public Funding and the Possibilities of Autonomous Management of Funds”); Volodymyr Snihur, PhD student at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University (report “Digital Art Education in the Context of University Autonomy”); Oksana Salata, Head of the Department of Historical and Civic Education, Institute of Postgraduate Education, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, Doctor of Science in History, Professor (report “Civic Roles and Social Responsibility of Higher Education”); Volodymyr Artamonov – PhD student at the University of Debrecen (Hungary) (report “The Role of University Sports Clubs in the Social Integration of Students: the Experience of Participants of the European University Games 2024”).

The conference concluded with the final presentation “Trends in the Development of University Autonomy in EU Countries” by Natalia Mospan, Professor of the Department of Linguistics and Translation, Faculty of Romance and Germanic Philology, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, participant of the Erasmus+: Jean Monnet programme project, Doctor of Science in Education, Professor.

We sincerely thank all participants for their active engagement in discussing the pressing issues of modern education and university autonomy!

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