KSU: history of relocation, development and new opportunities
The publication «Intent» published an article about the journey of Kherson State University from forced relocation to one of the most successful examples of the transformation of Ukrainian higher education amidst the full-scale war.
In the spring of 2022, the KSU team was forced to leave temporarily occupied Kherson in order to preserve the staff, student community, and university values. Ivano-Frankivsk became the new home for the institution, where the university continued to operate on the basis of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University.
Four years after relocation, Kherson State University not only successfully continues its educational, scientific, and international activities but also implements innovative solutions that serve as an example for Ukrainian and foreign higher education institutions.
"Over the four years of full-scale war, we have traveled the path from emergency evacuation to a model of a resilient distributed university with two offices – in Ivano-Frankivsk and Kherson – and a powerful digital core", – says the Rector of Kherson State University Oleksandr Spivakovskyi.
Polina Yashna, a 5th-year student of the "Medicine" specialty, says she is originally from the village of Chaplynka on the left bank of the Kherson region. In 2021, she chose to study at KSU because she wanted to receive an education in her home region and stay close to her family. But within just a year, everything changed fundamentally.
"I was lucky enough to spend the first semester at the university in a face-to-face learning format. I was able to attend classes daily, make new acquaintances, and work on team projects. Being involved in university events and celebrations, and participating in their organization, became particularly valuable to me. This gave me the opportunity to express myself, show my abilities, and feel that the university – is a space where one can not only acquire knowledge but also realize ideas, show initiative, and develop leadership qualities", – Polina recalls.
The student admits that she misses that atmosphere of university life. After all, currently, the main part of classes takes place remotely via Zoom, KSU-Online, and KSU24. Such a format requires a high level of self-discipline. At the same time, she describes in-person weeks of study as an intensive period filled with trainings, masterclasses, practical lessons, excursions, and live communication with students and teachers. This is exactly what allows for partial compensation of the distance format.
"Of course, studying in war conditions has its difficulties, but it has taught us to be more flexible, disciplined, and to value every moment and opportunity. We continue to acquire knowledge, support one another, and move confidently toward our professional goals", – Polina shares.
The girl combines her studies with work in a hospital. According to her, this allows her to see real clinical cases and develop professional skills in the conditions of actual medical work.
Read more about the history of resilience, development, and transformation of KSU, as well as comments from teachers and students, in the publication «Intent» - «University is not walls»: the story of the relocated KSU, which stood its ground.