Kherson State University

Moderated by Veronika Denysenko, Vice-Rector for Social-Humanitarian and Scientific-Pedagogical Affairs.

Oksana Hlebushkina presented the activities of the «Nova Generatsiya» public center, which has been operating since 1993 and is one of the most well-known public organizations in the Kherson region. She spoke about the history of the organization's creation, its transformation from a youth association to a powerful public center, as well as its main areas of work.

Particular attention during the presentation was paid to the organization's mission and values. At the center of the NGO's activities are the development of civil society, support for community initiatives, non-formal education, advocacy, gender equality, and partnership between the public sector, authorities, and communities.

Participants were also presented with cases and projects that the organization is working on for future implementation together with communities. These include «the Institute of the Third Age for residents (60+) of the Kherson City Territorial Community» and «STEM – laboratories in the communities of the Kherson region».

During the event, participants focused on finding common ground between the university and the public sector. They also focused on implementing partnership initiatives aimed at supporting internally displaced persons, developing communities, youth projects, non-formal education, and strengthening social cohesion in today's conditions.

The discussion included First Vice-Rector Serhii Omelchuk, and Vice-Rectors Daria Malchykova and Alla Tsapiv.

Serhii Omelchuk emphasized that one of KSU's key missions is to support the community and help Kherson residents who have become internally displaced persons due to the war. According to him, cooperation specifically with the Kherson public organization «Nova Generatsiya», which has many years of experience and a modern approach to working with communities, could become an important reinforcement for both the university and the public sector, and most importantly – create new perspectives for the residents of the Kherson region.

Daria Malchykova presented the university's certificate programs, particularly in the field of adaptive sports. She also spoke about existing initiatives that could serve as a basis for future joint grant applications and partnership projects.

Alla Tsapiv spoke in detail about the activities of the KSU Cultural and Educational Hub, which operates on the basis of the university. She emphasized the implementation of joint educational, cultural, and social initiatives involving the expert potential of KSU scientists and teachers, as well as the university's infrastructure and technical equipment.

Separately, during the meeting, the Assistant to the Rector for Strategic Issues, Maksym Poltoratskyi, presented the «Inclusive Education» Hub project. The initiative is aimed at creating a modern educational space for veterans, people with disabilities, wounded military personnel, internally displaced persons, and all those in need of accessible education. Within the framework of the project, it provides for the development of inclusive learning infrastructure, the creation of a comfortable educational environment, the implementation of specialized technical equipment, and support for professional realization and social adaptation of various categories of the population.

Veronika Denysenko noted that Kherson State University has significant experience participating in international projects, and KSU scientists are actively involved as experts in many initiatives at both the national and local levels. She emphasized that the university is interested in cooperating with a public organization whose activity priorities are close to and in harmony with the values and work areas of KSU. Particularly important, in her words, is the partnership between Kherson residents, the university, and the public organization.

In turn, Oksana Hlebushkina thanked the representatives of KSU for a meaningful and open meeting. She noted that the discussion became a source of many new ideas that could form the basis of future joint projects and partnership initiatives.

As a result – the parties agreed to create a common digital space for the coordination of further cooperation. The platform is intended to accumulate ideas, develop directions for future partnership initiatives, prepare joint project applications, and develop projects that can, in the long term, be presented to international donors and partners.

KSU Press Center