The Vice-rector of KSU completed an international program in internationalization and higher education management

Alla Tsapiv, Vice-Rector for International, Academic and Pedagogical Affairs at Kherson State University, completed her studies under the international program SUUN Saar-Ukraine University Network Training Course 2026 "Internationalization and Higher Education Management for Ukrainian Academic Leaders" together with a team of colleagues from 9 Ukrainian higher education institutions. SUUN (Saar-Ukraine University Network) North American Studies at Saarland University is a program implemented with the support of Saarland University and DAAD, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.

The program combined:

• Preparatory courses: English for Communication in Higher Education, Intercultural Leadership and Communication, Internationalization in Higher Education;

• Four learning modules: Internationalization and Mobility, Grant Funding Opportunities and Applications, Quality Assurance, Human Resource Management, Risk Analysis, Talent Management, Inclusive Leadership, AI in Academic Environments, and Coaching;

• Independent project work: Development of individual Strategic Action Plans (SAP).
  
  The primary outcome was the Strategic Action Plan for the Internationalization of Kherson State University, titled "Asymmetric Resilience: Ready for Change".

   

  "We are turning vulnerability into uniqueness: our experience of relocation is the foundation of a crisis management strategy that we are ready to share with our partners," emphasized Alla Tsapiv.

   

  According to her, the most valuable elements were the expert feedback from Ukrainian and international trainers, coaching, peer reviews of plans by colleagues, and the realization that our challenges have shared solutions.

  "My sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Oleksandr Pronkevich (Ukrainian Catholic University, Ukraine), Dr. Nataliia Ishchenko (Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University, Ukraine), Prof. Dr. Astrid Fellner, Academic Director of SUUN, and the entire team of organizers and trainers for their professionalism, support, and belief in us," noted Alla Tsapiv.

  "Thank you to the incredible and wonderful Olha Polishchuk, Alina Shkurat, Alina Mozolevska, and Eva Nossem, as well as Saarland University, the DAAD, and the German Federal Ministry of Research for this opportunity; and to my fellow participants for the inspiration, candid discussions, and mutual support along this journey—working with you was wonderful, professional, engaging, and warm. I am confident that together we will create and implement many more projects: Kateryna Vasylyna, Ira Hryhoruk, Emil Faure, Dmytro Shevchuk, Liudmyla Yelisieieva, Yevhen Plotnikov, Andrii Loboda, Kateryna Skyba, and Iryna Mychovych. My thanks to the team at Kherson State University, and especially to Rector Oleksandr Spivakovskiy, for his leadership, ideas, trust, and support, as well as his ability to inspire and do everything possible to bring an idea to life," emphasized Alla Tsapiv.