ZNU is implementing a grant project in order to improve a journalistic education

As it is known, Zaporizhzhia national university recently has won an EU grant in the ERASMUS + program for improving journalistic education. The organizers of this project have shared the detailed information on the plans for implementing their educational ideas.The official title of this project is «Journalism Education for Democracy in Ukraine: Developing Standards, Integrity and Professionalism». That is why, in addition to universities, you can see professional organizations such as the Ethical Journalism Network (UK), the European Journalism Training Association (Netherlands), WUS (World University Service, Austria) and Public Radio (Ukraine) within the consortium. Our partners are also Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Students Association.

This year, the competition for international assistance in the Erasmus + Capacity Building in Higher Education program was higher than ever: with only 874 applications from around the world, only 118 were implemented.

The total amount of the grant for the consortium is almost 800 000 euros (each of the Ukrainian universities will get from 40 to 50 000 euros). The terms of this project is from November 15, 2018 to November 15, 2021.

Members of the working group of ZNU, Kateryna Sirinok-Dolharova, associate professor and doctoral student, university professor Olena Tupakhina told how Zaporizhzhia national university managed to become a participant in such a prestigious project.

Head of the International Department of ZNU in 2007-2013, associate Professor of the Department of German Philology and Translation Olena Tupakhina pointed out that the Zaporizhzhia national university has a long and successful history of participating in programs under the aegis of the European Union. The international project of the TEMPUS / TACIS program "Foreign languages and modern technologies" (1995-1998) laid the foundation for cooperation.

Olena Vladimirovna said that TEMPUS / TACIS and TEMPUS programs were concentrated on structural changes in Ukrainian education such as the transition to the Bologna system, the creation of training centers, and introduction of new technologies. ZNU implemented 12 projects within the framework of these programs.

One of the most interesting and resonant projects of ZNU within the framework of the TEMPUS-QATMI (2009-2012) program was concentrated on improving the strategies for the internationalization of higher education institutions in the post-Soviet space. Priorities of the program SOCRATES ERASMUS, in which ZNU took part since 2003, were already content aspects of education and student mobility. And in 2010-2015 the university got two grants of mobility for the projects Erasmus Mundus Action 2 - ELECTRA and HUMERIA. Later, about a hundred students and teachers took part in long-term internships abroad; students had a possibility to study there from one semester to a year, and teachers about three months.

In 2014, TEMPUS and ERASMUS MUNDUS merged with the ERASMUS + program with several leading directions: KA1 (study mobility), KA2 (capacity development of educational institutions) and Jean Monet program (development of European studios). ZNU always uses every opportunity to compete for participation in projects in all three areas. And as a result it wins.

In particular, in the direction of KA1, on the basis of bilateral agreements, it cooperates with seven European universities. Under Jean Monnet program, it implements two 3-year projects.

According to the words of Kateryna Sirinok-Dolharova, member of the working group from the university, and associate professor, the study visits to foreign partners and cross-evaluation of modern Ukrainian programs at the journalism faculties will be held within three years of the project implementation, after which more than 20 Bachelor's and Master's programs will be developed if they fit the EU standards and carried out their approbation.

For the international community, the "history of consortia" of the university with partners is vitally important.

Teamwork is one of the major element as participants are able understand both the overall goal and the individual stages of preparation, development, implementation, quality monitoring, and their responsibilities. Members of the consortium noted down all the necessary steps, kept communication on Skype, added some details, and then the British built it all together. By the way, all management is carried out by British managers and administrators who will be checking the quality of the project.

Students of ZNU will also be actively involved in the project as they will take part in surveys concerning expectations, in general tests of educational novelties, express their feedbacks etc.

By the way, an association of graduates of the journalism faculty was created in ZNU in order to receive feedback from their pupils and improve their relationships with employers.
https://goo.gl/forms/YFgdwVHm6NBAJmlY2

Vice-rector for scientific work Hennadii Vasylchuk said:
“The Department of International Relations is existed since the creation of the university, this is more than 30 years. There work is carried out in many areas, starting from protocol activities (preparation and holding of scientific conferences, meeting of foreign delegations, etc.) to assisting professors and students in search of opportunities for international cooperation, preparation and translation of necessary documents, supporting and preparation of plans and proposals. A modern university cannot exist without project and grant activities, that is why a corresponding department was created in ZNU two years ago. There is an assistant of the dean at each faculty for international activities and a project manager. Information about the various forms of international cooperation is available for all professors and students".

Yurii Kahanov, the vice-rector for science and pedagogical work mentioned:
"For today, the project activity is one of the priorities of ZNU development towards the regional European university. Thanks to the Erasmus + program, we are striving for improving the academic mobility of students, graduate students and professors, form a project culture in the university, and finally, strengthen the motivation of students and teachers for creative work. Projects of Erasmus + help to create a modern integrated educational and scientific space".

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