On June 12–13, 2025, the in-person meeting of the Research Assessment Expert Group (RAEG) took place at the Szentágothai Research Centre in Pécs, Hungary, as part of the EDUC alliance.

The main goals of the meeting were to reflect on progress made in implementing CoARA principles, strengthen collaboration between RAEG and CDEG experts, finalize the joint analytical report, and discuss key milestones and future strategies in the reform of research assessment.

Over the two-day event, participants worked on aligning approaches to national and institutional reforms, shared experiences of implementing change within their universities, and presented updates on the local adoption of CoARA-aligned practices.

Special attention was given to the evolution of the HRS4R framework from 2005 to 2023, particularly from the perspective of research assessment and career diversity. A joint RAEG+CDEG panel closed the meeting, bringing together representatives of multiple working groups in a hybrid format for an open discussion on next steps.

The Pécs meeting marked a significant step in consolidating the efforts of EDUC partners toward responsible research assessment reform in Europe and contributed to strengthening cooperation between expert communities of EDUC-WIDE.

On June 10, 2025, we hosted a truly engaging workshop at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University as part of the EDUC-WIDE project (Horizon Europe) “Building Researchers’ Careers”
The event brought together researchers and administrative staff who are actively shaping their professional journeys, both within and beyond academia.

One of the highlights was the presentation from the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU), where Ulyana Kulchytska, Deputy Rector, HR Director, shared UCU’s approach to strategic HR. Her talk showcased how thoughtful HR practices can support researchers at all stages — from individual career path planning to long-term academic growth.

We also had the pleasure of learning from:
✔️ Iryna Shevchenko (KhAI) – on integrating gender balance into research careers
✔️ Tetiana Hrynyshak (PNU) – on using qualitative indicators to evaluate research career progress
✔️ Núria Sánchez-Pantoja (Jaume I University, Spain) – on good practices in research career advisory and equal opportunities aspects in HR.
The event wrapped up with a practical session on creating an Individual Development Plan (IDP) — helping participants map their strengths, goals, and next steps for career advancement.
A big thank you to all participants, speakers, and partners for making this workshop such a success!

Between May 19 and 23, 2025, staff members of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian (Carpathian) National University participated in the International Staff Week program hosted by the University of Rennes (Université de Rennes, France) within the framework of the European Digital UniverCity (EDUC) alliance.

The event brought together around 50 representatives from universities in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Spain, Japan, Georgia, and other countries. The participants from Carpathian University included: Tetiana Solodzhuk – Head of the Project Management Department; Tetiana Korniienko – Head of the Department of Document Management and Record Keeping; and Anastasiia Hrytsak – Leading Specialist at the International Relations Office.

The program was structured around three main tracks: Finances, Libraries and Open Science, and International Relations. Participants attended sessions, workshops, and visits to the University of Rennes’ departments. The Finances track covered EU policies, funding, and sustainable approaches to resource and property management. Libraries and Open Science addressed open access, data sharing, infrastructure, copyright, and academic integrity. International Relations focused on internationalization, academic mobility, foreign student recruitment, and models of managing international activities.

Participation in the International Staff Week will contribute to the development of our university’s international cooperation, the implementation of European open science practices, improved financial management efficiency, and the integration of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian (Carpathian) National University into the European Research Area.

On 16 May 2025, the international workshop “Open Science and FAIR: Global strategies for accessibility, interoperability and information security”. The event was held in a hybrid format. The morning session in English was open to all participants, and the afternoon session was held in Ukrainian for representatives of the Ukrainian scientific community.

The workshop was held within the framework of the international project EDUC-WIDE (‘Empowering EDUC for the inclusive development of the European Research Area’) as part of Work Package 1 ‘Open Science: Analysis and Recommendations’.

The aim of the event is to facilitate the integration of Precarpathian University into the European Research Area (ERA) and to implement the principles of open science in the university’s activities. The EDUC-WIDE project, coordinated by the Acting Rector of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ihor Tsependa, is supported by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme and aims to strengthen scientific cooperation between the universities of the EDUC alliance and integrate Ukraine into the European scientific community. In particular, one of the project’s objectives is to introduce the principles of open science into the research processes and infrastructure of partner universities, which was the key topic of the workshop.

The participants were welcomed by:

– Valentyna Yakubiv, First Vice-Rector of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University

– Volodymyr Pavlikov – Chairman of the Council of Vice-Rectors for Research of Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions

Among the speakers of the event:

– Tetiana Yaroshenko – Deputy Director for Scientific Work and International Cooperation of the State Scientific and Technical Library of Ukraine

– Lyubomyr Nykyruy – Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the PNU

– Alžběta Karolyiová – Open Science Data Analyst, Masaryk University, Czech Republic

– Herman Strom – Research Support Coordinator, University of South-Eastern Norway

– Volodymyr Kotsiubynskyi – Professor, Project Manager, PNU-OpenLab

– Tetiana Korniienko – Junior Researcher, EDUC-WIDE project (PNU)

– Roman Dzumedzei – Director of the PNU Scientific Library

As part of the English-language session, speakers from the Czech Republic, Norway, and Ukraine discussed global approaches to implementing the principles of open science, in particular in the field of scientific journals, open data, and digital support for researchers. The Ukrainian part of the programme was dedicated to the implementation of open science in the PNU, policy-making, institutional roadmap, FAIR data, and the work of libraries.

The event contributed to the development of practical recommendations for the university, which will be taken into account when developing an open science policy and implementing infrastructures to support open research. The university will continue to actively integrate into the European Research Area, cooperating with the universities of the EDUC alliance and other international partners.

The programme of the event is available here:

https://educ.pnu.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/190/2025/05/rrogram_os_16.05.2025.docx.pdf

University of Pécs Organised by the EDUC-WIDE Consortium On 5–6 May, Ihor Yurkevych, an assistant at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, took part in the Genomics and Bioinformatics Workshop held at the Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs (Hungary). The event was organised under the auspices of the EDUC-WIDE consortium.

In addition to the representative from our university, the workshop gathered scientists from the University of Cagliari (Italy), Masaryk University (Czech Republic), the University of South-Eastern Norway (Norway), and the University of Pécs (Hungary).

The workshop programme covered a wide range of topics in the field of bioinformatics. Participants presented their institutions, research skills and achievements, and outlined areas of interest for future collaboration. Key discussions included roles and responsibilities in genomics laboratories, and the use of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) for sample and project management. The first day concluded with a visit to the Hungarian Centre for Genomics and Bioinformatics, where participants learned about the latest technologies in the field.

The second day focused on operational challenges, data protection and security, staff exchange programmes, the creation of a thematic cooperation network in genomics and bioinformatics, as well as the services and revenue models of commercial genomics institutions. Representatives from the University of Pécs presented the PRECISEMED project, which focuses on genomics and biostatistics.

The event emphasised interactive, hands-on workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, and networking opportunities aimed at addressing shared challenges, exploring innovative technologies, improving operational practices, and fostering collaboration in both research and clinical applications.

The workshop and travel expenses of participants were funded by a grant from the EDUC-WIDE consortium, which supports collaboration among research core facilities of member universities through its Knowledge Exchange Scheme.

Liliia Turovska, Associate Professor of the Department of Management and Business Administration at Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University participated in the Knowledge
Exchange Scheme (KES) Workshop for Micro- and Nanotechnology, hosted by the Department of Microsystems at the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), on May 6–7, 2025. This workshop was part of the EDUC-WIDE project funded by the Horizon Europe programme.
The event gathered representatives from Jaume I University (Spain), University of Cagliari (Italy), Masaryk University (Czech Republic), and  Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University
(Ukraine) to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing in nanotechnology research and infrastructure development.
During the workshop, Liliia Turovska presented the PNU-NanoLab and the University research infrastructure, highlighting its capabilities in nanomaterials science, energy, and biomedical
applications. She contributed to discussions on:

– Safe handling of nanomaterials, sharing University’s practices and comparing them
with protocols used at USN and partner universities.
– Characterization techniques, with an exchange of tools, methods, and best approaches across institutions.
– Opportunities for international cooperation and joint research initiatives.

The participants toured USN’s state-of-the-art micro- and nanofabrication laboratories (a node of NorFab), and engaged in fruitful sessions exploring potential future research collaborations.
This visit strengthens University’s integration into the European Research Area (ERA) and supports the internationalization of our university’s research and innovation ecosystem.

On April 23, 2025, the Forum of Young Scientists’ Councils of Higher Education Institutions in the Ivano-Frankivsk Region took place under the title “Scientific Trends: The Formula for a Young Researcher’s Success.” The event was attended by members of the EDUC-WIDE project team—Professors Volodymyr Kotsiubynskyi and Volodymyra Boichuk—who presented the project’s contribution to the advancement of open science and the strengthening of research capacity within Ukraine’s higher education system.

The forum, held at Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, brought together young researchers and academic leaders to discuss current challenges in the development of science in Ukraine, the role of early-career researchers in societal transformation, and models for science-business collaboration.

One of the central themes of the event was the implementation of open science practices. During the panel discussion “Open Science: A New Research Culture,” Professor Volodymyr Kotsiubynskyi presented the achievements of the EDUC-WIDE project in integrating open science principles into research and education. He outlined key developments, including the establishment of the Open Science Center OpenLab (https://open-lab.pnu.edu.ua/), which supports the development of digital infrastructure for open research, and the institutional research data repository DataSet (https://dataset.pnu.edu.ua/), implemented on the InvenioRDM platform.

During the presentation, special emphasis was placed on the role of the EDUC-WIDE project in shaping strategic transformations for the adoption of open science at both local and national levels.

Once again, Easter comes to us in difficult times — times of trials, struggle, and great hope.
Today, Ukraine’s destiny is intertwined with pain and loss, yet also with unbreakable spirit, sincere faith in victory, and a deep longing for peace, justice, and light.

May the Glorious Resurrection of Christ become a symbol of renewal, strength, and faith for each of us.

May the Lord protect our defenders, inspire each of us to do good, and may the dawn of peace and justice rise over Ukraine as soon as possible.