From January 19 to 23, Eduard Balashov, rector of the National University of Ostroh Academy, Doctor of Science (Psychology), Full Professor, and Oksana Mararenko, Head of the International Relations Department, paid a working visit to the University of Bielsko-Biała (Republic of Poland).
The visit began with a meeting with Erasmus+ Programme Coordinator Aleksandra Gąsior and the staff of the International Cooperation Department, followed by an introduction to the university's structure and international activities.
The primary outcome of the visit was the signing of a cooperation agreement between the National University of Ostroh Academy and the University of Bielsko-Biała. This agreement, which will last for the next five years, was signed in the presence of Rector Eduard Balashov from Ostroh Academy and Rector Jacek Nowakowski from the University of Bielsko-Biała.
Eduard Balashov and Oksana Mararenko also held a series of meetings with deans, directors, and representatives of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Institute of Pedagogy, the Institute of Neophilology, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, the Faculty of Health Sciences, and others.
During the meetings, participants discussed potential collaboration in social sciences, humanities, computer science, artificial intelligence, robotics, and other fields. They discussed establishing collaboration on joint grant projects, participating in international programs, and expanding academic mobility initiatives, among other areas.
Mr Eduard and Ms Oksana had the opportunity to explore the specific features of the educational programmes, as well as the equipment and operations of the laboratories at the University of Bielsko-Biała. In addition, Eduard Balashov delivered a lecture for students entitled "University Resilience during Wartime: the Case of Ostroh Academy".
"The visit to the University of Bielsko-Biała was exceptionally effective and fruitful. We have several shared ideas for fostering cooperation and actively exchanging expertise and experiences, which we will start implementing soon with the full support of our partner university in Poland. I want to thank our colleagues at the University of Bielsko-Biała, and especially the university's Erasmus+ Coordinator, Oleksandra Gąsior, and the department's staff for the excellent organisation of this fruitful visit!"
"The first steps in implementing cooperation between our universities are the participation of four Ostroh Academy students in semester mobility, which will begin in February 2026 under the Erasmus+ programme at the University of Bielsko-Biała. Visits by lecturers of Ostroh Academy to the partner higher education institution are also planned for the second semester to exchange experience and best research practices, as well as plan and implement BIP (Blended Intensive Programme) and COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) programmes. We believe in effective and long-term future cooperation",
