Kherson State University

The Kherson State University team, as the leader of one of the work packages of the DigiUni project "Digital University - Open Ukrainian Initiative" of the large international Erasmus+ project, presented the draft Dissemination Strategy. This took place as part of a ceremonial meeting - a presentation of the DigiUni project, the analogues of which in terms of scale have not yet been implemented in Ukraine.

The event was held in a mixed format at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, which is the main coordinator of the project, which unites 10 Ukrainian universities-members of the consortium, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, and the Ukrainian Association of IT Professionals. Colleagues from 7 foreign partner universities and associations of EU member states from Poland, France, Germany, Spain, and the Czech Republic will join the event online. Representatives of the associated project partners also joined the event, namely the Ukrainian Students' Association, the Ukrainian Scientific and Educational IT Society, the Association of European Universities, and the Technical and Information Library in Hannover.

The attendees were welcomed by Volodymyr Bugrov, Rector of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Oleksandra Husak, Head of the Directorate for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Olga Budnyk, Advisor, Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Support of Education, Science and Sports, Yaroslava Dio, Chief Specialist of the Department of Digitalization of Education of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Svitlana Shytikova, Head of the National Erasmus Office in Ukraine.

Serhii Bronin, Project Manager of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, presented the content and philosophy of the project, its main stages and expected results to the general public.

"During the meeting, the specifics of the implementation of the planned activities contained in the project work packages were discussed. The Management Strategy, Dissemination Strategy, Quality Control and Monitoring Plan, visual eidetics and information resources developed by partners in the working groups were presented.

It is symbolic that our colleagues in Kyiv were forced to spend part of their time in hiding: the russians launched missiles at the capital, explosions were heard. But the work did not stop, because modern digital technologies have already confidently entered our lives, and the implementation of the DigiUni project will allow us to take the provision of digital educational services to a new level.

We worked on the Dissemination Strategy project within the framework of one of the work packages of the DigiUni project, where we are leaders, and our partners are Lviv National University, Mariupol State University, Adam Mickiewicz University (Poland).

I am grateful to the Kherson State University team, which was included in the process and communicated with partners," – said Oleksandr Spivakovskiy, Rector of Kherson State University.

Presenting the draft of the Strategy, he noted that they proceeded from the fact that it is not the strategy, but the desired behavior of people that creates added value. In the case of revolutionary changes, one can either destroy the system or create a conceptual change in the idea of an innovative digital ecosystem of higher education and a modern inclusive digital educational environment in higher education institutions of Ukraine.

"The DigiUni project involves the formation of new thinking and the understanding that without the use of new tools in education, especially in the conditions in which Ukraine now finds itself, we will not be able to solve the issue of creating an innovative digital ecosystem.

The main challenge in implementing the dissemination of the project is significant contradictions: in the technological generation gap, since on the one hand, part of the academic community received its education in the 70s-80s and began its teaching career in the 90s, and on the other hand, in the tectonic technological changes that are taking place today. This is due to the inertia of the academic system, which, on the one hand, ensures continuity and stability, and on the other hand, must comply with modern trends.

In this context, a vivid example is the idea of how children of the 20th century opened windows and how children do it now," Oleksandr Spivakovskiy emphasized.

So, the philosophy of the planned strategy is:

• creating a new qualitative understanding of people about the possibilities of digital education;
  adopting a new approach to providing educational services;
• breaking down stereotypes and building trust in digital education/ecosystem;
• opening up the horizon of opportunities for learning and acquiring practical skills;
• a modern approach to the needs of consumers of educational services;
• developing content that meets the requirements of the labor market;
• opportunities for the development of motivated teachers.

"In a short presentation, we presented the mission, vision, main target audiences and communication tools, and the official website is also under development. We are grateful to the partners for their remarks and advice, the draft Strategy is publicly available for partners, so we are waiting for suggestions.

An important dialogue took place at the partner level, which allows us to form a common system of values, to understand our actions at all stages of the implementation of the large international project Erasmus +", - noted Oleksandr Spivakovskiy.