Kherson State University

On September 10, at KSU’s Ivano-Frankivsk office, an open lecture was delivered by Professor Anthony Manning of Arden University (United Kingdom) as part of the 5th Anniversary Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, an annual international event initiated in 2021 by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska.

The theme of the Fifth Summit was “Education Shaping the World.” For the first time, the Summit events took place in different locations across the country — Kyiv and Kyiv region, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Ostroh, and Dnipro. On this day, Nobel laureates and distinguished scholars gave lectures at Ukrainian universities, while first ladies, gentlemen, and other Summit experts took part in events at museums and research institutions across Ukraine.

Professor Anthony Manning’s lecture was titled: “Unlock Your Cultural Intelligence (CQ): Building Skills for Study, Work and Life Through Internationalization at Home.”

Professor Anthony Manning, Associate Dean International at Arden University (United Kingdom), has extensive experience in the field of higher education internationalization, lifelong learning, and academic mobility. As the author of numerous publications on academic literacy and English for Academic Purposes, he combines scholarly work with the practical implementation of educational innovations. With international experience in more than 50 countries, his activities are aimed at fostering global educational cooperation and expanding access to quality education.

The event, held in a blended format, brought together offline participants including KSU Rector Oleksandr Spivakovskiy, vice-rectors, deans, staff representatives, academic staff, and students. About 50 participants attended in person.

The lecture was moderated by Alla Tsapiv, Assistant to the Rector of Kherson State University for Internationalization.

During his lecture, Anthony Manning noted:

“Internationalization at home is aimed at integrating the international and intercultural dimension into teaching, research, and the service functions of universities in order to enhance the quality of education and research for all students, staff, and society.”

He added that the desire to expand access to international opportunities inspired him to lead the development of initiatives focused on internationalization at home — an approach that enables all students to gain international learning experiences, not always through physical mobility, but by using resources available within their campus environment and community.

In his welcome speech, KSU Rector Oleksandr Spivakovskiy emphasized that cooperation with international partners and internationalization now allow the university to provide more opportunities for its students — enabling them to pursue double degrees, undertake internships at leading EU universities, and then return to contribute to Ukraine’s development and recovery.

“We are immensely happy to take part in such an event, initiated by the First Lady. It reflects attention to relocated universities and an understanding of their role for the future. Today, building on our history and with the support of international partners and the state, we continue to fulfill our mission — to provide high-quality, evidence-based education to young people who link their future with Ukraine.”

After the lecture, a Q&A session and discussion took place with students and participants.

It should be noted that the 5th Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen is a global platform for humanitarian diplomacy. It brings together spouses of world leaders, Nobel laureates, leading intellectuals, educators, ministers, prominent public figures, and government representatives to jointly seek solutions to the global challenges of our time. This annual international event was initiated in 2021 by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska.