The National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» hosted the 34th International Scientific and Practical Conference «Information Technologies: Science, Engineering, Technology, Education, Health» (MicroCAD-2026). The highlight of the first day of the forum was a plenary session featuring Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Denys Kurbatov and speakers from the United Kingdom and Spain. Participants discussed the transformation of the science and innovation sector, the development of core funding for science, global university rankings, and global academic visibility. Special attention was given to the development of international academic cooperation and the interaction of Ukrainian scientists with the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings in Lindau, Germany. The conference brought together scientists, educators, and young researchers from Ukraine and other countries around the world. The forum was held online with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
The plenary session was opened by Yevgen Sokol, Acting Rector of the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» and Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In his remarks, he emphasized that even under the conditions of war,the Hero City of Kharkiv remains one of the key educational and scientific centers in Ukraine, and Kharkiv Polytechnic continues to conduct research, develop international partnerships, and support young scientists. The central event of the forum was a report by Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine and member of the Scientific and Technical Council of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Denys Kurbatov titled «Transformation of the Science and Innovation Sector. Introduction of Core Funding for Research Institutions and Higher Education Institutions.» He examined key directions for reforming Ukraine’s scientific sector, particularly the development of a system for core funding of university research and the updating of approaches to state-funded research. The Deputy Minister devoted significant attention to supporting research infrastructure and strengthening the role of applied and defense-related research. Participants discussed aspects of modernizing the training of young scientists through the introduction of project-based graduate programs and new approaches to obtaining a PhD. Speakers from the United Kingdom and Spain provided a distinct international dimension to the plenary session.
Sam Duke, a representative of QS Quacquarelli Symonds, gave a presentation titled «Overview of the 2026 rankings cycle: Results of Ukrainian institutions.» It focused on an overview of Ukrainian universities’ positions in global rankings and current approaches to evaluating the performance of higher education institutions. The topic of developing international academic cooperation and the participation of young Ukrainian scientists in global scientific networks sparked keen interest among the audience. The participants paid particular attention to the presentation by Aswin Gopakumar, a senior researcher at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ, Spain), titled «Clean Energy, Scaled: Innovations in Heterogeneous Photo- and Electrocatalysis.» He spoke about research in the fields of clean energy, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis. The Ukrainian scientific community was represented by Oleksii Larin, Director of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Computer Modeling, Applied Physics, and Mathematics at the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» and Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The topic of his presentation was «Probabilistic Computational Modeling of the Residual Strength of Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaques in Human Blood Vasculature.»
The conference featured 12 scientific sessions covering a wide range of fields—from energy, electronics, mechanical engineering, computer science, and materials science to medical, social sciences, humanities, and security research. Participants discussed issues related to the development of modern information and medical technologies, space research, national security, and innovative approaches in education. For over 30 years, the MicroCAD conference has been one of the main international scientific platforms of the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute.» Over the years, Nobel Prize laureates in physics Duncan Haldane, William Phillips, and Takaaki Kajita have spoken at the forum’s plenary sessions. Speakers and presenters have included leading global scientists, ministers, university presidents, and representatives of international organizations.
Note:
The 34th International Scientific and Practical Conference MicroCAD-2026 was held at the NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI») from May 13 to 16, 2026. The forum’s co-founders are universities and research institutions from Hungary, Poland, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, and Malaysia. The plenary session took place on May 13, and the sectional sessions were held from May 14 to 16.
