The National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» hosted the IEEE Young Professionals Meetup – a gathering of young professionals, researchers and students dedicated to professional development and opportunities for international collaboration. The event took place on 9 October 2026 as part of the international conference «2026 IEEE 7th NTU «KhPI» Week on Advanced Technology» and was held to mark IEEE Day. Around 50 people took part – IEEE members, professionals, students and postgraduate students. The event was held both in person and online.
The main theme of the meeting became the transition from student life to professional life (the «Student-to-Young Professionals» transition), the development of leadership skills and career development in the field of cutting-edge technologies. Participants discussed international initiatives, opportunities for professional development and ways of engaging young people in research work.
The meetup’s special guest – Mohamed Saeed Darweesh, Associate Professor at Nile University (Egypt), Chair of the IEEE Region 8 Young Professionals Committee and a member of several other IEEE committees – spoke about the activities and projects of Region 8, which covers Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He introduced participants to initiatives aimed at supporting young professionals and expanding their participation in the international professional community. Kseniia Minakova, a professor in the Department of Micro- and Nanoelectronics at NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI»), a member of the IEEE Region 8 Young Professionals Committee and head of the educational, professional and humanitarian activities division at the IEEE Ukraine Section, shared her experience of securing IEEE grants and awards. She also spoke about the opportunities offered by the organisation’s Ukrainian section to young scientists, particularly for the implementation of professional and research initiatives. Andrii Terekhov, Deputy Director for Science at the B. Verkin Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, devoted his presentation to the collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. He emphasised the importance of cooperation between scientific institutions and higher education establishments, and outlined opportunities for involving students in research activities.
The meeting concluded with an informal get-together over coffee and tea. The participants shared their impressions, discussed the speakers’ presentations and established new professional contacts.
Note:
The IEEE Young Professionals Meetup is a gathering of young professionals from the international organisation IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), which brings together specialists in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics, information technology and related disciplines. IEEE Young Professionals is a community that supports the professional development of young specialists and the cultivation of their leadership skills.