NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» and the «Caritas Kharkiv» Charitable Foundation have signed a memorandum of cooperation. The agreement provides for students to participate in academic, industrial, professional, translation, and other types of internships and practical training, as well as in volunteer, educational, informational, research, and project-based initiatives. The collaboration will involve assessing the needs of local communities and people affected by the war, and developing social and humanitarian programs tailored to those needs. On behalf of NTU «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute», the partnership will be coordinated by the Department of Intelligent Computer Systems at the Educational and Scientific Institute of Social and Humanitarian Technologies.
The document was signed by Galyna Tymchenko, Acting Rector of the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI»), and Andriy Nasinnyk, Director of the «Caritas Kharkiv» Charitable Foundation. Also participating in the meeting were Professor Andrii Kipenskyi, Director of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Social and Humanitarian Technologies; Associate Professor Nadiia Babkova, Head of the Department of Intelligent Computer Systems; university faculty members; and foundation specialists. This partnership will combine NTU «KhPI’s» 30 years of experience in training specialists in the social sciences and humanities with Caritas Kharkiv’s expertise in providing humanitarian aid to people facing difficult life circumstances. Such cooperation is particularly relevant amid a full-scale war.
In the fields of education and professional training, the plan includes organising training courses, seminars, conferences and workshops, as well as developing career guidance, non-formal education and adult learning. Students at the Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute will be able to undertake academic, industrial, professional and translation placements at the foundation, as well as take part in voluntary, research and project-based initiatives. This will enable them to gain practical experience in the social sector. Language and cultural-educational activities for children and young people, as well as the translation and preparation of multilingual materials, are also planned. Another area of focus is researching community needs and improving support programmes. Plans include monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of existing social and humanitarian programmes, developing new initiatives, and advancing models of social work and case management. A key priority is improving mechanisms for collaboration between charitable organisations, local authorities and communities. Particular attention will be paid to psychosocial support, the prevention of professional and emotional burnout, and the organisation of recreational, physical education and health-promoting activities. For the Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute, this presents an opportunity to develop applied research, whilst for «Caritas Kharkiv», it offers the chance to put these findings into practice.
On behalf of the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute», the partnership will be coordinated by the Department of Intelligent Computer Systems at the Educational and Scientific Institute of Social and Humanitarian Technologies. Other university departments, lecturers, researchers and students from various disciplines will be involved in the implementation of individual projects.
Note:
«Caritas Kharkiv» is a charitable organisation that has been operating since September 2014 and is part of the international «Caritas» network. Its work is aimed at supporting people facing difficult life circumstances in Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region, in particular internally displaced persons and those affected by the war. The organisation provides humanitarian, social, psychological and legal assistance, supports children and families, helps with the restoration of damaged homes and organises care for the elderly and people with disabilities. In its work, Caritas Kharkiv is guided by the principles of humanity, impartiality and respect for human dignity.
The Educational and Scientific Institute of Social and Humanitarian Technologies at the National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» is one of the university’s educational and research units, which trains specialists in the fields of education, philology, psychology, sociology, public administration, social work, and physical education and sport. The institute comprises eight departments that carry out educational and research activities. The institute’s research work encompasses the study of current social and humanities issues, the development of educational technologies, the analysis of social processes and the search for practical solutions to society’s needs. The history of social and humanities education at NTU «KhPI» dates back to 1996.