The Department of Automated Control Systems (ACS) has been actively engaged in international cooperation almost since its foundation. The first graduation of foreign students from Cuba took place in 1979. A total of 173 foreign engineers and Master’s students from Algeria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Vietnam, China, Congo, Cuba, Lebanon, Mongolia, Nepal, Germany, Poland, Tajikistan, Czechoslovakia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Syria have graduated from the Department. Two graduates of the postgraduate programme of the Department of Automated Control Systems from Tunisia received the degree of Candidate of Technical Sciences.
The first international recognition of the Department's success in training foreign students was the recognition of the scientific work of students from the German Democratic Republic, Hagen Geppert and Frank Rechbein, supervised by Associate Professor Y. M. Rashkevych. The work was exhibited at the Leipzig Trade Fair in 1987 and was recognised as one of the four best student research projects carried out by German students studying in the USSR.
In the early 1990s, cooperation with German universities, primarily with the University of Applied Sciences Zwickau, took on a new dimension: joint participation in international projects. Particularly fruitful for the Department was the Tempus programme project in cooperation with the Nuremberg Tech (Technische Hochschule Nürnberg), within the framework of which the Centre for Innovative Technologies in Education was established at the Department. This project initiated the use of distance learning technologies, scientific and educational internships, participation in international academic conferences, and the modernisation of the Department's laboratory facilities.
At the same time, contacts were developed with the University of Twente (Netherlands), Coventry University (England), Vienna University of Technology (Austria), as well as leading Polish polytechnics: Wrocław, Warsaw, Rzeszów, and Silesian. At the Silesian University of Technology (Gliwice) between 2006 and 2008, ten students from the Department of Automated Control Systems studied for a Master's degree in English for one year. Four of them continued their studies at the Silesian University of Technology and received Polish Master's degrees.
Cooperation with the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology in Warsaw, which began in 2004 as part of the international project "Transfer of e-learning in the field of information technology to Ukraine", financed by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the support of the Japanese government, has been very effective for the development of the Department. Within the framework of the project, which continued for almost five years, new scientific contacts were established, a system for conducting distance seminars was purchased, and a new training programme in the field of Computer Science was created using e-learning technologies. The developed methodological support was implemented in three languages: Ukrainian, English, and Polish.
In 2004–2008, the Department’s researchers took part in two projects under the Tempus programme, which focused on introducing the Bologna Process tools into the Ukrainian education system. This helped to establish new scientific and academic ties with the University of Derby (England), the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (Sweden), and the University of Florence (Italy), where (as well as at the Vienna University of Technology and the Warsaw University of Technology) week-long internships were conducted. During these years, the international project "Idealist-Extend" of the Sixth Framework Programme for International Scientific Cooperation was also implemented. The aim of this project was to establish a network of scientific contacts and develop tools for preparing project proposals for universities in Eastern and Central Europe.
During 2004–2005, the Department staff participated in the international Tempus project "Introduction of ECTS in Ukrainian Universities"; in particular, Professor Y. M. Rashkevych and Associate Professor D. D. Peleshko visited the University of Florence and the Vienna University of Technology.
In 2007–2008, the Department of Automated Control Systems, as part of a consortium with the Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics, implemented the Tempus project "Improving University Management". During this project, Professor Y. Rashkevych and Associate Professor D. D. Peleshko completed week-long internships at the universities of Stockholm and Derby, the Warsaw University of Technology, and the Vienna University of Technology. Based on the results of both projects, academic guidelines were prepared and published, which significantly influenced the improvement of higher education in Ukraine.
The Department’s faculty members participated in projects under the Tempus programme, including: "Activating the Knowledge Triangle by Creating Innovation Offices in Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions" (2009–2012, coordinated by the University of Alicante, Spain) and "Higher Education Management" (launched in 2012 and implemented over three years, coordinated by the International University College in Dobrich, Bulgaria).
From 2015 to 2019, Professor Vasyl Mykolaiovych Tesliuk and Associate Professor Anastasiia Volodymyrivna Doroshenko were co-investigators of the Erasmus+ KA2 project "Creation of Modern Master’s Studies in Information Systems" (MASTIS). This project was conducted by APP in collaboration with 11 other European universities and organisations, including: Université Lumière Lyon 2 (France), LUISS Guido Carli (Italy), University of Münster (Germany), Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania), University of Maribor (Slovenia), University of Agder (Norway), Luleå University of Technology (Sweden), University of Liechtenstein (Liechtenstein), and the Italian Association for Informatics and Automatic Correlation (AICA, Italy). Within the project, innovative Master's course programmes were developed, incorporating the best practices of all participating universities. During the project’s implementation, the developed curriculum was integrated into the Department's educational plan, and MSc students began their studies accordingly.
The Department of Automated Control Systems was also a co-beneficiary of the Erasmus+ KA2 project "Structuring Cooperation in Doctoral Research, Transferable Skills Training, and Academic Writing in Ukraine's Regions" (DocHub), with Associate Professor Anastasiia Volodymyrivna Doroshenko leading the involvement. Within its framework, full-time and distance learning programmes for postgraduate students were developed for APP, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and Kharkiv University. Additionally, necessary equipment was purchased, and technical facilities were established to support these programmes.
The Department of Automated Control Systems actively implements educational projects within the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet programme. Specifically, from 2019 to 2022, the Department carried out the educational and research project "Personal Data Protection in the EU" (Anastasiia Volodymyrivna Doroshenko, Kvitoslava Mykhailivna Obeliovska, and O. Yu. Fedevych). Under this project, two new disciplines were developed and integrated into the curriculum: "Personal Data Protection Standards in the EU: Implementation in Ukraine" and "Next Generation Networks and Personal Data Protection". Additionally, the annual "Data Protection Day" roundtable was launched; for six years, it has brought together data protection specialists to discuss current challenges and best practices for GDPR implementation. Since 2022, this initiative has been extended through the Jean Monnet Chair project "Personal Data Protection in the EU" (coordinated by Anastasiia Volodymyrivna Doroshenko). This has led to the development of the academic disciplines "Personal Data Protection Technologies and Standards" and "Industrial Internet of Things and Personal Data Protection". Furthermore, the project supports annual summer schools for students on "Data Protection in IoT", the "Big Data and Data Protection" winter school, as well as workshops and guest lectures by invited experts.
Since 2022, the ACS Department has been implementing the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Module "Augmented Reality in Education: Implementing European Experience" (101085772 – AR4EDU), supervised by Vasyl Mykolaiovych Tesliuk. The project aims to promote the use of augmented and virtual reality technologies in the educational process and to study methods and tools for creating custom AR/VR solutions. Within the framework of the project, new disciplines for all educational levels have been developed and integrated into the curriculum: "Augmented and Virtual Reality Systems" (Bachelor’s level), "Augmented and Virtual Reality Technologies" (Master’s level), and "Advanced Augmented and Virtual Reality Technologies" (PhD level). An augmented and virtual reality laboratory has been established, where students can not only familiarise themselves with existing solutions but also develop and test their own projects.
The project team (Associate Professors Anastasiia Volodymyrivna Doroshenko and Kvitoslava Mykhailivna Obeliovska, and Assistants D. V. Ostrovka and S. I. Hlod) has developed a series of textbooks, video tutorials, and methodological guidelines used in the educational process, and has also prepared a monograph.
Since 2022, the Department of Automated Control Systems has also been implementing the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Module "Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence: A European Approach" (101085626 – TrustAI). The module coordinator is Associate Professor Anastasiia Volodymyrivna Doroshenko; the project team includes Associate Professor O. V. Skorokhoda (ACS Department) and Associate Professor I. V. Izonin (Department of Artificial Intelligence Systems). The project focuses on research into creating trustworthy, responsible, and ethical artificial intelligence, disseminating knowledge on global AI regulation, specifically the EU AI Act, and exploring the possibilities of implementing the AI Act in Ukraine. As part of the project, new disciplines and training modules have been developed and integrated into the curriculum for all educational levels: "Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence: A European Approach" (Bachelor’s level), "Ethics of Artificial Intelligence" (Master’s level), and "The European Approach to AI" (PhD level). Annual summer schools for students, as well as roundtables and workshops with experts, are also conducted.
Associate Professor M. Ya. Seneta of the ACS Department is a participant in the international Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Module "Environmental Monitoring with New Information Technologies: European Experience" (EcoMonIT, 2023–2026), hosted at APP. The project aims to familiarise participants with European Union practices regarding environmental monitoring methods and tools, and to share expertise in implementing environmental analysis and management systems in the EU and worldwide using information technologies.
Between 2017 and 2019, ACS Department researchers - Associate Professors I. M. Droniuk and Kvitoslava Mykhailivna Obeliovska - together with colleagues from the Vienna University of Technology, implemented the Ukrainian-Austrian research project "Modelling of Traffic and Telecommunication Networks".
An important milestone in enhancing the Department's international standing was the successful international accreditation of the ACS Department’s Master’s programme, "Information Control Systems and Technologies", by the Central Evaluation and Accreditation Agency (ZEvA, Hannover, Germany) in 2024.
Exchange Programme with the Silesian University of Technology
During 2006–2008, the Department of Automated Control Systems participated in a student and staff exchange programme with the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice (Poland) titled "Macrocourses for Ukrainian students in the field of Information Technologies" (CEI Joint Programme "Macrocourse for Ukrainian students in the field of Information Technologies" – MacIT).
The Silesian University of Technology is a Polish state higher education institution founded in 1945. According to the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, it ranks fifth in Poland among technical universities. It comprises 15 main academic units (faculties and colleges), 11 of which are located in Gliwice, with the remainder in Katowice and Zabrze.
The exchange programme provided two-semester scholarships for students majoring in "Information Management Systems and Technologies".
at the Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science of the Silesian University of Technology. Two groups of five Master’s students from the ACS Department at APP were sent to study there. The first group included Arsen Zahrai, Serhii Batiuk, Uliana Polishchuk, Myron Mavko, and Serhii Krynytskyi. The second group consisted of Serhii Pylypchuk, Dmytro Sandu, Marta Mashevska, Oleksandr Fesenko, and Iryna Maretska. Additionally, for two months, lecturers from the Silesian University of Technology shared scientific and educational expertise at APP.
The courses were conducted in English. Students studied disciplines such as parallel programming, Java and Internet programming, robotics, wireless computer networks, industrial networks and databases, computer vision and biometric systems, adaptive control systems, sensors and actuators, and control software tools. Practical training significantly enhanced the learning process, with modern equipment and software ensuring that assignments closely reflected real-world applications.
Upon completion, all graduates received a certificate and had the opportunity to continue their studies for a degree from the Silesian University of Technology. Four students - A. Zahrai, D. Sandu, O. Fesenko, and I. Maretska - took this opportunity. In parallel with defending their Master’s theses at APP, they completed their studies in Poland and were awarded Master’s degrees from the Silesian University of Technology.
Exchange Programme with Kingston University (London)
From 2018 to 2023, the Department of Automated Control Systems participated in the Erasmus+ KA1 programme, which facilitated the academic mobility of students and staff between the ACS Department and Kingston University (London, UK).
The coordinators of this extensive cooperation project, which was open to students and faculty members across various disciplines, were Professor Alan Flowers (Kingston University), Professor Ihor Oleksiv, and Associate Professor Olena Lanets (APP). Thanks to their tireless efforts and inexhaustible enthusiasm, consistent interaction between the two universities was maintained over a six-year period.
The exchange programme provided semester-long scholarships for Computer Science students at Kingston University's Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing. Each semester between 2020 and 2022, the ACS Department at APP sent groups of five Bachelor's students to Kingston University. Participants in the academic mobility programme included Marta Protsak, Marianna Petrivska, Dmytro Savchuk, Khrystyna Doskochynska, Myroslav Mishchuk, Sofiia Popadiuk, Iryna Faryna, Dmytro Dutkovskyi, Andrii Pasternak, Vladyslav Filiaiev, Nazarii Mykhailovych, Sofiia Kalamuniak, Anhelina Khrypiak, Artem Somar, Vladyslav Miniailo, Khrystyna Tkachuk, and Yaryna Chernysh.
Through this academic mobility, students were integrated into existing cohorts, attending lectures and laboratory sessions. They also collaborated with Kingston University students on team projects, engaged in research initiatives, and even represented the university’s volleyball team.
However, it was not only students who were involved; academic staff from the ACS Department also actively participated in this programme. Between 2018 and 2023, Associate Professors Anastasiia Volodymyrivna Doroshenko, Kvitoslava Mykhailivna Obeliovska, and Zoreslava Shpak completed fellowships at Kingston University.
Teaching mobility included delivering lectures on selected courses, conducting practical and laboratory sessions, exchanging expertise with colleagues, and participating in mandatory research seminars.
Specifically, academic mobility for Kingston University staff to APP was also implemented. Colleagues from the UK enthusiastically delivered lectures and conducted workshops for ACS Department students. In May 2019 and 2020, APP hosted Dr Beryl Jones, an expert in databases and data warehousing. In September 2019, Professor Jamshid Dehmeshki, a specialist in artificial intelligence and machine learning, was a keynote speaker at the CSIT-2019 conference. Beyond his conference presentation, he delivered a series of engaging lectures for students and a research seminar for faculty members.
Exchange Programme with the Pomeranian Academy in Słupsk
In 2022, seven second- and third-year students from the Department of Automated Control Systems of the Institute of Computer Science and Information Technologies studied under an academic mobility programme at the Pomeranian Academy in Słupsk (Poland).
The curriculum included databases, programming, numerical methods, probability theory, algorithms and data structures, English, and additionally Polish (as the courses were conducted in Polish).
International Research Activities of the Department
The Department's researchers actively participate in international scientific conferences, seminars, and workshops, collaborating with colleagues from abroad on joint research initiatives.
Between 2017 and 2019, in collaboration with the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), the Department implemented the following projects:
1. Joint Ukrainian-Austrian research project "Traffic and Telecommunication Networks Modelling" (No. 0117U001612). Lead Researcher: I. M. Droniuk; Coordinator: Kvitoslava Mykhailivna Obeliovska; Investigators: PhD students O. S. Panova and O. Yu. Fedevych (2017).
2. Joint Ukrainian-Austrian research project "Traffic and Telecommunication Networks Modelling" (No. 0118U001750). Lead Researcher: Associate Professor I. M. Droniuk; Coordinator: Associate Professor Kvitoslava Mykhailivna Obeliovska; Investigators: ACS Department PhD students O. S. Panova and O. Yu. Fedevych (2018–2019).
Professor M. O. Medykovskyi participated in a meeting with representatives from universities and leading enterprises in Thuringia (Germany) to develop bilateral relations, exchange expertise, and foster cooperation in dual education (in partnership with FAV Service gGmbH).
In 2024, Olena Pavliuk, a doctoral student at the ACS Department, won first place in the Siemens Polska Award competition with the project "Methods and Tools for Intelligent Control of AGV Vehicles Based on Industrial Image Recognition" (Project creators: Olena Pavliuk and Serhii Shcherbovskyi).
Associated Partnership in MSCA-DN "TUAI"
Thanks to the initiative of the ACS Department staff, APP was recognised in 2025 as an Associated Partner of the MSCA Doctoral Network TUAI project - "Towards an Understanding of Artificial Intelligence via a transparent, open and explainable perspective" (https://tuai.eu/). Myroslav Volodymyrovych Mishchuk, an Assistant at the Department, participates in this project as a Doctoral Candidate. The project is coordinated by the Silesian University of Technology and funded under the Horizon Europe programme (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101168344).
The MSCA DN TUAI project focuses on conducting research and training doctoral candidates in the fields of sustainable and explainable AI for smart manufacturing, smart cities, healthcare, and mobility. Its objective is to make AI transparent and open, applying these advancements to optimise intelligent services and devices while increasing their reliability, resilience, and energy efficiency in industrial and urban infrastructure.
Associated Partner status enhances the Department’s international visibility, embedding it within the European MSCA doctoral training ecosystem and providing access to network-wide training, schools, and the consortium’s supervisory bodies. Furthermore, MSCA DN serves as an EU instrument for cross-sectoral training of highly qualified personnel, boosting their long-term career prospects (https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/doctoral-networks).
Associated Partners provide specialised training, join supervisory boards, and contribute to the joint communication of results. For the Department, this partnership facilitates access to collaborative research, real-world industry data, co-supervision of dissertations, and joint publications within the TUAI thematic areas.