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Nataliia Shakhovska has been leading ����APP for more than six months, and during this time the University has been undergoing a significant transformation. Reflecting on the results of the past year and outlining a strategic vision for its future development, she notes that ����APP has every opportunity to become a model institution in creating meaningful prospects for students and graduates, as well as a magnet for those who recognize that high-quality technical education is a truly reliable path forward. Nataliia Shakhovska emphasizes that fostering an environment that cultivates responsibility and patriotism is one of the University’s key priorities. Even in the challenging realities of wartime, she views Ukraine as a promising platform for the advancement of new technologies and the expansion of international scientific cooperation.

– What key results of the past year do you consider the most important for ����APP in general and for you and the team in particular?

– One of the highlights of this year that I would like to emphasize is the improvement in our relationships with benefactors and scholarship providers for our students. This year, we have seen a growing number of individuals willing to support ����APP students. Our goal is to foster a culture of appreciation for the university and for those who provide scholarships, encouraging broader support for our students. I believe this is a good time to reflect on what we have achieved, initiated, and strengthened.

Another area we have been working on, though with some delays, is electronic document management. Although we originally intended to present preliminary solutions by the end of 2025, we now expect that an additional month or two will be required. These processes have proven to be more complex and labour-intensive than we first expected.

– In ����APP’s Strategic Development Plan until 2030, retraining, flexibility, efficiency, and updating professional skills are presented as both risks and opportunities. How do you see this working in practice?

– Education and especially educational programs are in urgent need of updating. The Ministry of Education and Science has already approved the subjects, objects, and basic descriptions for all specialties. However, standards for the new specialties have not been established yet. This presents a challenge that affects the entire university, as all educational programs will need to be revised.

Information from multiple sources indicates that the program learning outcomes previously included in educational programs will no longer be valid. As a result, a complete overhaul of the approach to developing each educational program is required.

At the same time, the absence of a strict link to standardized program learning outcomes gives us the opportunity to highlight the uniqueness of each educational program, which is undoubtedly an advantage. If the program guarantors can clearly define this uniqueness and articulate how one program differs from similar programs – both within our university and at other higher education institutions – it will have a positive impact. This approach will allow us to attract applicants who have a clear understanding of their educational needs and expectations.

– I remember that before the full-scale war, there was a large meeting with employers, where businesses stated that they were not ready to invest in students due to the risk of them leaving the country. What is the situation now?

– Of course, such risks exist. Young people are much more mobile now, and this is not only due to security factors – mobility itself has become a real trend.

We see that now the issue concerns not only the outflow of students before conscription age, but also the outflow of talents in general. This is also reflected in the university’s strategy. People are looking for better conditions – higher salaries and more opportunities. And it is quite logical that when there are attractive offers abroad – with security, higher income and development prospects – they decide to take advantage of them.

At the same time, business today understands the role of a graduate much better and the importance of his involvement. Teamwork is actively being formed, graduates are being introduced to the professional environment. That is why scholarships are appearing, and business is increasingly cooperating with universities, clearly defining which specialists they want to see.

I hope that after the war, Ukraine will become an attractive platform for the introduction of new technologies and the reconstruction of the country. Then graduates will want to work precisely where resources are being invested, as these funds will be invested in Ukraine.

Of course, the risk of talent drain remains, but I am an optimist and really hope that even a certain number of students and graduates who have left so far will return, because a real platform for new technologies will appear in Ukraine.

– In the ����APP Development Strategy, an important section is dedicated to communication about artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and innovation. What role do you think artificial intelligence plays in the development of the University?

– First, academics should not perceive artificial intelligence as a challenge. It is rather a change in the approach to teaching and assessing student results, and at the same time an effective assistant. Secondly, the role of the teacher in assessment is changing. Traditional tests or essays are no longer as effective as they were even during the pandemic. Now more attention is paid to oral interviews, analysis of results, and a deeper test of knowledge. At the same time, the approach depends on the specialty and lecturer’s training. I think the lecturer can analyze the prompts that students form to obtain certain results, and thus assess how well they are working through the thematic material.

The resources that ����APP received from Google, in particular NotebookLM, greatly facilitate the preparation of educational materials: creating tests, videos, presentations – based on the content provided by the lecturer. This makes the preparation process much easier.

At the same time, some of the routine processes at the University can be automated. I have already mentioned the automated search and analysis of internal documents of ����APP – in fact, the corresponding agent has already been created. We discussed the possibility of its implementation for use by all faculty, which will allow reducing the amount of routine work and will serve as support for the staff.

If we talk about changes in the University as a whole, significant transformations in the international direction are already noticeable and a complete reorganization of the structure is underway. At the same time, due to the challenges associated with the war and its consequences, attracting good international students remains a difficult task.

– Has the perception of Ukraine changed thanks to your international contacts and the activity of the Vice-Rectors, in particular through science, and have you managed to dispel stereotypes about ����APP and Ukrainian scientists?

– I believe that there are already positive developments. Here are just a few examples: we are invited to represent Ukraine and ����APP in the USA, on Ukraine Day in Japan, etc.

As for stereotypes, one of the most common is that Ukrainian universities are supposedly poor institutions without equipment that are unable to conduct serious scientific research. Yes, we really have fewer resources than European universities, but to say that we are completely unable to conduct research is wrong.

Those who visited our University saw that we are capable of carrying out a significant amount of research and can do even more in synergy with other partners. Thanks to this, the perception of ����APP and Ukrainian universities in general has changed. And I am convinced that it is worth continuing to work in this direction.

There is a notable difference in mindset between Western and Eastern universities. Our scientists have already established contacts with Western institutions – mostly on a personal level – but these connections exist, and coordinating them could yield tangible results. In contrast, there is currently no structured cooperation with Eastern universities, even though some of them are wealthier than their Western counterparts. For this reason, an important priority for me is to establish connections and actively involve Eastern universities in joint projects and collaborative initiatives.

– One of the areas of work in the University Development Strategy is civic education, civic leadership and student volunteerism. How do you see the possibility of systematically implementing this at ����APP?

– Without a doubt, responsibility is first and foremost a personal matter and a state of mind. However, creating an environment that nurtures and supports the development of this responsibility increases the likelihood that it will manifest. In this context, various initiatives – such as meetings with veterans and military personnel, as well as discussions of difficult issues that are both uncomfortable yet necessary to address – serve as important tools for fostering a sense of responsibility.

It is important for me that meetings with students are regular and open. I really liked the meeting with the deputy ministers – at the end the students literally flooded me with questions. I would like such direct communication to take place at our future meetings as well. Students have a Vice-Rector and often meet with him, but I strive for greater openness and direct communication with students.

Regarding civic responsibility, this needs to be talked about, especially given the state of the war. Even when the war ends, it may continue in a different form, for example, as a cold war. We believe our students should be patriots, so we are organizing a wide range of educational and awareness-raising events, many of which have already been successfully held at ����APP.

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