From December 4 to 8, 2023, a significant event occurred in the education sector – the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (Germany) initiated a vital seminar and training camp. This event was part of the large-scale Erasmus+ KA220-HED project «Transformational Learning Network for Resilience – Enabling Ukrainian higher education to ensure a sustainable and robust reconstruction of (post-war) Ukraine». Its main goal is to inspire Ukrainian higher education to create a strong and stable foundation for the country’s recovery after the war.

The event was attended by representatives of leading educational institutions from various countries, in particular from Poland (Politechnika Rzeszowska im. Ignacego Łukasiewicza), Czech Republic (Technicka Univerzita v Liberci), Lithuania (Vilniaus Gedimino Technikos Universitetas), as well as numerous universities from Ukraine: Ukrainian National Forestry University (Lviv, Ukraine), National Transport University (Kyiv, Ukraine), Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University (Zhytomyr, Ukraine), Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University (Kharkiv, Ukraine), Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding (Mykolaiv, Ukraine), Odesa State Environmental University (Odesa, Ukraine), State Higher Education Institution «Pryazovskyi State Technical University» (Mariupol, Ukraine). The training was also attended by participants of the project’s associated partners, representing various sectors of the economy and social activity and who are involved in implementing the measures of the project’s work packages.

The program of the meeting was packed. Let’s consider the key events of each day of the meeting.

Tuesday, 05/12/2023
Key events:

• • Welcome speech from Angela Dichte: During the event’s opening, Angela Dichte welcomed all the participants. It’s always cool to start with a positive)))
• • Project presentation: Here, the lead team gave the participants an overview of the project, which is essential for understanding the big picture.
• • Transdisciplinary research and learning from Dr. Regina Rodius: This is where the real immersion into the subject began. It was interesting to learn about new approaches in research and education.
• • Discussion of project dissemination strategy: A vital part because without effective dissemination, even the best ideas can be lost.

Wednesday, 06/12/2023
Key events:

• • Working groups on various topics: It was a time to dive deep into networking, learning resilience, and more. Participants actively discussed and developed ideas.
• • Presentation on sustainability management at HNEE: Tanita Sor presented how they implement sustainable management, which was very useful and practical.
• • HNEE Campus Tour and Christmas Market: It’s not all about work; relaxation and cultural exchange are also needed!

Thursday, 07/12/2023
Key events:

• • Even more working groups: These sessions allowed participants to work in detail on specific aspects of the project.
• • System modelling training from Julia Finkenzeller (HNEE): That was cool! System modelling opens new horizons in approaches to learning.
• • Presentation of the “Sustainability in HEIs of Brandenburg” network: It was fascinating to learn how other universities integrate sustainability into their activities.

Friday, 08/12/2023
The culmination of training:

• • Results of working groups: Each group shared their results. It was apparent how much work had been done.
• • Final discussion and next steps: It was a moment of planning for the future – significant for continuing work on the project.
• • Cultural events to choose from: A great way to end the week – relaxation and cultural enrichment

To sum up, this training was full of energy, innovative ideas and a great exchange of thoughts between the participants. It was a productive time that undoubtedly set the stage for the project’s future success.