



On April 29, 2025, the XIX International Public Pupils’ Readings “I Vote for Peace” took place at our University.
This year marks the twenty-ninth anniversary of their founding. of Sciences, Academician Stepan Yakymovych Demianchuk. A talented scientist and a passionate patriot of our country, he considered the idea of peace to be one of the most pressing problems facing humanity, and, accordingly, the main goal of the public student readings held annually at our university is to educate students in the spirit of peace.
The coordinator and organizer of the readings is the Head of the Department of General Pedagogy and Preschool Education Liliia Melnychuk.
At the plenary session, the participants of the readings were greeted by honored guests, including our partners from the Bath Spa University (UK). Andrii Korniuk, junior sergeant of the communication group of the Rivne Regional Training and Development Center, joined the plenary session.
The university administration, represented by Rector Vitalii Demianchuk and Vice-Rector for Organizational and Educational Work, Social Affairs and University Development Nataliia Ternovyk, expressed their gratitude to the students for participating in the readings and promoting peacekeeping ideas among children and youth.
Associate Professor of the Department of Geography and Tourism Rostyslav Shykula, who is now an officer in the tank forces and is defending our land from the Russian enemy, expressed his gratitude to the young patriots for the peacekeeping position expressed in their works in a video message.
Professor John Strachan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at Bath Spa University, said:
"I want to express my deep admiration for all of you at Academician Stepan Demianchuk International University of Economics and Humanities for your commitment to peace, education and international partnership, particularly in these challenging times. Here in the UK, we stand in solidarity with you as friends and colleagues in Ukraine, and we are proud to support initiatives that champion peace, dialogue and hope for the future."
Professor Ian Gadd, Head for Development of European Projects at the Bath Spa University, added:
"We recognize the importance of this event for everyone involved and thank IUEH for organizing this event so well every year. These are grim times and it is difficult to find the right words. We will stand with you, our Ukrainian friends, to help to find the words you need: to tell of your grief and sorrow, to declare your unyielding strength and our unstinting solidarity, and to proclaim that Ukraine will once again be free, sovereign, and at peace”
This year's readings were attended by a record number of participants - 255 students representing 59 general secondary education institutions from different regions of Ukraine. The collection of the XXIX International Public Pupils’ Readings “I Vote for Peace” includes words of support and condolences from the international community (Great Britain, Ireland, Turkey).
The youngest students of preschool education also joined the readings by preparing creative works on the issue of peace preservation for the exhibition
For the third year in a row, this year's readings are part of the project “I Vote for Peace: Cooperation and Compassion in Time of War,” which is being implemented jointly with the Bath Spa University with the support of Research England and the UK for Research and Innovation.
Easter is a holiday of renewal, faith, hope and the victory of life over death, good over evil. On these holidays, the heart of each of us is filled with love, warmth and gratitude. May this blessed time bring peace, harmony and prosperity to your families, give you strength, inspiration and faith in a better future.
I wish you God's blessing, peace of mind, generous fortune and good health. May the Lord's favor warm you and teach you happiness!
Happy Easter!
Rector, Vitalii Demianchuk
The students of the first (BA), second (MA) and third (PhD) educational qualification levels of Academician Stepan Demianchuk International University of Economics and Humanities and Bath Spa University (UK) presented the results of their researches at the sectional meetings of the International Student Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Approaches to European Integration: Postdigital Innovations in Science, Education, Art, Technology and Culture’, which took place on 8-9 April 2025.
Over the course of two days, students from the two universities had the opportunity to summarise their research on various topics and hold lively panel discussions in 10 sections.
The Section 1 featured speakers from the BSU (Amber Lamonby-Pennie, Sarah Hayes, co-authored with Sarah Tolbert, Michael Jopling and Petar Jandric, Edward Longford, Madison Webb and Li Li) with presentations on ‘Education: Postdigital Methodology and Practice’. The research covered the current challenges of the postdigital era in higher education, focusing on the importance of understanding and improving educational strategies for a complex modern environment.
In Section 2, speakers from the IUEH and BSU (V. Palchevska, O. Krasovska, U. Shevchenko, N. Rumyantseva, M. Kovalets) presented the results of their research on historical and cultural transformations of the current perception of culture in general in the digital age. They discussed: topical issues of preserving cultural heritage in times of war, additional mechanisms for monitoring and preserving cultural heritage, as well as the role of collective trauma in the implementation of British-Ukrainian academic cooperation, and the preservation of national identity in times of war.
The speakers of Section 3 (V. Vodianytskyi, O. Panchuk, F. Kkhater) focused on discussing the problem of modern IT and technologies in general in the context of innovation and security in the digital space. The researchers analysed and proposed practical ways to solve the problems of artificial intelligence models, optimisation of algorithms for determining the overlap of graphic primitives, cloud technologies, and much more.
The Section 4 (V. Artiushok, E. Hreben, A. Pelekh) became a platform for discussions on the socio-psychological, legal, economic and environmental challenges of modern science and society. The presented reports vividly illustrated the relevant aspects of post-crisis recovery and digital transformation. Taken together, these topics demonstrated the deep interest of young people in shaping the country's future on the basis of transparency, efficiency and innovation.
The Section 5 (Y. Motrynets, S. Bernadskyi, U. Khrystyna, K. Maistrenko, K. Mishchuk) focused on the problems of innovation and security in the digital space, as well as countering propaganda, disinformation and security threats in the digital space. Participants focused on how Ukrainian users can recognise propaganda and manipulation, including with the use of AI, which raises the need for critical thinking and information awareness.
In Section 6, O. Kinashchuk and D. Cherveniak highlighted the interconnection of science and society in the context of modern challenges - from legal regulation and insurance to human resources management and sustainable development of regions during the war. Particular attention is paid to the adaptation of management and legal mechanisms to crisis conditions and the search for effective solutions for post-war recovery.
Speakers of Section 7 (V. Lankina, M. Borodienko, A. Churylovych, N. Maksymchuk) presented their scientific results on current issues and prospects for the development of modern pedagogy. The reports highlighted the implementation of innovative new methods and technologies in the classroom for teaching students, and emphasised the importance of teacher development and mastery of these technologies for effective teaching.
The researchers of Section 8 (I. Levchenko, A. Bondar, T. Kolodych, M. Mulyarchuk) presented the results of their scientific research in the framework of the study of the integration of peace, post-conflict settlement and human rights into education. The applicants have deeply comprehended the issues of normalising children's psycho-emotional and physical health, creative pedagogical technologies for developing the emotional intelligence of primary school students, fairy tale therapy, and others.
Postdigital self-determination, human authority, and authorship were the topics of the work of the researchers of Section 9 (Francis N. Nwebonyi, Ian Willis, Rachel Hamilton, Eri Mountbatten-O'Malley). They explored the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence, self-directed prosperity in education, and the provision of research infrastructure in smart cities.
The last Section 10 (R. Melnyk, O. Kotynska, I. Husieva) focused on intercultural communications in the context of European integration. They talked about sports and diplomacy, the importance of adaptive sports games, mechanisms for assessing the adaptive reserves of elite wrestlers in anaerobic exercise regimes, and other problems of integrating the cultural characteristics of different countries into a common European space without stereotyping and to minimise conflicts in communications.
It is worth noting that each report of the conference participant is full of interesting ideas, thorough analysis of the issues, and important results that will have an impact on the post-digitalisation of higher education in the future. The researchers clearly emphasised the need for an innovative approach to teaching and learning in the context of global change, as well as how the latest technologies can help solve complex social and educational problems while ensuring equal access to knowledge and resources.
The full list of scientific abstracts of the students can be found in the conference proceedings, which was published in the repository of the Bath Spa University (UK), which can be found by the link: DOI 10.17870/bathspa.28608026.
The Administration of the IUEH expresses its sincere gratitude to the co-organisers of the conference - John Strachan, Ian Gadd, Sarah Priston, Nataliia Medynska, Alina Kruhliak, Oksana Yaromenko, Ruslana Hrytsun, members of the Organising Committee, moderators of the sections - Amber Lamonby-Pennie, Alison Woodhouse, Emma Devies, Eva-Monica Fabian, Gonen Peles, Iryna Budz, Victoriia Lankina, Natalia Nisanoglu, Oleg Bogut, technical administrators - Charlie Hele and Owain Davies, Serhii Blyznyk, all participants of IUEH and Bath Spa University for planning, organising and holding the international student scientific and practical conference.
On 8-9 April, Academician Stepan Demianchuk International University of Economics and Humanities hosted the International Student Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Approaches to European Integration: Post-Digital Innovations in Science, Education, Art, Technology and Culture’. Applicants of three (BA, MA, PhD) educational qualification levels, researchers from IUEH and the Bath Spa University (UK) took part in the conference.
The conference was opened with welcoming remarks by the university leaders, who outlined the research issues and focused on the importance of continuing and deepening the cooperation that has been ongoing since 2018. The keynote speakers at the plenary session were researchers Sarah Hayes and Petar Jandric with the topic ‘The Postdigital Researcher: Positionality and Method’.
The Rector of IUEH, Doctor of Law, Professor Vitalii Demianchuk in his welcoming speech said:
‘Today's student conference is the result of the joint work of IUEH and the Bath Spa University, which has been preparing for this event for a year. We appreciate that you stand in solidarity with us on the path to peace in Ukraine and the entire European space. Today's conference is not just an academic event. It is a space for dialogue, a space for bold ideas and intercultural interaction, where science, culture, technology and art intersect. Young people play a special role in this process - students, researchers and scientists. It is their enthusiasm, courage to think outside the box, and willingness to take responsibility for the future that is a source of hope for all of us.’
The first day of the event was dynamic and includes 6 sections were actively working, where British and Ukrainian speakers presented in-depth reports, discussed relevant topics and demonstrated a high level of preparation. The cooperation between young scientists from both countries facilitated the exchange of knowledge and experience, which is an important step in the development of the international scientific community and the implementation of the internationalisation strategy.
The second day of the event was no less active. The plenary session featured a keynote presentation on ‘Education: Integration of Peace Processes in the Context of the European Space’, presented by Doctor of Philology, Professor Nataliia Medynska and PhD in Geography, Associate Professor Oksana Yaromenko.
Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Doctor of Philology, Professor Nataliia Medynska noticed in her welcome speech:
‘Today we can summarise the results of the first day of the conference, which was held in an extremely friendly and relaxed atmosphere, on the basis of tolerance and integrity. This conference contributed to the development of science in the context of European integration vectors. The basis and content of innovative educational processes is innovative activity, the essence of which is the renewal of the pedagogical process, the introduction of post-digital technologies, new ideas into the traditional system, which provides for the highest degree of educational and scientific activity.’
In his closing remarks, Professor John Strachan, Bath Spa University, emphasised that the rich and inspiring conference made the two days together intellectually rich and deeply collaborative.
‘This event was a testament to the power of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary thinking - exactly what is needed in a post-digital world marked by rapid change, complex challenges and an urgent need for human connection across borders, disciplines and languages. We heard bold ideas, critical reflections and new visions from both experienced scholars and student researchers. And we have witnessed the extraordinary dynamics that emerge when Ukrainian and British institutions come together - especially in the face of adversity and turmoil.’
ВThe significant results of the student conference were the preparation of catalogues of summaries of scientific researches of all conference participants in Ukrainian and English, as well as the publication of a collection of scientific abstracts of students, which was published in the repository of the Bath Spa University (UK), which can be found by link: DOI 10.17870/bathspa.28608026.
It is gratifying that young people live for the future, look to the future and make plans to solve problems in their region, country and the European space as a whole. This was demonstrated by the two days of work of the conference participants. Our joint work unites us virtually and in reality, Ukrainian and British youth, those with whom we realise our dreams together. Future conferences will only confirm the strength of Ukrainian-British scientific cooperation.