Studying at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University is a chance to get a quality education, improve professional skills and abilities, as well as expand the boundaries of your prospective opportunities thanks to exchange programmes. This year, the students of the Faculty of Economics and Management had such an opportunity. As part of the educational and scholarship project “Solidary with Ukraine”, they received an invitation to study for a semester at the Higher School of Economics and Innovation (WSEI, Lublin, Republic of Poland).
According to the terms of the project, the training lasts from May 18 to October 1, 2022. During a little more than three months of stay there, these are the impressions formed by the students of the Faculty of Economics and Management of the Polish university.
Nataliia Demchuk: “During my studies for Master's degree, I had the opportunity to participate in the semester exchange programme of students at the Higher School of Economics and Innovation (WSEI) in Lublin. I am overwhelmed with emotions! This is a unique chance to gain new knowledge, learning experience in a different teaching environment, and overall positive vibes for a long time. Also, staying here made it possible to improve my own language skills and overcome the language barrier.
Lublin is a very beautiful and exciting city. It combines both historical sights and modern places for young people to relax. For students, it is a great city for studying and having fun. Studying in Lublin made it possible to make new friends and establish contacts for further education at WSEI. This experience gave me unforgettable emotions and impressions. So I advise everyone to definitely take advantage of this opportunity whenever possible.
I am infinitely grateful to Olena Ivashko, the Deputy Dean for International Affairs of the Faculty of Economics and Management. Thanks to Olena Anatoliivna, not only bachelors, but also masters were able to participate in student exchange programmes.”
Kateryna Strochyk: “The student exchange programme is not a new experience for me. Last year, I got a semester study at the Jan Dlugos University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Częstochowa. However, due to the pandemic, it was not possible to go to Poland at that time and my studies were remoted. This year everything has changed. And if at that time I had a desire to go abroad, a few months ago my position was fundamental: not to leave! Today I perfectly understand that, despite hesitation, I made the right decision. Life goes on and you should use all your opportunities.
Participating in the “Solidary with Ukraine” project is, first of all, a great responsibility, because today our task is not just to represent our faculty and the University, but also the country in general. During these three months, we diligently completed all the assigned tasks, tried to improve our knowledge of foreign languages. Thanks to the Polish lecturers, the educational process brought only pleasure. They easily found an approach to us, regardless of the language barrier. It is especially nice to feel the support of the teachers regarding the war. They are solidary with Ukraine in all manifestations. During these three months, I also found new friends, visited many cultural sights of the city of Lublin and the country of Poland in general, gained new knowledge and consolidated the material studied at my native University. Studying abroad became a great opportunity to learn the experience of Poland and share the experience of Ukraine. I thank Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University and the Higher School of Economics and Innovation for this.”
Anna Hurko: “For me, studying at WSEI is an unforgettable summer months, during which I woke up every day with enthusiasm and went to classes with an elated mood to gain new useful knowledge and skills.
Since due to COVID-19, I only studied offline for a month and a half at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University, it was only here, in Lublin, that I understood why my mother would say that student years are unforgettable and “golden”. In fact, it is true!
I am grateful to God for studying and getting to know our mentors at WSEI, who gave their best every day, their attention to everyone, organised not only educational, but also cultural recreation events for students. We went on various excursions, visited museums, historical places as much as possible, and also attended festivals and charity concerts. Thanks to all this, we became one friendly family.
In three months, we went to Warsaw three times, on weekends to the lake, and twice a week we did not forget to go to the gym. We also regularly helped to sort humanitarian aid, which volunteers transported to our native Ukraine to people in need. Never for a moment did we forget what was happening at home.
Lublin became a second Lutsk for me, because it is simply impossible not to love it. It is not for nothing that this city is called that! I sincerely thank everyone involved in the organisation of our studies, gaining the necessary experience at WSEI, and I advise this opportunity to future students, without hesitation, going there for new knowledge, good emotions in the friendly atmosphere of the teaching staff.
We sincerely want to express gratitude to Poland for supporting Ukraine at all possible levels during these difficult times. We hope for further fruitful cooperation between our friendly countries, as well as deepening of relations between Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University and the Higher School of Economics and Innovation in Lublin, to whom owe a debt of gratitude for the opportunity to study abroad. We would especially like to thank the Faculty of Economics and Management, which we are trying to decently represent, as well as Olena Anatoliivna Ivashko, who was by my side all this time, supported and helped in solving all possible issues and difficulties. We advise the students of our faculty to participate in exchange programmes. It helps to develop comprehensively, open up new opportunities and expand the scope of knowledge. “The only way to climb to the top of the ladder is to climb one rung at a time, one at a time. And in the process of this ascent, you will suddenly discover in yourself all the necessary qualities, skills and abilities needed to achieve success, which you, as if, never possessed” (Margaret Thatcher)”.
Olena IVASHKO,
the Deputy Dean for International Affairs
of the Faculty of Economics and Management
