Cross-Border Cooperation for Health: An Open Meeting with Representatives of the Interreg NEXT Programme at TNMU

On February 25, 2026, Ternopil National Medical University hosted a meeting titled “Knowledge and Experience Today – New Medical Projects Tomorrow.” The event was organized by the Representation Office of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg NEXT Poland–Ukraine 2021–2027 Programme in Lviv, headed by Vasyl Khimyak.

The event coordinator from TNMU was Prof. Daria Popovych, Head of the Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Education. The meeting was held in a presentation-and-discussion format and brought together around 40 participants, including students majoring in “Therapy and Rehabilitation,” “Medicine,” representatives of the Student Parliament, and Andrii Havrylenko, Assistant at the Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Education.

The main purpose of the meeting was to familiarize students with the activities of the Interreg NEXT Programme and the specifics of implementing cross-border medical projects. During the event, participants:

• learned about the main objectives of the “Health” priority;
• received information about the allocation of funds for medical equipment and infrastructure development;
• explored the geography of project implementation on both sides of the border (Poland–Ukraine).

Practical Experience of Cross-Border Projects

The central part of the meeting was a discussion with representatives of two large-scale projects currently being implemented in Ternopil:

• CareLikeHome – an initiative aimed at developing palliative, geriatric, and oncological care in Ternopil, Lviv, and Krosno. A project partner is the Ternopil Regional Clinical Oncology Dispensary.
• GoldenEye – a project focused on improving access to ophthalmological care, implemented in partnership with the Ternopil Regional Clinical Hospital.

The invited guests shared practical experience, discussed the results of Ukrainian-Polish cooperation, and presented key ideas that may serve as a foundation for strengthening cross-border ties and preparing future project proposals for upcoming calls.

During the event, TNMU students and faculty had the opportunity to gain new knowledge about writing international grant proposals and to ask questions about partnerships, budgeting, equipment procurement, project development, application submission, and participation in competitions. They were able to communicate directly with representatives of two medical institutions currently implementing grant-funded projects in Ternopil, as well as with the Head of the Representation Office of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg NEXT Poland–Ukraine 2021–2027 Programme in Lviv.

Thanks to such initiatives, TNMU students and faculty acquire not only theoretical knowledge but also an understanding of real mechanisms of international cooperation — an essential component in the development of modern medicine and rehabilitation in Ukraine.