Ternopil State Medical University representatives participated in workshops organized by the Strengthening Academic Integrity in Ukraine Project

A meeting and workshops for the partners in  Strengthening Academic Integrity in Ukraine Project took place in Kiev from May 28 to June 1. The Project was initiated by the American Council on Education together with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine in January 2016 and is supported by the Embassy of the United States. It covers 10 Ukrainian universities from different regions and with different characteristics. Ternopil State Medical University is the only medical university involved in this project.

Strengthening Academic Integrity in Ukraine Project – SAIUP takes on an ambitious task to famliarize the public with the problem that concerns not only quality of education, but also has a direct impact on the formation of civic society where everyone should consciously take responsibility for their own actions and do not tolerate fraud, dishonesty and disregard of the principles of integrity. As is stated in the Project’s press release, academic integrity means that students, teachers and researchers above all should be guided in their learning and research by the principle of honest work and education. This principle will become an integral component of the new academic culture in Ukrainian universities and the prerequisite for successful development of the society.

TSMU Project Coordinator are, from academic staff assistant professor of emergency and urgent medical assistance Oksana Sidorenko, and from students – 3rd year student of the Medical Faculty Irina Pidhayna and 3rd year student of the Faculty of Dentistry Andriy Myhnyuk.

On May 30 the partners promoting academic integrity got together for an inaugural meeting. The First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Inna Sovsun delivered a welcome speech. After that, representatives from Fairfield University (Connecticut, USA) Catherine Nantts and David Schmidt presented the concept of academic integrity titled “Implementation of academic integrity in Ukraine.”

On the previous (May 28-29) and next 2 days (May 31-June 1) workshops for student project coordinators and coordinators and teacher coordinators took place. During the workshops the participating received practical knowledge and skills in implementing the basic principles of academic integrity and action plan on popularizing these principles in their universities.

SAIUP is poised to play one of the key roles in the transformation of Ukrainian society changing the system of higher education; it will also change the social values, as it will be promoted by students and university graduates. The outcomes of the project will be a new kind of success stories: how to overcome dishonesty at the university, improve the quality of education, the tools to influence on the minds of those seeking education.

 Representatives of Ternopil State Medical University Sidorenko Oksana, Pidhayna Iryna and Andriy Myhnyuk with Conrad Turner, Counselor for Public Affairs, Education and Culture of the US Embassy in Ukraine.

Representatives of Ternopil State Medical University  and presenter from Fairfield University Professor Catherine Nantts.

During the workshop for student coordinators.

Professor Catherine Nantts from Fairfield University conducts workshop.

Professor David Schmidt from Fairfield University conducts workshop.

Representatives from partner universities participating at the Strengthening Academic Integrity in Ukraine Project.