The delegation from Ostroh Academy discussed the ways of implementing a project INCGC with the partners

May 05, 2018

The specialists of the Center for Professional Guidance and Counselling of the National University of Ostroh Academy took part in a cross-border congress within the implementation framework of the project "Increasing the competitiveness of graduates in the labor markets of Ukraine and Belarus through the creation of a cross-border network of university centers for professional and career counseling" (INCGC).

The representatives from universities of Belarus and Ostroh gathered at Lutsk National Technical University in order to discuss the issue of professional guidance for youth and implement the new mechanisms of career counselling for students and schoolchildren.

It is worth noting that the project is being implemented with the support of EaPTC Belarus-Ukraine, the EU representation in Ukraine, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It was launched in December 2017 and will last for 14 months. The National University of Ostroh Academy was determined as a main partner, whereas Lutsk National Technical University, Francisk Skorina Gomel State University, and O.S. Pushkin Brest State University are the co-applicants. The general aim of the project is to improve the local population’s living conditions by increasing youth’s competitiveness in the labor markets of Ukraine and Belarus.

"I hope that such events will foster the convergence of our countries and institutions, and we will form an effective cross-border network which will allow us to reinforce our graduates so that they can develop our countries in the future," noticed Petro Savchuk, Rector of Lutsk National Technical University, in his welcoming address.

Eduard Balashov, Head of the Department of International Cooperation and Fundraising of the National University of Ostroh Academy, provided details about the project and planned measures for one’s implementation.

"This project application was prepared as early as 2016. We were inspired by the proposal of O.S. Pushkin Brest State University. As a result of our joint work, we formed the theme of the project which is aimed at senior pupils, university students, and the specialists in the professional and career guidance. We are planning to establish centers for professional counseling at every university. We are pleased to announce that such a center was formally opened at Ostroh Academy, and we have already begun one’s activity, having conducted the first professional guidance for our students. In addition, we have started giving seminars, holding workshops, sharing experience between the participants of a consortium, holding meetings with employers, and sharing the results of the project. At the same time, each university should conduct professional counseling for more than one thousand students in every university and no less than one thousand schoolchildren in a region with the help of special software in order to help identify a university to enter and a profession to undertake," told Eduard Balashov.

The meeting between the scientists from Belarus and their counterparts from NUOA has taken place for three days. During this time, the representatives of the delegations participated in workshops and training sessions, underwent the electronic testing, and took part in the individual testing.