From October 13 to 18, 2025, Ukraine joins the global initiative #ErasmusDays2025, which annually unites participants of the Erasmus+ Program in all countries of Europe and the world. This year’s campaign is held under the slogan “Live our values - Inspire the future”, emphasizing the importance of common European principles – freedom, dignity, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights. For the Ukrainian academic community, these values have a special meaning – they became the basis of daily work, endurance and inspiration in difficult wartime conditions. As part of ErasmusDays 2025, the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science of the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University held a thematic educational and scientific event called “Radiation in Space”, which brought together students, teachers and young researchers interested in space physics, materials science and radiation safety. The event was held in a hybrid mode, with more than 70 participants in person and more than 30 participating online.
The event program included an interactive lecture given by Professor Volodymyr Kotsiubynskyi, who in an accessible and interesting form reviewed the physical mechanisms of the formation and propagation of cosmic radiation, its impact on living systems and materials, as well as modern protection technologies in space missions.
Professor of the Department of Physics and Astronomy Volodymyr Troianskyi, in his speech, focused on the issues of preparing students for scientific research in the field of space topics in the context of new opportunities opening up with the development of the Astronomical Observatory on Mount Pip Ivan, which is becoming a powerful educational and scientific center of the Carpathian region.
The culmination of the program was a scientific and educational show organized by Professor Volodymyra Boychuk and Associate Professor Lilia Turovska, during which students had the opportunity to see demonstrations of physical phenomena related to radiation, luminescence of substances, ionization and protection effects. The dynamic presentation form, interactive experiments and the possibility of independent participation made the event exciting and educational for all participants.
Such events are of great importance for developing a holistic understanding of the interdisciplinary connections between physics, materials science, biology, and space research among students. They promote the development of critical thinking, stimulate interest in scientific work, broaden the worldview, and motivate young people to join international educational programs, including Erasmus+, which open the way to academic growth and participation in global research networks.
The Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science of the Carpathian National University is an active participant in several international projects of the Erasmus+ Program, in particular, it implements two areas:
- RISE-UP (Radiation Safety: European-Ukrainian Approach) is a Jean Monnet module (ERASMUS-JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH, No. 101127143) aimed at disseminating EU policy in the field of radiation safety and the development of “green” nuclear energy. The project involves improving the quality of training of radiation safety specialists, developing multidisciplinary competencies according to European standards, and creating open online courses for training students and interested individuals in the “lifelong learning” format.
- SPACE_READY (Space-Ready e-Learning for Analog Astronauts) is an international educational project aimed at creating an electronic training course for training students, researchers and managers of analog space missions. The coordinator is the S. Staszyc Mining and Metallurgical Academy in Krakow (Poland), the partners are the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University (Ukraine), the University of Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France), the Poliarte Academy of Arts and Design (Italy) and the CreateHub company (Poland). The project will result in a unified curriculum for analog space missions, a digital e-learning course and training of trainers for its implementation at partner universities in the EU and Ukraine. Participation in the Erasmus+ Program is not only academic mobility, but first of all, the choice of European values, the development of a scientific culture of openness, partnership and mutual support. It is thanks to such initiatives that a generation of young researchers is being formed, capable of thinking globally, acting responsibly, and creating the future of Ukraine in a common European family.
