Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University (USPU) is a leading higher education institution in Cherkasy region that provides the labour market with highly qualified and competitive specialists in a wide range of pedagogical, engineering, technological, and economic specialties. Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University (USPU) is a leading higher education institution in Cherkasy region that provides the labour market with highly qualified and competitive specialists in a wide range of pedagogical, engineering, technological, and economic specialties.

The university was established in 1930. Over the years, the university has recommended itself as an intellectual center, a center of national culture as the basis for forming the creative personality of the future teacher. The dedication of the teaching staff has largely contributed to its current high prestige. Today, the university is ranked 351-400 in the QS EECA University Rankings.

USPU is a higher state educational institution of the IV (highest) level of accreditation. The institution consists of 1 institute and 11 faculties. The teaching staff consists of more than 500 lecturers who teach about 8000 students (Including more than 100 international students) in the educational/scientific degrees of “Junior Bachelor,” “Bachelor,” “Master,” “Doctor of Philosophy,” “Doctor of Science.”

USPU meets the new realities and objectively reassesses its strategic priorities for conceptual development, namely, improving all aspects of the role of international cooperation. This contributes to the reform of the university and covers the educational process, organization of scientific research, technology transfer, innovative development of the university, promotion, and harmonization of the national higher education system with the European one, high-quality training of competent specialists, creation of new opportunities for  the development of staff and student mobility. The university places great emphasis on inclusive education.

There is a Center for Social and Educational Integration “Without Barriers.” USPU has experience implementing EU projects, including Erasmus+ KA2 (MoPED –  No586098-EPP-1-2017-1-UA-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP). Currently, it is one of the implementers of the Erasmus+ KA220-HED project (ACADEMIES4UKRAINE –  2023-1-IT02-KA220-HED-000164059).

Sumy Makarenko State Pedagogical University is a leading higher educational institution of Ukraine, specializing in the training of specialists in the field of education – bachelors, masters, doctors of philosophy, and doctors of science. With almost 100 years of history, the university is famous for its traditions and innovative approach to education.

The university has 4 institutes and 3 faculties, and conducts training in Pedagogical, Natural Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Public Administration, Cultural Arts, and others.

A resource center for the development of science education functions at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Geography. The team of scientists of the Department of Special and Inclusive Education of Sumy Makarenko State Pedagogical University, together with the employees of the Institute of Special Pedagogy of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, founded an interdepartmental problem-based scientific laboratory of correctional rehabilitation technologies.

The university has bilateral partnership agreements with 67 foreign educational and scientific institutions from 35 countries. The university implemented “Europeanization of Doctoral Studies in the Field of Education: Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Approaches”  (600071-EPP-1-2018-1-UA-EPPJMO-MODULE) and a project on preschool and primary school education with Lego Foundation. In 2023, the university started project “European Integration” Jean Monnet Module (101124775 – European Integration – ERASMUS-JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH), 2023-2026. The projects of academic mobility are frequent under the umbrella of «Erasmus+»,  «British Council», DAAD, etc., and the double degree programs aimed at supporting the initiatives in education, culture, and sport.

This is a multifaceted higher education institution in Ukraine, offering training in pedagogical, natural sciences, cultural-arts, and economic specialties. Its history began with the opening of the Rivne Teacher’s Institute in 1940. Currently, RSUH boasts 7 Faculties, an Institute of Art, and four Colleges.

This is a multifaceted higher education institution in Ukraine, offering training in pedagogical, natural sciences, cultural-arts, and economic specialties. Its history began with the opening of the Rivne Teacher’s Institute in 1940. Currently, RSUH boasts 7 Faculties, an Institute of Art, and four Colleges. The academic staff includes 484 full-time employees, comprising 54 DSc and 328 PhDs. The university educates approximately 4400 students. RSUH houses a Scientific-Methodological Center for Inclusive Education.

The University actively participates in the Erasmus+ Program, supporting educational and academic mobility opportunities for youth, projects and partnerships, strategic development and cooperation, professional networks, and open resources. RSUH has a 7-year agreement (2023-2029) with the University of Rzeszów, Poland, under the Erasmus+ academic mobility program.

Additionally, RSUH is involved in several international grant projects. These include: Initiatives of Academia and Civil Society in Ukraine No  620395-EPP-1-2020-1-UA-EPPJMO-SUPPA–EU–EAP (01.04.2020 – till now), “Erasmus+ project, Jean Monnet direction, M.Dragomanov National Pedagogical University, including ‘Social and Cultural Aspects of European Studies’ – Jean Monnet Chair ‘Social and Cultural Aspects of EU Studies’ (SCAES) – 620635-EPP-1-2020-1-UA-EPPJMO-CHAIR (2022), “The Faces of Stress and Loneliness in the Context of Migration during Wartime” as part of the “Science for Society II”

program in the project cruise No NdS-ll/SP/0458/2023/01, funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Poland (2023-2024), etc.

KhNPU is one of the oldest higher educational institutions of Ukraine, founded in 1804. The University, having the fourth level of accreditation, provides European-level teacher education and carries out research in a wide range of areas.The university includes 10 faculties, 43 departments, and all necessary educational infrastructure. The academic and teaching staff consists of about 424 full-time employees. Currently, the University has 6000 students and 122 curricula. In 2022, one of our most modern university buildings, was destroyed to the ground by the Russian attack.

 

The university implements inclusive education via the Inclusive Education Centre, Skovoroda-Hub and Kinder-Hub for mentally-impaired children. The university offers pre-service teachers’ professional training on working with SEN children at all the faculties, focusing on organizing corrective and developmental environment, rehabilitation processes, prevention of difficulties in children’s upbringing and education.

The university offers its students and staff e-access to all the university facilities: from e-management to libraries, learning environments and platforms. The university implements the Project Module Jean Monet “European Integration of Ukraine under Industry 4.0”; Osteuropa-Instituts der Freien Universität Berlin; Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (University of Greifswald); Erasmus+ project “Sustainable Language Education and Media: Bridging the Gap between EU – Ukraine”, Østfold University College, Wroclaw University, Lutheran University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg academic mobility, a project on preschool and primary school education with Lego Foundation (annually extended), EU-Finnish-Ukrainian project “Learning together” and the UNICEF funded Kinder-hub project. In 2023, the University became a member of a consortium in Horizon Europe program. The same year, the university became a participant of project “Studying the circulation of zoonotic influenza A viruses in a natural reservoir”.

The University of Tartu (UT) prides itself on being Estonia’s premier institution of higher learning and is steadily moving towards becoming one of the leading institutions for innovative education and cutting-edge research in the Nordic region. As the only university in the Baltic States, UT continues to be ranked in the top 1.2% of the world’s top universities, placing 358th in the latest (2023) edition of the QS World University Rankings and within the 301–350 range in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023.

Established in 1632, UT is the oldest and largest university in Estonia both in terms of numbers of staff and students, as well as in terms of the volume of its teaching, research and development activities. Cutting-edge research is conducted by more than 1000 researchers working in 31 institutes across the University’s four faculties: the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, and Faculty of Science and Technology.

Narva College, a regional faculty of the University of Tartu, offers high quality higher education, holds, and develops academic traditions in the North-East of Estonia, and is a promoter of integration of Estonian society. College mostly offers training to preschool teachers, schoolteachers, and IT specialists. College has rich and deep expertise in online, remote, and technology-mediated learning. In 2023, as a result of Erasmus DigiChild project, Narva College produced a MOOC which receive a golden apple award. We have wide experience in implementing EU, US, and state-funded projects. Currently, Narva College coordinates 3 Erasmus+ projects with Ukraine (BOOST 101083203, BEAUCOUP 101129280, eRead 2022-1-EE01-KA220-HED-000089331) and acts as a subcoordinator in BURN (101129379) to help the Ukrainian coordinator develop capacity in project management. In AMUSE, the same sub-coordination approach will be used.

The Department of Special Needs Education at the University of Oslo is part of the Faculty of Education Science. The Department has approximately 70 employees, of which 15 are PhD research fellows and 14 administrative staff. About 900 students are taking courses in bachelor and master programmes in special needs education. One of our master  programmes and the PhD programme are offered in English.

Research at ISP mainly focuses on: Communicative Processes (ComPros); Literacy and Numeracy in Context (LiNCon); Behavioural Emotional Social Difficulties (BESD); Inclusion and Diversity – from a Special Education Perspective (MISP).

Research focuses on knowledge of processes that promote development, learning, proficiency and inclusion in a lifetime perspective. Particular attention is given to various physical and learning disabilities, such as hearing problems, language and speech problems, specific learning disabilities, psychosocial problems and mental impairment/severe learning disabilities. Language development and language difficulties are central in several of these subject areas. The development of a learning lab with a particular emphasis on observation and testing supports interdisciplinary collaboration in the Faculty and nationally, and will contribute to a stronger international orientation. ISP has a long experience in the field of educational and work inclusion of persons with special needs. It provides consultancy to the Norwegian governmental bodies and develops knowledge

that is relevant for promoting learning, inclusion, diversity and quality of life for children, young people and adults with special needs, stressing the interplay between individual factors and contextual conditions.

Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin (UMCS) is the largest public university in the Eastern Poland,  which has been operating for over 75 years. It has a culture-forming and opinion-forming function and makes a significant contribution to building a knowledge-based economy.

UMCS conducts education at 13 faculties, 3 doctoral schools, 80 fields of study and nearly 250 specialties, and the number of graduates has already exceeded 241,000.

Currently, about 18,000 students are enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs at UMCS, including over 1,800 foreigners (10% of all students) from more than 50 countries worldwide. UMCS employs 1582 research and teaching staff and 1247 administrative and technical staff. The scientific and research potential of UMCS is based on modern laboratories and workshops, including e.g.

Analytical and Programming for Advanced Environmentally Friendly. UMCS also invests in modern research infrastructure, such as ECOTECH-COMPLEX which also houses the newly created Centre of Artifical Intelligence and Computer Modelling. In 2017, UMCS received HR Excellence in Research logo awarded by the European Commission. The university has also won many significant titles and awards, such as: “University of Leaders”, “Aurea Praxis”, “Good University – Good Work”, is also a laureate of the competition “The most innovative and creative university in Poland in creating professional prospects”. UMCS is one of the most internationalized universities in Poland, it also ranks 1st among public universities in educating students from Ukraine as part of study programs first and second degree. In 2022 UMCS joined the European Universities Alliance – ATHENA. In the years 2017-2022, over 40 international research projects were carried out for ca. EUR 2 million. Some of the larger recent projects included DT.UNI – Design Thinking Approach for an Interdisciplinary University, Open Innovative Resources for Distance Learning, Space Weather Awareness Training Network (SWATNET), Preserving Fundamental Rights in the Use of Digital Technologies for E-Health Services (REINITIALISE). UMCS has over 182 agreements on scientific and educational cooperation with foreign partners.

The HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht (Hogeschool Utrecht, HU) is a vocational university. It is one of the higher education institutions located in the city of Utrecht and one of the largest educational institutions in the Netherlands. It offers about 70 different degree courses (bachelor and master level) in a wide range of subjects: Communication and Journalism, Economics and Management, Social professions and Law, Science and Technology, Healthcare, Education.

 

Education and research are closely related at HU. The innovation and professionalization of professional practice is accomplished through education that instills an investigative and enterprising attitude. Commitment to applied research on the part of teaching staff also provides a sound basis for achieving this aim. The research within the university is practice- oriented in nature. Research programmes relate to socially relevant themes and research is carried out in collaboration with professional practice (companies, organizations and institutions). Our professors direct the implementation of these research programmes.

Currently, the University has 44 professors who have been appointed to work within four knowledge centres.

These centres coordinate closely with the degree programmes, which means that the research that is done impacts directly on what our students are studying.

HU guides students and professionals. Some 37,000 students follow our programmes, in Utrecht and Amersfoort. Since 2020, HU has been involved in 17 Erasmus+ projects, 6 of which as a leader. HU is also active in several international research consortia and numerous international networks. HU is founder member of the international CARPE network consisting of several European and 1 UK UAS. In addition, HU is an active member of EURASHE, and numerous staff members are EAIE members or participants. HU also plays an active role in virtual internationalization and internationalisation at home. In addition, HU receives and ‘sends’ around 500 exchange students to and from partner universities within and outside Europe every year.

The Association “Speaking without words” – ISAAC Polska has been the only nationwide organization since 1999 that has been working for people with complex communication needs and building a support system for them. The Association brings together AAC users, their families and AAC specialists and conducts educational activities, trying to promote knowledge about AAC and assistive technology in AAC by organizing nationwide conferences, workshops and training. It was the organizer of two international AAC conferences of Central and Eastern European countries in 2001 and 2011.

It was the publisher of the first publications on AAC in Poland. It was the organizer, together with the Academy of Special Pedagogy in Warsaw, of the first postgraduate studies in Poland, Alternative and Supportive Communication Methods, in 2001. The Association has been a member of the world organization ISAAC for 6 years. For 16 years, he has been initiating activities in Poland to organize the celebration of the International AAC Month in October. Particularly noteworthy is the activity of the association’s members, enthusiasts who willingly share their knowledge and experiences in the country and beyond our eastern border, work in expert groups of the Ministry of National Education, coordinate the work of AAC in their communities, are creators of local programs for the implementation of AAC methods, lobby for people with complex communication needs.
In 2004 – 2006, the Speak Without Words Association was part of the project Counteracting social marginalization of disabled children and their families as a common task in building civil society in Belarus, Poland and Ukraine implemented by the British Executive Service Overseas (BESO) and led the EU Polish-Romanian Quality Education project for Students with Special Needs in 2013.

Preschool educational institution “Nursery-Kindergarten Combined Type No. 12” in Uman is an establishment for children aged one to six (seven) years old, consisting of general development groups, including two compensatory groups, and seven inclusive groups. The institution provides preschool education considering the children’s health, cognitive, psychological, and physical development.

The compensatory groups are designed for children with speech disorders. Currently, 35 students (aged 4 years) with speech disorders, stuttering, general underdevelopment, and phonetic-phonemic speech underdevelopment while maintaining hearing and intelligence are receiving education in these groups.

Inclusive groups in the institution create conditions for the development and learning of children with special educational needs, including those with disabilities, alongside their peers. In addition to meeting the educational and social needs of children with special educational needs, the institution offers correctional and developmental services to these children. Correctional and developmental services are provided through individualized development programs in various areas such as speech development, correction of development, and mental process development. These sessions are conducted by

specialists (speech therapist, practical psychologist, defectologist).

Currently, 19 students with special educational needs (aged 3 to 7 years) are receiving education in inclusive groups, including 9 children with moderate functional speech difficulties and 10 with mild functional speech difficulties. The entire work with children in the institution is grounded in universal values and aimed at ensuring socialization, development of communicative skills, self-reliance, and self-service skills, among other aspects.

This preschool educational establishment has been operating since October 1974. It has 11 groups for children, including 3 groups for children with speech impairment. The kindergarten has modern sports equipment, music facilities, a well-equipped indoor swimming pool, a gym, a speech therapy room, a psychologist and a doctor.

The kindergarten has creative, talented and dedicated staff that show love for children and creates special developmental and educational environment. Preschool teachers share their work experience with colleagues, participate in all-Ukrainian and international conferences and competitions, learn and implement original and innovative forms of work with preschool children.

Sumy kindergarten #15 hospitably opened its doors for the smallest learners 40 years ago. Nowadays, 10 groups operate in the educational establishment. Of them, 4 groups are inclusive and 2 are special groups for 10 children with speech disorders.

To organize the life of pre-schoolers in the preschool establishment, all conditions have been created, special premises are equipped: a bright and cosy music hall, a safe, creative gym, an office of a practical psychologist with modern highly effective technical means, a speech therapist’s office with a large amount of material that will help with development of language articulation. 

A highly qualified, creative team of teachers implements new pedagogical techniques into the practice of their work, works on the development of a creative personality and actively participates in various projects and competitions at the city, all-Ukrainian and international levels.

This is the first institution in Ukraine that works on the implementation of the early intervention program. The center provides support to families raising children with physical and intellectual disabilities. RK operates 8 groups of preschool age (from 3 years to 7-8 years); 2 early age groups (from 2 to 3 years old); a group of socio-pedagogical patronage (children from 2 to 8 years old); consultation center for parents of children with

special educational needs aged from 2 months to 8 years.

The groups are filled with children with special educational needs, taking into account the biological age of the child, the level of mental, physical, and mental development, taking into account the conclusion of the comprehensive psychological and pedagogical assessment by the inclusive resource center.

RK provides support to families raising children with physical and intellectual disabilities. The main goal: ensuring the realization of the rights of children with special educational needs and children with general development to receive preschool education, integral development of the child, his physical, intellectual and creative abilities through education, training, socialization, formation of necessary life skills.