The gradual reorientation towards international quality standards, the spread of knowledge-intensive sustainable agricultural production practices, increased attention to the welfare of farm animals and the reduction of the impact of livestock on the environment and climate are already becoming the challenges of tomorrow for Ukrainian producers. Such transformations require livestock operators to continuously improve not only their own production systems, but also the knowledge base on which they are based and the qualifications of their staff. This, in turn, creates the need to update the educational programmes of specialised universities that train new personnel, as well as methods and approaches to maintaining the professional level of practitioners.
To this end, the European Union's Erasmus+ Sustainable Livestock Production and Animal Welfare (SULAWE) project brought together scientists from Ukrainian universities (Stepan Gzhytskyi National University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnologies Lviv), National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NUBiP), Poltava State Agrarian University (PSAU) and Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian University, Scientific and Methodological Centre for Higher and Professional Higher Education) and European ‘universities’ (University of Nürtingen-Geislingen, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and University of Ljubljana) with industry business associations (Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, Association of Milk Producers, Ukrainian Corporation for the Production of Meat on an Industrial Basis "Tvarinprom"). During the project implementation in 2023-2025, representatives of the scientific community and the livestock business will be able to learn from the experience of the best European universities in training young specialists and advanced training of livestock specialists.
During the first year of the project, the research partners developed the concept and content of three new master's degree modules that cover the essence of sustainable livestock production, animal welfare, and the use of digital technologies in production, and also organised industry-specific training centres for livestock producers. For example, the Centre for Innovative Technologies for Sustainable Pig Production was opened at the Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Aquatic Bioresources of the National University of Life Sciences of Ukraine, a similar centre specialising in cattle breeding was launched at the Lviv National University of Veterinary Medicine and Food Science, and a centre for poultry operators was established at Poltava State Agrarian University.
‘The work of the sectoral training centres will be focused on practical production and educational activities, scientific and expert support, and consulting services to help improve the competence of educators, scientists and livestock business representatives in the field of sustainable development and welfare at all stages of production. In particular, at the end of November, our centre hosted the first international webinar on the impact of animal stress on biochemistry and meat quality. The event brought together more than 100 students, young scientists and university professors from Ukraine, Sweden, Moldova and Kazakhstan,’ said Natalia Gryshchenko, an expert at the Centre for Innovative Sustainable Pig Production Technologies, associate professor of poultry, pig and sheep farming technologies at NULES.
In addition to assisting in the development of training modules for Ukrainian universities, the European partner universities will share their practical experience through a series of lectures, trainings and workshops for educators and representatives of business associations. For example, the basics of sustainable production and approaches will be studied at the University of Ljubljana, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences will share its experience in implementing best practices in animal welfare and the specifics of knowledge transfer to students and practitioners, and the University of Nürtingen-Geislingen will introduce the nuances of livestock digitalisation.
‘Although business representatives are not directly involved in the development of teaching and learning materials, the role of industry associations is to analyse the needs of market operators, key trends, and employers' expectations regarding the level of skills and competencies of future technologists and veterinarians. This will help to update training programmes at universities and further education centres to meet the current requirements of real livestock enterprises. In addition, establishing a dialogue and close cooperation between the scientific and educational sphere, business and public authorities will significantly contribute to the organic course of European integration transformations,’ the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders comments.
The European Union's Erasmus+ international technical assistance project "Sustainable Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare" (SULAWE) brings together scientists from Ukrainian universities Stepan Gzhytskyi National University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnologies Lviv, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Poltava State Agrarian University, Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian University, Scientific and Methodological Center for Higher and Pre-Higher Education) and European universities (University of Nürtingen-Geislingen, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and University of Ljubljana) and industry business associations (Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, Association of Milk Producers, Ukrainian Corporation for the Production of Meat on an Industrial Basis "Tvarinprom"). During the project implementation in 2023-2025, representatives of the scientific community and the livestock business association will have the opportunity to adopt the experience of the best European universities in training young specialists and upgrading the qualifications of specialists in livestock enterprises.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European. Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
