From 13 to 15 October 2025, the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) became a meeting platform for partners from Germany and Ukraine: it hosted the kick-off and course design workshop for the new project "ConnectED: German-Ukrainian University Network for Empowering Higher Education in Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation". The project, which is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), will run from 2025 to 2029.

The three-day workshop brought together representatives from the Ukrainian National Forestry University (UNFU), Sumy National Agrarian University (SNAU) and HNEE to officially launch the project, plan key activities and coordinate future collaboration. The meeting also marked the launch of the German-Ukrainian university network ConnectED, which builds on the foundations of the Ukrainian-German Digital Teaching Network (DTN) and now connects over 23 universities and partner organisations.

The event was opened with words of welcome from Prof. Dr Uta Steinhardt, Vice President for Studies and Teaching at HNEE, and Prof. Dr Jan-Peter Mund, Head of the Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management and project leader, as well as contributions from Prof. Dr Vasyl Lavnyy (UNFU) and Prof. Viktoriia Skliar (SNAU). All speakers emphasised the importance of long-term cooperation in teaching and research - especially in times of change.

"I am very pleased about this new project because it strengthens the cooperation between our university and our Ukrainian colleagues - and I am convinced that both sides will benefit from it," said Prof Dr Uta Steinhardt, Vice President for Teaching and Learning at HNEE.

Prof Steinhardt emphasised that the project builds on more than ten years of cooperation with the Ukrainian partner universities and will deepen this further. Prof Mund emphasised that the partnership, which began in 2022 with the Ukrainian-German Digital Teaching Network, is evolving with ConnectED into a sustainable alliance that "connects people, universities and knowledge across borders".

"Although HNEE, in particular Prof Pierre Ibisch, began working with Ukrainian universities more than 15 years ago, the DAAD-funded Ukrainian-German Digital Teaching Network project in 2022 marked the beginning of a phase of deepening and slightly expanding this cooperation," explained Prof Dr Jan-Peter Mund, head of the two projects "Ukrainian-German Teaching Network for a Digital Transformation of Environmental Education (Consolidation and Expansion Phase 2025)" and "ConnectED".

Contributions from Angela Dichte (TransLearnN project) and examples from Ukraine Digital provided valuable insights into digital and innovative course design. Manuela Pelz, Head of the Centre for International Affairs at HNEE, presented concepts for future double and joint degree programmes and emphasised that ConnectED is closely linked to HNEE's internationalisation strategy. She said that HNEE is proud to support and host such an important initiative that brings together commitment, specialist knowledge and long-term perspectives.

The three days in Eberswalde confirmed the continuity as well as the great potential of German-Ukrainian university cooperation - and laid a strong foundation for the ConnectED network as well as for future cooperation in the fields of higher education, sustainability and environmental protection.