Teachers and students of the ERI “Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogical Academy” took part in a study mobility programme at the University of Borås (Sweden) under the TEX4YUA project – ‘Sustainable Excellence for Ukrainian Youth in the Textile and Apparel Industry’.
The TEX4YUA project is being implemented as part of the SI Baltic Sea Neighbourhood Programme with the support of the Swedish Institute (Svenska Institutet). Its main goal is to improve the innovative competencies of students at Ukrainian higher education institutions and young professionals in the textile and apparel industry.
The participants of the visit were teachers and students of the Department of Food Technology, Light Industry and Design of the ERI “Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogical Academy” of V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, the Department of Light Industry Technologies of Lutsk National Technical University, activists of the “Innovation Generation” NGO, as well as specialists from Reinventex LLC and 3.14 BAN.
The visit programme was very intense and useful. Representatives of Ukraine, together with colleagues from Bangladeshi universities, took part in a hackathon, the task of which was to develop environmental solutions for the textile industry in the context of a sustainable future.
The University of Borås opened the doors of its advanced laboratories, where our participants worked with modern weaving, knitting and jacquard machines. They created their own weaving patterns and mastered digital textile design tools.
Industrial visits to Wargön Innovation and the Smart Textile Showroom were an important part of the training. At the Wargön Innovation headquarters, delegations from Ukraine and Bangladesh learned about effective approaches to sorting, recycling and the circular economy in the textile industry. At the Smart Textile Showroom, participants were presented with the latest developments in the field of smart fabrics.
Along with the educational component, participants had the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of Borås: its architecture, cultural heritage, and the caring atmosphere of the Swedish community. There were also trips to Gothenburg, one of Sweden's most beautiful port cities, famous for its architecture and maritime history, and to the city of Varberg, where participants were able to experience the atmosphere of the North Sea and relax after an intense training programme.
All participants are returning home with new knowledge, skills, ideas, and partners. The experience gained lays the foundation for improving the educational programmes of the ERI “UEPA” in the field of innovative textile technologies. There are further plans to implement joint educational mini-projects, online courses and research exchanges with partner universities.
