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As part of the international educational project SPACE_READY – Digital Course for University Analog Astronauts Space Trainings, implemented with the support of the Erasmus+ KA220-HED programme, students of Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University continue to participate in a series of analogue space missions.

The third analogue mission involved second-year students of the Faculty of Physics and Technology, majoring in Materials Science, Maksym Derhun and Dmytro Semotiuk. The mission took place at the Analog Astronaut Training Center (AATC) habitat in Poland, near Kraków. This is a specialised infrastructure for conducting analogue space missions, where participants work in conditions close to scenarios involving crew members staying in an isolated environment.

During the mission, students learn to follow a clearly defined schedule, carry out research tasks, comply with safety procedures, work in an international team and communicate with Mission Control.

The missions also involve students from the project’s partner universities: AGH University of Krakow, Poland; Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France; Poliarte Politecnico delle Arti, Italy; and Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, Ukraine. This format creates a shared European educational environment in which students from different countries undergo training for analogue missions together and carry out practical research tasks.

The scientific programme of the Ukrainian participants has a strong focus on materials science. Maksym Derhun and Dmytro Semotiuk prepared a series of experiments on monitoring humidity in the habitat using a flexible sensor material based on biopolymer/graphene oxide films. The research proposed by the students combines materials science, sensor technologies and environmental monitoring.

For Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, students’ participation in SPACE_READY opens up opportunities for the practical training of young researchers in an international environment, strengthens the University’s cooperation with European partners and contributes to the development of modern STEM education.

SPACE_READY is a logical continuation of the European integration of Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University and the development of cooperation in the field of space education, particularly in the context of previous UNIVERSEH initiatives. The success of this project confirms the capacity of CNU’s academic community to be an active participant in international high-technology programmes.

As part of the international educational project SPACE READY – Digital Course for University Analog Astronauts Space Trainings, implemented with the support of the Erasmus+ KA220-HED programme, students of Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University continue to participate in a series of pilot analogue space missions.

The first mission, involving students of the Faculty of Physics and Technology, Iryna Kamin and Liubov Babinchuk, marked the beginning of the University’s practical involvement in the programme of analogue research at the Analog Astronaut Training Center (AATC) habitat in Poland, near Kraków.

In the second part of the programme, students of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, majoring in Biochemistry, Viktoriia Zadarko and Khrystyna Slobodian, joined the analogue mission. Their participation broadens the interdisciplinary dimension of the SPACE_READY project, as, alongside materials science and engineering tasks, the programme now includes biological and biochemical research related to the functioning of living systems in a closed environment.

During the mission, a research programme is being carried out using plant material prepared under sterile in vitro conditions. Three plant objects – Gynura procumbens, Stevia rebaudiana and Rosa sp. – were transferred to the habitat as model systems for studying closed life-support environments.

In the long term, such research is linked to issues of regenerative life support, plant cultivation under controlled conditions, the assessment of stress factors in confined environments, and preparation for long-duration space missions.

For Biochemistry students, this is an opportunity to work on real research tasks at the intersection of biotechnology, plant physiology, extreme biology and space education.

The participation of Viktoriia Zadarko and Khrystyna Slobodian in the SPACE_READY programme forms part of the development of an interdisciplinary environment at Carpathian National University, aimed at preparing students to work in international research and educational teams.

Analogue missions create conditions in which students not only acquire new knowledge, but also learn to work according to research protocols, follow safety procedures, conduct observations, record results and interact in an English-speaking international environment.

This strengthens the University’s position in the European educational and research area and opens up new opportunities for student mobility, the development of STEM education, interdisciplinary research and the practical training of young researchers.

The SPACE_READY project is a logical continuation of our University’s cooperation within the framework of the European initiative UNIVERSEH – European Space University for Earth and Humanity.

Within the framework of the international educational project SPACE_READY — Digital Course for University Analog Astronauts Space Trainings (https://spaceready.eu/⁠), implemented with the support of the Erasmus+ KA220-HED programme, students of Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University have begun taking part in the first of a planned series of pilot analogue space missions

Representing Carpathian University are Master’s students of the Faculty of Physics and Technology, Iryna Kamin and Liubov Babinchuk. They have joined an international team of students undergoing scientific and educational training in conditions closely resembling the scenarios of crew work during future space missions

The analogue missions are taking place at the Analog Astronaut Training Center (AATC) habitat in Poland

, near Kraków, in the Rzepiennik region. This is a specialised infrastructure designed to simulate conditions of isolation, team interaction, the performance of scientific experiments, work with equipment

, and communication

with the Mission Control Centre. Such missions enable students not only to gain new knowledge about space research, but also to test their own skills in conditions of limited resources, strict regulations, team responsibility, and interdisciplinary cooperation.

Students from the project’s partner universities are also involved in the analogue missions: AGH University of Krakow (Poland

), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France

), Poliarte Politecnico delle arti (Italy

), and Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University (Ukraine

). This format brings together young people from different European educational environments around a shared theme: preparation for future space research, the development of STEM education, digital learning tools, and practical training for analogue astronauts

For Carpathian University, student participation in the SPACE_READY project is an important step in developing systematic cooperation with European partners in the fields of space education, materials science, digital learning, and research into extreme environments

The project offers students the opportunity to work in international crews, carry out research tasks, adapt to an English-speaking professional environment, and gain experience that cannot be acquired solely in a classroom setting.

Analogue space missions are one of the practical stages of the SPACE_READY project. Their results will be used to test and improve the digital training course for candidates preparing for analogue space missions, the development of which has involved academic staff from the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science of our university

Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University announces the selection of students to participate in international analog space missions within the SPACE_READY project (https://spaceready.eu/, https://kmint.cnu.edu.ua/space-ready/).

Three one-week analog missions will take place at the Analog Astronaut Training Center (https://www.astronaut.center/) in May 2026.

Students from each partner university – AGH UST (Poland), KNUVS (Ukraine), Universite De Versailles Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines (France) – will participate in the missions.

Six main candidates and three reserve candidates will be selected from KNUVS. What participants will receive: practical experience working in conditions similar to a real space mission, international teamwork, certified training and preparation through an e-learning course (to be completed in February-March 2026).

Who can apply: bachelor’s students (2nd-4th years), master’s and postgraduate students.

Requirements for selection participants:

knowledge and experience of spoken English (B1 certificate or higher is desirable but not required); willingness to learn and work in a team.
What you need to do to become a participant:

Submit your CV + cover letter (in English);
Be prepared to go through a two-stage selection process:

1) Interview at KNUVS,

2) Final interview with the project team.

How to apply: send your CV and cover letter to the SPACE_READY coordinator at KNUVS by January 31, 2026 – volodymyr.kotsiubynskyi@cnu.edu.ua

From October 13 to 18, the world celebrates #ErasmusDays2025 — the global days of the Erasmus+ Programme, uniting educators, students, and researchers in over 100 countries. This year’s campaign runs under the slogan “Live our values — Inspire the future”, focusing on the fundamental values of the European Union — freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and human rights. For the Ukrainian academic community, ErasmusDays 2025 is not only a celebration but also a symbol of resilience, openness, and confidence in the European future of education and science. Despite the challenges of war, Ukrainian universities continue to actively implement international projects, engage students in joint research, and create world-class learning opportunities.

As part of ErasmusDays 2025, the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science of Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University organized a science and outreach event titled “Radiation in Space”as a part of SPACE_READY project promotion campaign, which combined interactive learning, scientific discussion, and popularization of space research. The event was held in a hybrid format — with more than 70 participants on-site and over 30 joining online.

Professor Volodymyr Kotsiubynsky delivered an interactive lecture dedicated to the physical nature of cosmic radiation, its effects on living organisms, materials, and devices, and methods of radiation protection in space missions.
During the lecture, he also presented current research directions within SPACE_READY project and outlined new opportunities for students arising from the development of the Astronomical Observatory on Mount Pip Ivan – a scientific platform for observing and studying the surrounding cosmic environment. The event continued with a science show organized by Professor Volodymyra Boichuk and Associate Professor Liliya Turovska, where students observed experiments demonstrating ionization and luminescence phenomena in various materials. Such interactive activities combine fundamental knowledge with elements of STEM education, promoting critical thinking, creativity, and practical skills.

The Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science is an participant in the SPACE_READY (Space-Ready e-Learning for Analog Astronauts) project, implemented with the support of the Erasmus+ Programme. The project aims to create a modern electronic learning course designed to prepare students, researchers, and mission managers for analog space missions — simulated experiments that reproduce the conditions of Moon and Mars exploration. These missions allow participants to test technologies, study material behavior and life-support systems, and train teams of future astronauts.

The project consortium includes: AGH University of Krakow (Poland) — Project Coordinator; Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University (Ukraine); Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France); Poliarte Academy of Design (Italy); CreateHub (Poland). For Carpathian National University, participation in SPACE_READY is an important step toward integration into the European space education infrastructure, improving the quality of digital learning, and enhancing CNU’s international profile as a center for training and innovation.

In preparation for the pilot test, the CNU team conducted a survey among potential course participants using the Mentimeter platform. The results revealed a high level of interest and positive expectations, including: key associations with the course: “space,” “knowledge,” “experience,” “physics,” “educational”; optimal duration: 6 weeks; preference for a bilingual (Ukrainian-English) format; most respondents expect a practice-oriented course; Main motivation: to gain new knowledge and skills and work in an international team; average readiness for teamwork: 4.0 out of 5; course recommendation level: 4.1 out of 5.

These findings will help the SPACE_READY team adapt the course to real student needs -balancing theoretical content with practical missions, simulations, role-based scenarios, and international collaboration.

SPACE_READY exemplifies how the participation of Ukrainian universities in the Erasmus+ Programme fosters the creation of an innovative learning environment that integrates science, technology, engineering, art, and human values.

Training analog astronauts is not only about space — it is about developing teamwork, critical thinking, global vision, and readiness to act in a connected world. Through such projects, students gain not just knowledge but experience that opens the path to the real stars. SPACE_READY — education that brings space closer. Follow updates at space-ready.eu

As part of the All-Ukrainian #ErasmusDays 2025 held under the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine on 17 October 2025 (Friday) at 12:20 p.m. in Room 23,
the event “Radiation in Space: Risks, Research, and Readiness” will take place.

The event is organized within the framework of the following projects:

- RISE-UP (101127143, ERASMUS-JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH)
- Space-Ready (2024-1-PL01- KA220-HED-000252474)

All interested participants are welcome to join!

On October 7, 2025, at the XX International Freik Conference on Physics and Technology of Thin Film and Nanosystems, Volodymyra Boichuk (Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University) delivered a presentation titled “Solid Oxide Fuel Cell: Space Missions Perspectives.”

The results demonstrate how high-temperature solid oxide fuel cells can provide reliable power for surface operations and long-duration missions, integrate thermally with life-support systems, and interface with ISRU-derived fuels—directly reinforcing the SpaceReady project’s focus on practical technologies for analog astronauts and future space habitats. Such appearances are an important part of project dissemination, raising the visibility of SpaceReady’s training agenda and bringing expert feedback that improves teaching materials. Conference engagement also helps deliver on project objectives by accelerating curriculum uptake, enriching case studies, and creating opportunities for student involvement in research. By sharing these findings with the international «nano» community, we advance SpaceReady’s broader goal of building an open, interdisciplinary ecosystem in which scientific results and educational content move quickly from the lab to the classroom.

From 21 to 23 May 2025, the 8th International Conference “Space Resources – the Path to Sustainable Development of the Moon” was held in Krakow, at the AGH University of Krakow. The event was organized by the AGH Space Technology Center and served as a platform for discussing advanced technologies in the field of space resource use and sustainable development of lunar infrastructure under the chairmanship of Professor Tadeusz Uł.

Professor Volodymyra Boychuk from the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science of the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University was an invited speaker with a presentation on the topic “Solid Oxide Fuel Cell: Prospects for Space Missions”. The report was presented within the framework of the Space-Ready project (ERASMUS+ KA220-HED program – “Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education”).

On April 30, 2025, the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University hosted the 4th Scientific and Practical Conference with international participation, titled “Advancing Best Practices in PhD Training,” dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the university’s founding.

The conference focused on pressing issues related to doctoral training under the academic and research program 222 “Medicine,” including the openness and relevance of scientific profiles, challenges in selecting dissertation topics, the integration of artificial intelligence into the educational process and research, the development of open science, and involvement in grant-based activities.

Special attention was given to aligning educational processes with the standards of the European Higher Education Area and to the development of interdisciplinary competencies among doctoral candidates. IFNMU is actively implementing effective mentorship models aimed at supporting the professional development of early-career researchers.

As part of the conference, Professor Volodymyra Boichuk from the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University presented the international SpaceReady project (Erasmus+ KA220-HED – Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education). This project is a result of successful collaboration between PNU and the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow (Poland), the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France), the Poliarte Academy of Art and Design (Italy), and CreateHub (Poland). The main objective of the project is to develop a digital training course that combines a unified methodology with an interdisciplinary curriculum for preparing participants of analog space missions.

On 11 April 2025, with the active participation of students of the Separate Structural Subdivision ‘Ivano-Frankivsk Professional College of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University’, the art object competition ‘Design for Space: Innovative Solutions for Analogue Missions and Space Environments’ was held. The teams presented their projects that combined scientific ingenuity and artistic content, practical potential and original vision. All ideas demonstrated a deep understanding of space exploration, sustainable development and human adaptation to extreme conditions.

Involving students in such practical and creative challenges is an important part of the project’s goal of contributing to the education of a new generation of creative and educated citizens of a united and strong Europe.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

On 2 April, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University hosted an Information Day of the EU Erasmus+ Programme. The event brought together representatives of educational institutions, youth organizations, centers, authorities, and all those working in the field of youth and international cooperation.
The participants were welcomed by Valentyna Yakubiv, First Vice-Rector of PNU, Svitlana Shytikova, Coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine, and Kateryna Zhdanova, Lead Manager of the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine.
The programme of the event also included an overview of 40 current EU Erasmus+ competitions for Ukrainian participants, a discussion of opportunities for cooperation, partnerships and communication of project ideas between Ukraine and Portugal, and a presentation of European platforms and professional networks in the field of education and youth work.
The event ended with a lively discussion of the projects being implemented at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University.

On March 7, 2025, a presentation event of the SpaceReady project (under the ERASMUS+ KA220-HED – Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education program) took place. The project is being implemented by the team of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University in collaboration with the Stanislaw Staszic University of Science and Technology in Kraków (Poland), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France), Poliarte Politecnico delle Arti SRL (Italy), and the CreateHub company (Poland). The main goal of the project is to develop an e-learning course that integrates a unified methodology and a multidisciplinary curriculum for training crew members of analog space missions. The event was attended by approximately 70 students from various academic disciplines and years of study, demonstrating the strong interest of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University students in space-related topics and their eagerness to acquire cutting-edge, high-tech education at the European level.