Academic Mobility
Academic mobility is one of the priority areas of activity at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. It provides participants in the educational process with the opportunity to study, teach, undertake internships, or conduct research at another higher education institution (HEI) in Ukraine or abroad without being dismissed or released from their primary place of study or work.
Academic mobility can be vertical — when a student studies at another HEI and, upon completion, receives the corresponding degree — or horizontal — when a student studies at another HEI for a specific period (semester or academic year) and then returns to their home university to continue their studies.
Main types of academic mobility:
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Degree mobility — studying at an HEI different from the participant’s primary institution to obtain a higher education degree, confirmed by a diploma (or diplomas) from two or more HEIs;
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Credit mobility — studying at an HEI different from the participant’s primary institution to earn European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits and/or acquire relevant competencies or learning outcomes (without ECTS credits), which are recognized by the home HEI.
Forms of academic mobility for participants pursuing junior bachelor’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD degrees at Ukrainian HEIs include mobility programs, language internships, and research internships.
Forms of academic mobility for PhD students, academic staff, and teaching staff include participation in joint projects, teaching, research, internships, and professional development.
Academic mobility is facilitated through tools such as the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), the Qualifications Framework of the European Higher Education Area, and European and national quality assurance systems in higher education.
Participants in academic mobility in Ukraine include both domestic and foreign members of the educational process involved in relevant programs. The right to academic mobility is ensured based on international agreements on cooperation in education and science, international programs and projects, cooperation agreements, as well as individual initiatives by domestic participants supported by the administration of the home HEI through individual invitations and other mechanisms. Implementing academic mobility for all participants is an important step in enforcing the Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education” (Regulations on the Implementation of the Right to Academic Mobility) and the University Charter.
Main goals of academic mobility at Karazin University:
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Improving the quality of higher education;
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Enhancing the effectiveness of scientific research;
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Increasing the competitiveness of university graduates in Ukrainian and international educational and labor markets;
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Enriching the individual experience of participants in other models of knowledge creation and dissemination;
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Attracting global intellectual potential to the domestic educational process through bilateral and multilateral agreements between partner HEIs;
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Establishing internal and external integration links;
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Harmonizing educational standards of partner HEIs.
Exchange Programs
Academic mobility allows university specialists to participate in the educational process at another HEI in Ukraine or abroad. According to the Strategy for Harmonizing Public Administration in EU and Eastern Partnership Countries, signed by 28 European countries including Ukraine, the goal is to create a unified educational space for the EU and Eastern Partnership countries. This strategy aims to implement international student exchange programs (ISEP) and dual-degree programs (DDP) between leading Ukrainian universities and top EU universities. V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University is an active participant in this process. According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, nearly 1,000 students and scholars from the university have participated in international student exchange programs.
The most effective programs include: Erasmus Mundus, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) program, the Fulbright scholarship program, and programs of the Open Society Institute (Washington). The most well-known EU program supporting student and academic exchanges between the EU and non-EU countries is Erasmus Mundus, established in 2004. Senior students and researchers can receive EU scholarships for further study or research in EU countries. More details about Erasmus Mundus projects can be found via the relevant link.
V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University is also an associate partner of the MID project and a partner in the BMU-MID project. A list of all current academic mobility programs implemented at Karazin University is available on Facebook and Instagram.
For detailed information on participation in academic mobility programs, contact the Department of International Programs and Academic Mobility of the International Relations Office at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. The department coordinates and consults on international programs, organizes and monitors university international projects, and supports academic and research cooperation, including staff exchanges with foreign HEIs and organizations.