Successful Adaptation of First-Year Students to HEIs
On October 1, 2024, the Association of Higher Education Psychologists of Ukraine held an online webinar for first-year group curators titled “Optimizing the Adaptation Process of First-Year Students to HEIs.”
The goal of the meeting was to uncover the fundamental patterns of adapting recent high school graduates to the new educational process and exploring opportunities for personal development both in the educational environment and in extracurricular social interactions.
The topic drew significant interest from many colleagues—over 90 participants from various universities across Ukraine took part in the event.
Moderators of the event were:
- Lyudmyla Kolisnyk — Cand. of Psychol. Sc., practical psychologist at Sumy State University, visiting researcher at the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (Denmark), Deputy Chair of the Association of Higher Education Psychologists of Ukraine, and member of the Board of the National Psychological Association of Ukraine;
- Maryna Skladanovska — Associate Professor of the Department of Philosophy, Doctor of Philosophy, Head of the Psychological Service at Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture of the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies, member of the National Psychological Association of Ukraine, and member of the Board of the Association of Higher Education Psychologists of Ukraine.
Representatives from various universities across Ukraine shared their experiences in working with curators and first-year students:
- Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies — Maryna Skladanovska;
- Oles Honchar Dnipro National University — Viktoriia Lazarenko;
- Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University — Lyudmyla Opanasenko;
- Poltava State Agrarian University — Iryna Plaksiienko.
Yevsieieva Halyna Petrivna, Vice-Rector for Educational Work and Humanitarian Policy at the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies, raised some of the most pressing issues that concern nearly all participants during her speech:
What has been achieved, and what should colleagues be warned against? What challenges does martial law pose for adaptation efforts? How can we motivate modern students when working in a remote format? You can listen to the recording of this event, and even contact a psychologist to arrange a meeting with your group. Our university should become a comfortable environment for first-year students to receive education, develop, and shape their personal identity!