TISC: Shaping Professionals with an Innovative Mindset

The Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC), recently established at Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies, with a core mission to promote the development of intellectual property and innovation activities, has actively joined the educational initiative “Intellectual Property Law Week at USUST.” As part of this initiative, the TISC team prepared and delivered a series of popular science lectures for first-cycle students.

On April 21, in recognition of World Creativity and Innovation Day, a lecture titled “Creativity as the Foundation of the Creative Industries” was delivered via the ZOOM platform to first-year students of the Scientific and Educational Institute of USUCT (SEI USUCT) and the Scientific and Educational Institute of DMetI (SEI DMetI). The lecture was conducted by leading specialists from the Department of Intellectual Property of SEI DMetI — Prof. Nataliya Korohod, Cand. of Ped. Sc., and Senior Lecturer Yevheniia Shvets. The moderator on behalf of TISC of USUST was Prof. Vitalii Petrenko, Dr. of Tech. Sc., Head of the Department of Intellectual Property, SEI DMetI.

On April 24, in celebration of World Book and Copyright Day, a lecture titled “Academic Integrity in Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” was given by Valentyna Babenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Ukrainian Studies, Documentation and Information Activities (UDIA) of SEI PSACEA, who is also a member of the TISC of USUST team.

The students and faculty of SEI PSACEA who attended the lecture gained valuable insights into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and systems in today’s educational process. These technologies are transforming learning into a more interactive experience and are enabling higher education to reach a new level of technological advancement. However, they also pose a serious threat to academic integrity.

On April 25, in observance of World Intellectual Property Day, a lecture-workshop titled “Innovative Entrepreneurship and Startups: From Idea to Implementation” was held for students of SEI DIIT and SEI DMetI, joined by students and faculty from SEI PSACEA.

The workshop was opened by Prof. Halyna Yevsieieva, Vice-Rector for Educational Work and Humanitarian Policy at USUST, Doctor of Public Administration, who emphasized that holding such events on today’s most pressing and relevant topics helps instill an innovative mindset in modern youth and fosters the correct perception of digital technologies. This, in turn, helps transform young people into the true technical elite of Ukraine — the kind of professionals USUST is preparing for the postwar reconstruction of the country.

The lecturer — Olha Lytvynenko, a TISC of USUST personnel member and Acting Head of the Scientific and Educational Center for International Cooperation of SEI PSACEA — introduced students and faculty to the services and opportunities provided by TISC of USUST and invited them to further collaboration. The audience received practical examples of startup development and helpful advice on launching their own innovative enterprises.

The lectures were organized, moderated, and conducted by TISC of USUST in collaboration with the Department of Student Educational Work at USUST during advisor sessions as part of the popular science lecture platform “Resilience of the Ukrainian Nation: History and Modernity.”