Växjö University is on its way towards establishing a whole new cooperation with the National University of Electronics in Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv. Using modern IT technology, this autumn, 50 students from Ukraine will be able to coordinate and study with the 15 students studying business-to-business at Växjö University.
Representatives from Växjö University, the Kharkiv National University of Electronics, and Sigma Technology met yesterday to discuss the cooperation agreement between the universities. The picture shows, from the left, Niklas Malmros, Sigma Technology, Victoriya Repka and Zoya Dudar, Kharkiv University, Gösta Sundberg, Roger Lindqvist, and David Nadel, Växjö University.
The initiative came from the information logistics consultancy Sigma Technology which, since spring 2006, has an office in Kharkiv.
“This will be a cooperation that everyone involved will benefit from,” said Niklas Malmros, vice president for service development at Sigma Technology.
Two representatives from the Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, professors Zoya Dudar and Victoria Repka, have been guests at Växjö University since Sunday.
Cooperation Agreement
They are here to discuss the cooperation agreement together with Gösta Sundberg, David Nadel, and Roger Lindqvist from the Växjö University Mathematical Institute, which will be signed before the two guests leave for Kharkiv today, Tuesday.
“Because we visited Kharkiv earlier, this is a return visit where we also want to get to know each other better and thus develop our cooperation. Both gave Växjö and the environment around the university very high praise which, of course, feels good,” said Roger Lindqvist.
High Regards
Gösta Sundberg has high regards for the students involved from Kharkiv.
“As far as software development, they’re absolutely as capable as we Swedes,” he said.
If everything goes according to plan, the exchange of information will begin in September.
Gösta Sundberg also believes that, in time, there may be student exchanges between the universities. “At this time, we don’t expect many of our students to begin studying in Kharkiv. However, there might be more students from Kharkiv applying to study at Växjö. However, we’re focusing on distance courses,” said Gösta Sundberg.
The initiator for the exchange, Sigma Technology, is a new company within the stock market listed Sigma group, built up following the acquisition of parts of the British company Technology at the start of 2007. Sigma established itself in Ukraine by acquiring Eclipse SP in the spring of 2006.
30 000 Technology Students
In Kharkiv, previously a center for Soviet space research and development, 30 000 technology students graduate from the city’s university annually.
“Because Sigma has offices in both Växjö and Kharkiv, we saw an opportunity to cooperate with both universities. We can offer students projects here in an international environment, and with cross-border cooperation,” said Niklas Malmros at Sigma Technology.
Source: Smålandsposten, 8 May 2007 (translated)