The 19th International Scientific and Practical Conference at WUNU: innovation, post-war recovery and global challenges take centre stage for young researchers
On 19 January 2026, West Ukrainian National University hosted the 19th International Scientific and Practical Conference for Young Researchers and Students, entitled ‘Innovative Processes in Economic and Socio-Cultural Development: Ukrainian and Foreign Experience’ The event was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of WUNU's founding and the 100th anniversary of the birth of the eminent Ukrainian economist and public figure Bohdan Hawrylyshyn.
The conference was organised by the staff of the Department of International Economic Relations at WUNU, with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and international partners: Inholland University (Netherlands), Aarhus University (Denmark), Wroclaw University of Economics (Poland), the British Columbia Institute of Technology (Canada), Indiana Wesleyan University (USA), and the Ukrainian Association of International Economists.
The event was held as part of the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Module project and the fundamental research project ‘The Concept of Ukraine’s Recovery and Green Rebuilding’.
The plenary session, held in the WUNU Exhibition Hall and streamed live on Zoom and Facebook, brought together top experts. The moderator, Roman Zvarych, Head of the Department of International Economic Relations at WUNU, opened the discussion with a presentation entitled ‘Geo-economic Confrontation and the Transformation of the Architecture of the World Economic Order’.
Key speakers included: Andriy Krysovatyy (Chair of the Academic Council at WUNU) – ‘Modern financial mechanisms for innovative leadership in the economy’; Yuriy Deineka (Head of the Strategic Development Department at Ternopil City Council) – ‘Strategic urban development based on innovation and sustainability’; Tetiana Chubak (Director of the ‘Podolyany’ Shopping Centre, Honorary Consul of Hungary) – ‘Business, Philanthropy and International Partnership as Drivers of Modern Urban Development’; Nelli Ukhova (Dresden University of Technology, Germany) – experience of scaling internationalisation through COIL; Bjarne Rerup Schlichter (Aarhus University, Denmark) – ‘United Minds: overcoming challenges through collaboration and learning’; Svitlana Kominko (British Columbia Institute of Technology, Canada) – ‘Learning Despite the War: The Resilience of Ukrainian Education’; Oleksandr Sokhatskyi (WUNU) – ‘War as a Driver of Transformation in International Economic Relations’.
The second part of the plenary session was devoted to entrepreneurship and business, with presentations by Oksana Kachurivska (West Ukraine Digital), Anastasia Papernyiak (founder of the VIDVERTO brand), Oleh Lehkyi (Koala Masters), Ihor Pavlyshyn (Westfield AGRO), Oleksandr Melnychuk (Auto Vita Centre) and others. Students presented comparative studies of the corporate cultures of Monobank and RBC, as well as Ukraine’s position in the global context of economic freedom.
Participants worked in six thematic sections, where they discussed the most pressing challenges: international economic relations in the 21st century: global markets for lithium, tin, gold, nickel, cryptocurrencies, ESG management, green investments, sanctions and the transformation of supply chains; prospects for the development of the national economy: Ukraine’s investment climate in the context of European integration, post-war reconstruction, the green economy, the defence-industrial complex, and inclusive business; the international business and marketing environment: digital strategies, LLM in marketing, trade marketing, branding on TikTok, and the impact of globalisation on multinational corporations; the latest approaches in the theory and practice of international management: crisis management, cross-cultural management, HR in the digital age, cultural intelligence; modern information technologies and artificial intelligence: AI in strategic management, digital transformation, automated recruitment systems, big data in business; intercultural communication and business communication: empathy in business etiquette during wartime, translation of diplomatic texts, cultural sensitivity in global teams.
Participants – students, early-career researchers and lecturers from Ukraine, Poland, the Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Denmark, Canada and the USA – presented over 180 paper abstracts. All papers have been checked for originality, and the best ones will be published.
The conference served as a powerful platform for sharing experiences and generating ideas that will aid the country’s post-war reconstruction and green transition. International cooperation, innovation, sustainability and youth initiative – these were the themes that brought participants together and demonstrated that, even in difficult times, Ukrainian science and education continue to thrive on the global stage.
Conference proceedings, a collection of abstracts and video recordings of the plenary session are now available on the WUNU website and on the social media pages of the Department of International Economic Relations.
West Ukrainian National University would like to thank all the speakers, participants and partners for their active involvement!
