During the academic years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, our department made significant efforts to promote the concept of sustainable development among students, faculty, and the community.

One of the key achievements was the introduction of the course “Ecological Principles of Sustainable Development” in English, starting from the fall semester of 2021. This approach allows master’s students to master contemporary terminology, use the latest sources of information, and search tools when studying the concept of sustainable development, relying on materials from experts available in English.

Another significant contribution was the release of the educational handbook in English titled “Sustainable Development/Tutorial for Students of Specialty 101 ‘Ecology,’ 183 ‘Techniques and Technologies of Environmental Protection’ for All Study Forms” authored by T. Tykhomyrova, V. Sebko, V. Babenko. – Kharkiv, 2022. – 178p.

The last chapter of this educational manual is devoted to Ukraine’s steps towards sustainable development, taking into account the consequences of active military actions.In addition, methodological guidelines in English have been issued for the practical work on “Correspondence of Grant and Start-up Applications to Sustainable Development Goals” for students of various specialties.

Methodological guidance  for a practical work “Grant and start-up applications correspondence to  sustainable development goals” on the courses “Ecology” for students of specialty 185 “Oil and gas engineering and technologies” / T. Tykhomyrova, O. Shestopalov, T. Novozhylova  – kharkiv, 2022. –30р.

Since 2013, the department has been organizing an annual competition on ecological topics for schoolchildren, details of which can be found at https://web.kpi.kharkov.ua/htpe/zaproshuyemo-vzyaty-uchat-v-h-ekoforumi/. This competition aims to popularize conscious and caring attitudes towards nature among schoolchildren and fosters the dissemination of ecological knowledge among the youngest citizens of the country. Notably, in recent years, there has been a trend of an increased number of works dedicated to the consequences of climate change from the perspective of children, indicating their understanding of the issue, partly due to the enlightening efforts of various environmental organizations and the department.

In the formulation of research directions for Ph.D. candidates, great attention is given to developing an ecologically conscious approach to various technological processes. During the academic years 2022/2023, several dissertation research topics directly relate to the implementation and practical application of sustainable development concepts, such as the “Ecologization of Confectionery Production through Waste Utilization” by

1. O.V. Adashevsky under the supervision of Prof. V.B. Bairachny, and “Development and Implementation of Ecologically Safe Technology for Coffee Production and Consumption”
2. M.S. Kochetov under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. T.S. Tykhomyrova. «Development and implementation of an environmentally safe technology for the utilization of coffee production and consumption.»
3. K.V. Chikiryakin, under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. O.V. Shestopalov, with the title “Problems and Methods of Forming Ecological Culture in Society.”

Another research direction is the study of factors influencing the formation of ecological culture by K. V. Chikiryakin. The topic focuses on the problems and methods of cultivating ecological culture in society. The scientific advisor for this research is Associate Professor O.V. Shestopalov.

The educational concept for specialists in the field of Ecology (Specialty 101) aims to foster a scientifically grounded worldview based on understanding and implementing the principles of sustainable development in their professional activities.

This is achieved through the implementation of the following methodological developments during educational activities:

1. Introduction to the concept of sustainable development and sustainable development goals during the course “Introduction to the Specialty. Introductory Practice” in the first year.
2. Analysis of the alignment of technical solutions with sustainable development goals during the execution of calculation and course projects in professional-oriented disciplines.
3. Participation of students in methodological seminars on regional sustainable development issues.
4. Analysis of the alignment of sustainable development goals with regional development strategies, regional waste management plans during practical sessions.
5. Participation of students and faculty in workshops that demonstrate conscious waste management and production practices, which form the basis of sustainable development in the country.
6. Mandatory analysis of the alignment with sustainable development goals for all grant applications carried out by students and faculty, as well as during practical sessions of the course “International Cooperation and Grant Writing in Ecology.”
7. Involvement of department faculty in seminars, conferences, and meetings related to sustainable development topics.
8. Explanation of the fundamentals of sustainable development by department faculty during television and radio broadcasts at the regional level. Further details can be found at the link https://web.kpi.kharkov.ua/htpe/pryamij-efir-na-suspilnomu-radio-u-m-harkovi/.

The department offers various disciplines that focus on sustainable development and ensuring environmental sustainability. These include “Urban Ecology,” “Organization and Management in Nature Conservation,” “Norms of Anthropogenic Impact on the Environment,” and “Modeling and Forecasting Environmental Conditions” at the bachelor’s level. At the master’s level, disciplines such as “Ecological Foundations of Sustainable National Development,” “Management of Technogenic and Environmental Safety,” “Ecological Management,” and “Systems Theory in Ecology” also cover topics related to the implementation of sustainable development and environmental sustainability.

For students in non-ecological specialties at NTU KhPI, the courses “Ecology” and “General Ecology” allocate 6 to 10 hours to study sustainable development goals, their implementation in national legislation, and practical skills in aligning their own projects with these goals.

The department also teaches the discipline “Ecology” to international students studying for the specialty “Oil and Gas Extraction” in English. Most of these students come from Africa and Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Niger, Nigeria, and Libya. Besides understanding sustainable development goals, they are required to analyze how their country’s environmental programs and laws align with sustainable development goals. They present their analysis in the form of presentations during classes.

To foster ecological thinking and understanding of sustainable development, practical application of acquired knowledge is essential. The department uses computer simulations such as “Oligarch” and “Compass” to teach students how to combine economic development with environmental preservation in specific regions. Students must apply the principles of sustainable development in these simulations to achieve high grades in their projects.

At the end of each academic year, first-year students participate in the board game “Keep Cool,” which focuses on the issue of global warming and demonstrates how to balance a country’s development with environmental preservation.

An analysis of bachelor’s and master’s theses over the past five years shows a significant number of works devoted to the problems of sustainable development in regions and cities.

Here is a list of thesis topics related to sustainable development and environmental sustainability completed by students at NTU KhPI over the past few years:

• In the 2021/2022 academic year, due to the introduction of martial law, the final assessment of bachelors was conducted in the form of a state exam instead of defending their diploma projects.

The issues of implementing the concept of sustainable development in regions, improving mechanisms for the implementation of sustainable development, and adapting sustainable development goals to specific regional issues are constantly addressed by the faculty members and students of the department in their scientific publications (articles, conference papers).

List of publications by department staff:

http://repository.kpi.kharkov.ua/handle/KhPI-Press/7479