Project Name: Sustainable Agri-Futures: Empowering Climate Resilience and Green Growth in Higher Education/Safer (101237810 - ERASMUS-EDU-2025-CBHE-STRAND-1)

Project Description: The EU Erasmus+ KA2 project SAFER aims to improve education in the field of climate resilience and sustainable agricultural development, and is distinguished by its extremely radical initiative through the recognition of education in the field of sustainable agriculture, the use of modern digital technologies and an innovative approach to creating a space for the exchange of ideas and skills between EU and non-EU countries. The project integrates advanced scientific research and practical approaches (Sustainable Development Goals – Quality Education; Climate change; EU Green Deal; Agriculture; Circular Economy) into modern educational programs, making them more relevant and effective. In order to address the complex interdisciplinary issues related to climate change, agriculture and entrepreneurship, the SAFER project brings together an international consortium from Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Egypt and Jordan.

The project aims to improve agricultural pedagogy and implement sustainable farming practices that meet the needs of different regions, based on existing multi-year research and other projects.

The main objectives of the project are:

• to train students and professionals in the best practices of sustainable agricultural production

• to ensure and increase the accessibility of educational materials through digital

platforms and tools

• to promote international participation in climate-smart agriculture for the collective application of competencies and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills

Key Activities and Methodology:

1. Stakeholder engagement and needs assessment: Identification of specific training needs of higher education institutions (HEIs), institutional workshops and surveys

2. Design and implementation of relevant educational programmes, involving a wide range of stakeholders such as HEIs, local authorities and regional businesses

3. Organisation of training sessions and workshops focused on active participation and attendance of education stakeholders

Digital Learning Resources and Curriculum Development:

1. Development of a new modular curriculum addressing the unique agricultural and climatic challenges of the region in terms of content, learning outcomes, and awarded ECTS credits (including facilitation of credit transfer and progression within the EU)
2. Adaptation and translation of the curriculum into the languages of non-EU partner countries to ensure accessibility and compliance with local academic standards
3. Development of a digital learning platform for education in remote and underserved regions, utilizing multilingual tools and resources

Industry and Community Cooperation:

1. Establishment of long-term partnerships with agri-food sector stakeholders to promote knowledge exchange and cooperation
2. Development of student internships, study visits, and facilitation of cooperation between higher education institutions, business leaders, and communities for the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices

Dissemination and Exploitation of Results:

1. Awareness-raising and dissemination of project achievements through a final conference, newsletters, analytical reports, and the project website
2. Engagement of stakeholders such as the commercial sector, non-governmental organizations, and rural communities to identify, showcase, and disseminate success stories and best practices

Project Duration: 01.10. 2025 – 31.09.2028

UzhNU project team:

1. Tetyana Buturlakina – Director of the Career Center of UzhNU, Assoc.Prof., PhD in Economics ( Project Manager from UzhNU)

2. VitaliySymochko – Head of the Department of Horticulture and Viticulture, Assoc.Prof., PhD in Biology 

3. Olena Savina  – Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor of the Department of Horticulture and Viticulture 

4.Mariia Marionda  – Deputy Chief Accountant

5.Stepan Zozulya – Head of Educational Laboratories, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Horticulture and Viticulture

Total Project Grant:

 399,163.50 EUR

Grant Amount for UzhNU :

48,342.60 EUR

Lead Partner:

International Hellenic University (IHU, Thessaloniki, Greece)
  https://www.ihu.gr/en/

Project Partners:

Varna University of Management (VUM, Bulgaria)
    https://vum.bg/

Uzhhorod National University (UzhNU, Ukraine)
    https://www.uzhnu.edu.ua/

    Kherson State University (KSU, Ukraine)
          https://www.kspu.edu/

The Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport  (AASTMT,Egypt)

      https://aast.edu/en/

    Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development (HU, Egypt)
  https://hu.edu.eg/

      Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU, Jordan)
https://www.bau.edu.jo/

 Al al-Bayt University (AABU, Jordan)
      https://www.aabu.edu.jo/