In December 2024, the course “EU Ptoject Management” was successfully completed at the Oleg Balatskyi Department of Management, Sumy State University. The course was implemented within the Jean Monnet Module “Smart energy cooperation in Europe: educational project for youth leaders” (101048079 – ERASMUS-JMO-2021-HEI-TCH-RSCH) with the support of the European Union.
More than 100 students from various specialties and academic levels completed the course. The program aimed to develop both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in managing EU-funded projects, particularly in the fields of energy cooperation and sustainable development. The course covered essential topics such as the EU project lifecycle—from idea development and partner search to time management, budgeting, and project closure.
A blended teaching approach was used, combining flipped lectures, hands-on training, case studies, and group tasks. This methodology helped students build critical thinking, project planning abilities, and teamwork in interdisciplinary contexts.
During the course, students became familiar with key EU instruments such as PRAG, FTOP, DEVCO Academy, as well as project evaluation models, visualization standards, and principles of transparency and financial accountability.
By the end of the course, learners had gained a comprehensive understanding of opportunities to participate in European educational and research initiatives and deepened their knowledge of the EU’s role in supporting sustainability, energy efficiency, and regional cohesion. Students were also able to compare EU and Ukrainian approaches to project management and propose improvements to regional policy based on best European practices.