Sumy State University has summed up the results of its annual “SumDU Educational Innovations” competition, aimed at encouraging academic and research-teaching staff to develop and implement modern forms and methods of teaching. In 2025, the competition received 20 project submissions from 48 participants representing 21 departments and 2 structural units of the university.
Representatives of the Oleg Balatskyi Department of Management at Sumy State University won first place in the competition with their project “Implementing Community-Engaged Learning for Developing Socially Responsible Managers.”
The authors of the winning project are: Ihor Rekunenko, Yana Kobushko, and Yuliia Opanasiuk.
The project proposes rethinking the educational process by integrating learning with the real needs of the local community based on the Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) model. This approach extends the university’s educational environment and facilitates interaction between students, local authorities, civic organizations, and community residents.
The innovative character of the CEL model is manifested through:
- shifting from theoretical learning to solving real local development challenges;
- developing practical competences through participation in project-based activities;
- redefining the role of the instructor as a facilitator of partnerships;
- combining academic content with the practical context of the community.
The project equips future managers with competencies required to work under conditions of change, uncertainty, and high social responsibility, aligning with current educational trends in the EU.