The inclusion of the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (NUWEE) into the SafeCREW consortium represents a significant advancement for the safety and sustainability of drinking water in western Ukraine. The objective is the transfer and adaptation of methodologies and practical approaches developed in SafeCREW to a less developed eastern European country. This objective will be accomplished by leveraging NUWEE's expertise in water research and access to drinking water distribution network infrastructure to adapt and implement the SafeCREW methodologies for the benefit of western Ukraine via 1) monitoring water quality in riverbank filtration (RBF) used for drinking water production; 2) using monitoring results for risk-based planning of future interventions; 3) implementing risk-based management through the creation of Water Safety Plans; 5) adapting hydraulic models and establishing soft sensors for conditions with limited data availability; 6) identifying regulatory and real-life gaps in Ukrainian and European drinking water quality guideline values; and 7) providing a roadmap for the establishment of a Centre for Excellence in Water Management at NUWEE. The activities proposed will be primarily carried out by NUWEE, in collaboration with other SafeCREW partners. This partnership with NUWEE serves as a valuable replication test case for transfer of EU water sector knowledge to less developed states, and is particularly timely for improving the safety and sustainability of drinking water for Ukraine, a candidate for EU accession. NUWEE’s inclusion will not only extend the reach of the EU DWD into Ukraine but also introduce the EU's science-based policy-making approaches to the Ukrainian water sector. By doing so, it will showcase NUWEE as a formidable research partner in eastern Europe and provide NUWEE with the tools to participate in further European research and innovation projects.

The overall goal of this project is to decrease the negative impact of aquaculture and fishery industry on the environment in Armenia and Ukraine through the designing and development of Master’s degree programs in aquaculture and fisheries, that is benchmarked to high-quality similar programs in Europe and responsive to national and regional needs, and strengthening the university-enterprise-research cooperation (concept “from education to ecology”). AFISHE project will create a network between Armenia, Ukraine and EU partner countries in the fields of aquaculture and fisheries. This network will serve as a platform for the implementation of joint educational and research activities with the purpose of promoting the best ecology-based approaches and activities in these fields in line with SDG goals and Green Deal. AFISHE project will strengthen university-enterprises cooperation resulting in the implementation of research-based and ecology-based operations and increasing operational effectiveness of aquaculture and fishery enterprises. The main activities of the project are the creation and development of Master’s degree study programs with all supporting materials, the establishment of laboratories, and the training of teaching and non-teaching staff of Armenia and Ukraine. The main results of the project are 3 new and updated Master’s degree programs in Armenia and Ukraine, teaching and learning materials, modernized infrastructure and well-trained teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as a network, established between HEIs and the labor market, who will contribute to education and retraining of needed specialists in Armenia and Ukraine. During the implementation of the project 44 teaching staff, 8 non-teaching staff, and each year about 25 Master’s students will benefit. Due to this project, a sustainable network will be created between Armenian, Ukrainian, EU universities and the labor market, which will act jointly on behalf of sustainable environment.

Safe and affordable supply of drinking water (DW) in the EU under the pressure of climate change is a key priority. Despite long-term experience with the reliable operation of disinfected and non-disinfected drinking water supply systems (DWSS), a number of challenges around microbial stability, the (future) need for disinfection and the consequences of disinfection by-products (DBPs) formation for human health remain open, directly deriving from climate change impacts such as increasing water temperature and higher levels of natural organic matter (NOM). SafeCREW aims to support the novel EU DW Directive by generating advanced knowledge and developing tools and guidelines for disinfected and non-disinfected DWSS and addresses improved comprehensive water quality characterization, novel treatment solutions to actively respond to identified threats, and the management of distribution networks to avoid water quality deterioration up to consumers. Novel data sets on the occurrence and concentration of so far unknown DBPs will be created, and commercial actors stimulated to further develop tools for DBP quantification and mitigation. Transferable tools will be provided to end-users (water utilities, national/EU regulators, researchers, SMEs), including: (I) reliable methods to evaluate microbial stability, characterise NOM, detect DBPs and account for DBP human health toxicity, (II) protocols to select proper materials in contact with disinfected water, (III) monitoring and modelling tools, also exploiting machine learning, for real-time optimisation of DWSS management, and (IV) an integrated risk assessment framework to guide future interventions which ensure that both disinfected and non-disinfected DWSS can continue providing safe DW in the face of climate change. SafeCREW will increase the preparedness of the EU water sector to challenges arising from climate change and will support the EU’s leading position in science-based policy making for DW consumer protection.

The project envisages integration of international students into Ukrainian educational space by means of cultural, ethnic, social and academic assets. This will be ensured by development and implementation of the Roadmap that consists of multiaspect approach towards students` integration as it envisagesthat IS will be involved to the life of University, have more communication with local students, learn EU and UA culture, way of life, values for better understanding and faster adaptation. Upgrading of administrative staff qualifications will increase efficiency of work, knowledge about cultural differences, and dealing with other cultures, master methods of communication, learn how to prevent conflicts and deal with them, Academic staff will also acquire EU experience andl earn more about methods of instruction in dealing with interculturalism, methodological features on pecularities of international students training, together with EU experts they will work on curricula, offered for IS to adjust it to the need and expectations of IS. More comfortable conditions for IS will be created by modernizing University infrastructure, learning of English by different categories of administrtive staff. The efforts will be directed on Ukrainian students and staff who will undergo cultural seminars, will be involved in promocampaign on interculturalism and tolerance. Dissemination part of the project is extremely important and it will cover the needs and demands of IS and HEIs on the natioanl level. The Ukrainian HEIs will see the benefits of the activities that will be widely disseminated at the seminars, social media, mass media, and due to participation of Ukrainian State Center for International Education. The measures will be taken to keep the project results sustainable.

"Establishment of new Master Courses (MCs) on “Energy Efficiency, Building Retrofitting and Energy Planning” in Ukrainian Universities (UAUs) and promotion of EU best practices in the terms of educational methodologies and specific knowledge related to the energy efficiency and sustainability of buildings. Three are the specific objectives:1. Curricular development tailored to labour market requirements and enable to support the employability expectations of graduates by training them with up-to-date methodologies in the field of energy sustainable buildings. The new study programmes will be implemented in the UAUs with different training directions according to the local needs. MCs will start in the 3rd project year with the completion of the 1st academic year. The development process will be completed by updating of didactical laboratories and new teaching aids materials to publish jointly between UA and EU teachers. 2. Links university-enterprises: to develop a networking system among UAUs and stakeholders to remedy to the currently fragmented scientific background in Energy Efficiency and Sustainability and to the lack of distribution of knowledge, expertise, info and data.3. An ""EU - Ukraine Green Deal Network” will be officially established, to enhance in tangible and actual terms the leading role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in policies related to Energy Efficient and Sustainable Buildings, keeping into due account both the requirements set by UN 2030 Agenda, with specific reference to SDGs 7, 10, and 11, and the priorities of the EU Green Deal. UKRENERGY will also spread and promote UA awareness related to the EU policies referred to Sustainable and Energy Efficient Buildings and to enhance the approach towards EU best practices.Main beneficiaries of the outputs to be produced will be (about): 120 UA Sr. teaching staff, 60 UA Jr. teachers and assistants, 200 final year students / new graduates and students to enrol to the new Master Courses."