Research Institutes:

The Berdyansk State Pedagogical University is a modern higher education institution, a center of education, science, and culture in the Northern Azov region, a multi-disciplinary educational and scientific complex, within which operate research institutes:

• In the Institute of Nanotechnology (Director – Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Yana Sychikova), fundamental research is carried out funded by the state budget and the “Cambridge – NFDU 2022. Individual Grants for Research (Developments) for Ukrainian Scientists (supported by the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)” program. International research with synchrotron radiation is conducted, and there is collaboration with foreign colleagues within the framework of COST Actions CA20129 – Multiscale Radiation and Chemistry, Processes Driven and Associated Technologies (MultIChem) and COST Action CA20126 – Research Network, Innovation and Product Development in Porous Semiconductors and Oxides (NETPORE), as well as with the Max IV Beamline “FinEstBeAMS” Proposal ID 20220500, DESY Photon Science PETRA III beamline P66, and the League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources – LEAPS – National Synchrotron Radiation Centre SOLARIS.
• In the Research Institute of Historical Urban Studies (Director – Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Victoria Konstantinova), multi-faceted scientific research is conducted on urban history oral historical studies with the formation of an archive of oral history interviews; work is carried out as part of the editorial board and authors of the historical-cultural almanac “Frontiers of the City”; a repository of film documents on urban history is being formed. The public activity of the institute is aimed at popularizing the history of cities and at the interaction of scholars with society.

Since 2011, the Berdyansk State Pedagogical University (BDPU) has operated an Archaeological Laboratory. Over the years, numerous studies and expeditions have been carried out not only in Ukraine but also abroad (Biala, Bulgaria). The first area of the laboratory’s work involves archaeological surveys and excavations, and the second – the preparation of scientific reports and publications on the work conducted. Annual scientific reports (as manuscripts) are provided to the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU) and are stored in the scientific archive.

Within the Department of Social Communications, there are Laboratories For Radio Journalism And Television Journalism, which allow students of the Journalism specialty 061 to develop practical skills in creating radio and television programs within the course “Journalistic Profession”. These laboratories also serve as a platform for organizing activities for the student internet radio “Crazy Wave” and the student television channel StudMedia BDPU.

The Educational and Speech Therapy Laboratory is a structural unit of the Faculty of Preschool, Special, and Social Education, created for the application by students of the specialty 016 Special Education of their theoretical knowledge during the provision of corrective-developmental assistance to children with functional speech disorders, conducting consultative and educational activities among the population, testing scientific research, and conducting the pedagogical experiment of the research work without interruption from training.

Scientific projects:

The university is conducting research on “Design of an Inclusive Educational Environment” (led by Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor Olga Gurenko) supported by the National Research Foundation of Ukraine. Fundamental studies on the preparation of specialists for professional activities are being carried out, in particular, state budget research projects such as “Theoretical and Methodological Foundations for the Systematic Fundamentalization of Training Future Specialists in the Field of Nanomaterial Science for Productive Professional Activity” (led by Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor Igor Bogdanov), “The System of Distance and Blended Profiled Training of Future Nanoengineers for the Development of New Dual-Use Nanomaterials” (led by Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor Anastasia Popova). Also, an important scientific direction of the university is the research of new nanostructured materials for photonics and solar energy, in particular, state budget research on “Development of Technology for Assessing the Quality and Safety Indicators of Nanotechnology Products throughout the Life Cycle” and the project under the Cambridge – NRFU program “Design and Research of Oxide Heterostructures for Portable Solar Cells” (led by Yana Sychikova).

Scientific networking:

University scientists are members of the leading committees and working groups of COST Action, including:

• Women on the Move (Igor Lyman, Victoria Konstantinova);
• MultIChem (Yana Sychikova);
• Researcher Mental Health (Natalia Tsybuliak);
• NETPORE (Yana Sychikova).

Open Science

As a result of the competitive selection of Erasmus+ projects, Berdyansk State Pedagogical University is today among the implementers of the project “Open Science for the Ukrainian Higher Education System” (Open4UA). The corresponding project application was selected for funding within the framework of Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education – STRAND-3.

The project aims to reform the higher education system by prioritizing open science and improving the scientific activity assessment system according to the principles of CoARA.

Professor Igor Lyman of BDPU, as the coordinator of the Scholar Support Office, focused particularly on promoting opportunities to join the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) and to sign the “Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment.” He also participated in developing this agreement in summer 2022, signed it in November 2022 on behalf of the Presidium and the Board of the NGO “Innovative University,” and voted at the CoARA Founding Assembly in December 2022. CoARA was initiated by Science Europe, the European University Association (EUA), and the European Commission. CoARA unites organizations that fund research, research-performing organizations, national/regional evaluation bodies, and agencies, as well as associations of the aforementioned organizations and scientific societies, which are committed to implementing reforms in the research assessment system.

Like QUARE, Berdyansk State Pedagogical University’s previous Erasmus+ Capacity building in Higher education project, Open4UA is one of the few structural projects that envisages a systemic impact at the country level: within its framework, draft laws and other regulatory documents will be developed, and tools for institutional reform will be prepared and tested.

Priority directions of the university’s scientific research:

• Mental health, research on teacher burnout (direction coordinator – Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor Natalia Tsybuliak)
• Research on the impact of war on academic potential (direction coordinator – Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor Hanna Lopatina)
• Research on scientific migration and the Ukrainian scientific diaspora (direction coordinator – Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Ihor Lyman)

Preparation of candidates and doctors of sciences:

At the Berdyansk State Pedagogical University, training is carried out in 6 scientific specialties: 011 Educational, pedagogical sciences; 014 Secondary education (by subject things); 015 Vocational education (by specializations); 032 History and archaeology; 035 Philology; 051 Economics.

A specialized academic council D 18.092.01 is in operation (chair – Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor Ihor Bohdanov) for the awarding of the scientific degrees of Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences and Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences in the specialties:

• 13.00.02 – Theory and Methodology of Teaching (Physics);
• 13.00.04 – Theory and Methodology of Professional Education.

Council of Young Scientists

The Council of Young Scientists of BSPU (chair – Anastasiia Popova) successfully organizes and promotes the research and innovation activities of students and young scientists. The Council assists participants in finding investment funding, conducting project presentations, and participating in conferences and exhibitions. Moreover, it fosters the development of creative abilities and research skills of its members by organizing training sessions and seminars on these topics. Thanks to the activities of the Council of Young Scientists, students and young researchers have the opportunity to realize their ideas and projects, implement their scientific developments in practice, gaining valuable experience and support on their path to career success.

Nanoart. Science is Art

Nanoart is a direction of contemporary art that combines science and art at the nanoscale. It involves creating images that utilize nanomaterials obtained with high-tech equipment (project manager – research associate Serhiy Kovachov).

The aim of nanoart is not only to create visually appealing images but also to popularize science. This genre demonstrates the beauty and complexity of the micro world, stimulating interest in scientific research and understanding the world at the atomic level.

During the war, the project “Nanoart. Science is Art” was transformed into “Nanoart. The New Symbolism of Science.” It is dedicated to Ukraine’s struggle for independence and future victory. Through the inseparability of art and culture, the project seeks to convey to the world the need to support our scientists, artists, and all Ukrainians. Not everyone is on the front lines right now, but we can work on our battlefield, where we are strong. The new slogan of the project is “Science and art should be for peace, not war.”