International Opportunities for Young Researchers: Guest Lecture
On June 3, 2025, as part of the implementation of the Jean Monnet Module project under the Erasmus+ program “European Practices in Media Education” at Bohdan Khmelnitsky Melitopol State Pedagogical University, a guest lecture was held for PhD students in specialty 011 Education, Pedagogical Sciences.
The lecture on “Global Opportunities: International Programs, Projects, and Grants” was delivered by Olena Ishutina, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Primary Education Theory and Practice at DSPU, and coordinator of the “European Practices in Media Education” project.
The distinctive feature of this lecture was the combination of theoretical knowledge with practical experience in implementing an international project. Olena Ishutina not only thoroughly revealed the diversity of types of international programs and grants available to modern researchers, but also shared her own experience of successfully obtaining and implementing an Erasmus+ grant. A detailed overview of the largest foundations and grant-giving organizations included European programs (Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions), American foundations, and global organizations. However, the central element was the demonstration of how theoretical knowledge about international opportunities translates into concrete results.
The lecture culminated in the presentation of the Jean Monnet Module project, “European Practices in Media Education.” The project coordinator shared all stages of work – from application preparation to current implementation, discussing both successes and challenges faced by the project team.
Students had the opportunity to learn about practical aspects of project management: coordination between participants, reporting to the grant provider, creating educational content that meets European standards, and establishing international academic connections.
The practical part of the lecture included specific recommendations based on the real experience of the project coordinator. Olena Ishutina shared strategies for finding relevant opportunities, and secrets of creating international research networks, and spoke about typical mistakes to avoid when applying for global grants. Particularly valuable were practical tools for effective grant searching and advice on writing compelling project proposals, which were tested during work on the “European Practices in Media Education” project.
The lecture took place in a creative and friendly atmosphere of cooperation, and the relevant and interesting topic for future researchers sparked lively discussions. Students had the opportunity not only to gain theoretical knowledge but also to see a real example of how Ukrainian scholars successfully integrate into the European educational space.
