Educational Leadership Days — 2026: Youth Section

On June 5, the youth section organized by the university’s student government was held for the third time at the Zaporizhia Polytechnic National University within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Forum “Days of Educational Leadership – 2026”. This year, the discussion platform was called “Students as Co-Creators of the University: Where Rules End and Opportunities Begin” and became a space for open communication, exchange of practical experience and search for new solutions in the field of student self-government.

The youth section became part of a large-scale forum that brought together educators, scientists, representatives of government bodies, student activists and young leaders from different regions of Ukraine. The participants focused on the issues of developing the university environment, involving young people in decision-making, and strengthening the role of students as full partners in the educational process.

The head of the student government of Zaporizhia Polytechnic National University, Anastasia Steshenko, addressed the audience with a welcoming speech, emphasizing the importance of the active civic position of students and their participation in the development of a modern university.

The key topic of the section was an open dialogue about the role of students in the higher education system. Representatives of higher education institutions from different regions of Ukraine shared their experience, practical developments and successful cases:
– Anastasia Steshenko (National University “Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic”) presented student initiatives as an effective mechanism for transforming the university environment
– Bohdan Manin and Oleksandr Gurzhiy (NTU “Dnipro Polytechnic”) raised the issue of interaction between student self-government bodies with the administration and communities
– Yevhen Petrushchenko (Tavria State Agro-Technological University named after Dmytro Motorny) shared his experience of transforming an online community into an active student movement
– Valentyn Chayka (Zaporizhzhia National University) spoke about the role of strategic vision in achieving real results.
– Darya Mudra (National University “Poltava Polytechnic named after Yuriy Kondratyuk”) presented practices for adapting student communities to modern challenges.
– Oleksandr Belov and Darya Kirov (Bohdan Khmelnytskyi Melitopol State Pedagogical University) focused on the social leadership of students in wartime conditions
– Alisa Lyutova (Hryhoriy Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University) demonstrated how student initiatives become a driving force for positive changes in the educational space

The moderator of the youth section was Sofia Stepanenko, Acting Head of the Educational Department of Zaporizhia Polytechnic National University.

After each speech, the participants actively joined the discussions, asked questions, compared the experience of their universities, shared successful practices and jointly sought ways to solve the current problems of the OSS. It is in such open conversations that new ideas, future projects and inter-university partnerships are born.

The youth section has become not only a discussion platform, but also a space for the unity of student youth from different regions of Ukraine. Representatives of Zaporizhia, Dnipro, Poltava, Kharkiv, Melitopol and other cities had the opportunity to exchange experiences, establish new contacts and form a common vision of the development of student self-government in today’s conditions.

It is especially important that such a large-scale event took place in Zaporizhia. Despite all the challenges of wartime, the city continues to live an active student life. The youth of Zaporizhzhia is active, united and ready to take responsibility for the future of their universities and the country.

We sincerely thank the organizers of the forum, the student government of the Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University, the speakers, partners and all participants for the meaningful dialogue. Together we are forming educational leadership that will become the basis of a strong, successful and restored Ukraine!

All photos from the youth section can be found in a few days on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nuzp_official/