Bridging borders in the barn. Ukrainian food technology experts bring fresh perspectives to SLU

What does poultry farming look like on the other side of Europe? Students enrolled in the Animal Food Science course at SLU got a vivid answer this spring, when two distinguished researchers from Sumy National Agrarian University in Ukraine arrived on campus as Erasmus+ exchange staff.

Dr. Oleksandr Mykhalko delivered a lecture on "Poultry Production Systems", offering a detailed exploration of the structures, methods, and challenges that define how poultry is raised at scale. 

Dr. Yevheniia Dudnyk then took the floor with a lecture on "Meat Quality and Farm-to-Fork Integration", walking students through the journey that poultry products make from farm conditions to the final consumer, and the many quality checkpoints along the way. These two sessions gave students in the Agronomy and Food Science programme a rich, end-to-end picture of the sector.

A different perspective and why it matters

One of the most valuable aspects of the visit was the distinctly Ukrainian lens through which both lecturers approached their subjects. Poultry production systems and quality standards in Ukraine differ in meaningful ways from those in Sweden, shaped by different regulatory frameworks, climatic conditions, industry structures, and historical traditions. For SLU students, hearing these contrasts presented first-hand added a layer of real-world, international context that no textbook can fully replicate.

“Sharing our experience from Ukraine, the challenges we face, the methods we use, and how our industry is evolving, and seeing how SLU approaches the same questions was incredibly enriching. We hope the students back home will benefit from everything we have learned”, said Yevheniia Dudnyk.

Learning goes both ways

The exchange was not a one-way street. Over the course of their one-month stay at SLU, Oleksandr and Yevheniia immersed themselves in the university's research environment. They were introduced to new analytical methods used in food science, participated in lectures and seminars, and engaged with SLU colleagues in conversations that sparked ideas for future collaboration.

“Being here showed us that collaboration isn’t just about sharing results; it is about exchanging perspectives, challenging each other, and growing together in ways that wouldn’t be possible alone”, said Oleksandr.

This kind of mutual exchange is at the heart of the Erasmus+ programme and particularly meaningful given the ongoing context in Ukraine. The fact that academic connections and knowledge-sharing keep going strong really shows how resilient and dedicated researchers like Oleksandr and Yevheniia are.

About the Erasmus+ Staff Exchange Programme

Erasmus+ supports the mobility of university staff across Europe and partner countries, enabling educators and researchers to teach and train at partner institutions. The programme fosters academic collaboration, international understanding, and the sharing of expertise across borders.

For more information, contact: galia.zamaratskaia@slu.se