Within the framework of the Summer School, held with the assistance of the Center for Water Resources of Newcastle, scientists and postgraduate students of NUWEE for two weeks studied the general topics of research in the field of water resources with colleagues from the University of Newcastle (Great Britain).

The summer school, funded by British-Ukrainian research and engineering grants from Universities UK International (UUKi), is part of the PEACE-R2UK initiative (Programme for Expanding Academic Cooperation to Ensure Regenerative Reconstruction in Ukraine).

First, the delegation visited the Krakow Agricultural University (Poland), where representatives of NUWEE participated in a joint seminar.

In particular, senior lecturer of the Department of Urban Construction and Economy Olha Shevchuk, Associate Professor of the Department of Heat and Gas Supply, Ventilation and Sanitary Engineering Oleksandr Hrytsyna and Associate Professor of the Department of Land Management, Cadastre, Land Monitoring and Geoinformatics Vasyl Korbutiak delivered reports.

The presented scientific studies related to the features of rainwater drainage from urban areas, the assessment of channel process parameters and the strategy of modernization of wastewater treatment systems and public health protection in the context of the recovery of Ukraine.

Then the delegation went directly to Newcastle University. The summer school for our delegation was opened by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle and the vice-chancellor and president of the university with speeches about the solidarity of the city and the university with the people of Ukraine.

It is worth noting that the cooperation between the University of Newcastle and NUWEE began at the beginning of 2023 with a seminar initiated and organized by the professor of the Department of Hydraulic Engineering and Hydraulics Yevhen Gerasimov and his fellow scientists to identify common research interests. The summer school strengthened the ties between the academic communities of both universities. Scientific leader of the NU-NUWEE partnership Newcastle University is Dr. Dana Ofiteru, a senior lecturer in the School of Engineering.

At a British university, our scientists and graduate students took part in thematic discussions related to the built environment, integrated management of water intake and hydrotechnical structures. The next similar initiatives are already planned.

The participants of the Summer School visited laboratories and university facilities, visited the reconstructed Stevenson building - the center of the engineering school and research, teaching and interaction, language learning, as well as the Old Library, Cragside, Lindisfarne and Bamburgh Castle. In addition, the delegation visited the BEWISe (Biological Engineering: Large-Scale Innovations in the Field of Water Treatment).

In turn, graduate students of NUWEE, with the support of the University of Newcastle, received an excellent opportunity to continue their scientific research in the field of hydraulic engineering at the mentioned university, starting from September 2023.

Natalia PARKHOMCHUK,
Department of Public Relations