In order to protect the rights of students, their educational, scientific, and professional development, and increase public activity, the level of civic consciousness, and involvement in charitable activities, on September 11, the Ukrainian National Forestry University concluded a tripartite Memorandum on partnership and cooperation between the Ukrainian National Forestry University, the Charity Organization "Ukrainian Student League," and the Student Council of UNFU.

Rector of the University, member-cor. NAS of Ukraine, Prof. Volodymyr Zahorskyi, vice director of the "Ukrainian Student League" BO, Serhii Galchynskyi, and acting Head of the Student Council of UNFU, Yuliya Zongheim, realizing the importance of protecting students' rights, cooperation in educational, scientific, public, and charitable activities, and aiming to promote the implementation of social initiatives and student projects, decided to consolidate efforts.

On September 19–22, 2023, a delegation consisting of the rector of the Ukrainian National Forestry University, Volodymyr Zahorskyi, acting head of the Department of Environmental Economics and Business, Ion Dubovych, and director of the Stradchiv Forestry Plant of the Ukrainian National Forestry University, Oleg Danchuk, took part in the International Forestry Events held in the city of Jupiter, Constanta County, Romania.

As part of the events, the following took place:

The international conference "Modern problems of implementing sustainable forest use in different countries", at which the Minister of Ecology, Water, and Forest Resources of Romania Mircea Feket, the General Director of Forestry of Romania "Romsilva" Daniel Nicolaescu, as well as other high-ranking officials of forestry of Romania, professors presented their reports to the forestry faculties of Romania (Brasov and Suceava), representatives of forestry, and universities of various European countries (Bulgaria, Spain, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, and Ukraine);

Traditional projects of international academic mobility under the Erasmus+ program at the UNFU continue. In the fall semester of this academic year, two undergraduate students are studying at the University of Valladolid (Spain). The cooperation of UNFU with this university has been going on for more than 5 years, and this semester, for the first time, the list of specialties for which academic exchange can take place has been expanded. Thus, the mobility of IT students was added to the already usual mobility of forestry students and economics students.

The answers of Victoria Grenyukh and Yulia Sapsa, students of the "Information Systems and Technologies" specialty, to the most common questions about receiving an Erasmus+ scholarship are in this material.

How did you get the Erasmus+ scholarship?

Victoria: "I saw an announcement about the selection of students to study in Spain on the university's website. And when I realized that there was an opportunity to study abroad in my specialty, I applied immediately. First, I submitted all the necessary documents, and then there was an interview, which was held in English, where they asked general questions about the specialty, about me, and my motivation, which I successfully passed and later received an answer that I passed the selection."

What is the size of the scholarship, and where do you live?

Yulia: "The amount of the scholarship is 1,100 euros per month for one student. This amount is enough for everything you need for a comfortable life. I live in the city of Valladolid in an apartment because it is more profitable and more comfortable than living in a dormitory. The city fascinates with its architecture and atmosphere. There are an extraordinary number of events taking place in the city itself, and university organizations hold interesting thematic events for students."

What are the first impressions of the host university?

Victoria: "I immediately liked the host university for its openness and willingness to help. When I had any problems, the international department quickly found solutions. Now they also keep in touch with me and help me with organizational issues. In the first days of study, we had an "initiation" where we were told about the university, the city, and the opportunities at this university."

Julia: "My impressions of the University of Valladolid are very positive. Location of faculties, infrastructure, and organization of the educational process at a high level Even before arriving in Valladolid, I was helped with all the questions that arose. The university offers many types of activities, such as dance, wrestling, volleyball, and many more. Also, every student can get a student card, with which discounts are available in various restaurants, use of the gym, library, etc."

What subjects do you study?

Victoria: "My specialty is "Information systems and technologies", so here I study disciplines similar to those of our university, namely programming, mechanical engineering, telecommunication systems, and algorithms. The curriculum here is quite rich, and all the teachers are open and teach the material well, explaining everything in detail."

Yulia: "My study program at the host university is "Telecommunications". Here I study higher mathematics, numerical algorithms, machine learning, information and communication technologies in the automotive industry, and business economics and administration. Studying at the university is quite intense: many theoretical and practical tasks, performing laboratory work, working in groups, etc. The teachers explain the material in an excellent and accessible way, so there are usually no difficulties with understanding."

What are the main differences between studying in Spain and Ukraine?

Viktoria: "The teaching of the material is mostly different in Europe, because here we study some subjects from a completely different angle. I study with students from France and Germany, who confirmed that their studies are quite similar. If you have questions, you can always sign up for a consultation with a teacher who will help you solve problems."

Yulia: "First of all, the large number of optional disciplines to study is new for me. If in Ukraine, students are formed into one group and attend all classes according to the schedule, then in Spain, in particular, students choose which subjects to study and attend only those they need. I also like the trend that in the Spanish university there is no clear division between lectures and practicals, like here. During classes, lecture material is taught, during which students still discuss with the teacher and among themselves, after which we can be given practical tasks. Another difference is that in the virtual environment of a Spanish university, you can sign up for a consultation with teachers at any time convenient for both parties if certain difficulties arise. I have not heard of such a practice in our country."

What advice would you give to someone who is hesitating whether to study abroad?

Victoria: "Don't be afraid to try, because you never know how this step can turn your life around. Independent life abroad is always a change of outlook, new opportunities, new culture, emotions, people, and places. During my month of living in Valladolid, I met incredible people and visited wonderful places. It is also a great opportunity to improve your English and deepen your knowledge of the necessary subjects. You will always be helped here, because there are organizations from Erasmus that organize various events for students and also help you get to know the city and its features. Overall, this exchange program is a great opportunity to test yourself. I wish all future participants success."

Julia: "First of all, it is not to be afraid to take this step. I was also stopped by the thought that I would have to live for half a year in a completely different country with different values, languages, and mentalities. However, the desire to gain new experience was stronger. During the month of living and studying, I met many interesting and wonderful people and visited new places and events. During this period, I also improved my English and started learning Spanish. For people who are worried about not knowing the language—in Spain, many people speak English—communicating through a translator is also not a problem. The people here are wonderful and understanding. I would like to wish success to the future participants of the mobility program; let no difficulties stand in the way."

On September 28, 2023, an international cluster conference of the forestry sector on the topic "The wood market and the impact on the woodworking industry in today's realities" was held as part of the specialized international exhibition of the forestry, woodworking, and furniture industry, LISDEREVMASH (Kyiv).

This year's conference was opened with a welcoming speech by the Rector of the Ukrainian National Forestry University, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor Volodymyr Zahorskyi, who emphasized that productive interaction between the state, industry, education, and business is necessary for the development of the woodworking industry, and such an event can be a bridge to discuss and make constructive decisions that will contribute to solving the current problems of the forestry, woodworking, and furniture industries.

The staff of the Ukrainian National Forestry University received touching words of support during a charity concert held on September 28, 2023, in Cologne.

In the spring of this year, the UNFU was visited by a well-known German politician, a referent on issues of integration of the CDU political party, and a candidate for the European Parliament, Mustafa Al-Ammar. The purpose of the visit is to establish mutual relations to overcome today's challenges, provide support, and provide assistance. Mustafa Al-Ammar, as a peace ambassador, visited Ukraine back in 2013, and since then he has been studying problems in various spheres of life, and he is especially interested in the sphere of education. During the meeting, the Rector of the University, Volodymyr Zahorskyi, Professor of the Department of Environmental Economics and Business, Ihor Solovyi, and Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Educational Work and International Relations, Mykola Borys, had the opportunity to discuss with the guest the peculiarities of the educational process during martial law, talk about the university's material and technical needs, and raise the issue of energy supply.

Mustafa Al-Ammar said that the European Parliament has long been working on various programs to minimize dependence on the Russian Federation, introducing the use of alternative energy sources. This meeting was successful, and as a result, a concert of the Cologne Symphony Orchestra was held in support of UNFU, in particular for the repair of the heating and energy supply system of one of the educational buildings. The project is ongoing. After the concert in Cologne, which was designed to draw the attention of German society to our problems, the organization Humanitarian without Borders, headed by Mustafa Al-Ammar, is working to raise funds to implement the idea. We hope for the full implementation of this project!

On October 11, the initiator of Greening the Planet and the president of the Business Woman Club, Hanna Krysyuk, visited the Ukrainian National Forestry University at the invitation of the head of the primary trade union organization of students and postgraduates, Bohdan Kysil.

The Rector of the University and Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor Volodymyr Zahorskyi, held a working meeting with an extraordinary guest to discuss possible ways of cooperation and initiatives regarding the preservation and restoration of the Earth's ecosystem. Since the main focus of UNFU is fundamental and applied scientific research on topical sectoral and complex cross-sectoral problems of the socio-ecological and economic development of Ukraine, consolidation with such organizations as BO "Greening of Ukraine" is expedient.

For the implementation of joint projects, the leaders signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ukrainian National Forestry University and the "Greening of Ukraine" NGO, according to the provisions of which the parties will exercise their powers within the scope of the Greening of the Planet environmental project.

As the head of the International Staff of Aid to Ukrainians, Hanna Krysyuk presented Nadiya Klym, associate professor of the Department of Accounting and Auditing at UNFU, with a certificate of gratitude for patriotism, volunteering, and active support of charity projects.

Hanna Krysyuk's meeting with the students of the UNFU turned out to be no less interesting. They talked about important things: how to build a business from scratch, what business development strategies are most effective in times of challenge, how women's entrepreneurship develops, why businesses should pay attention to social responsibility, as well as how to plant 1 million trees by uniting 1 million people in 100 countries of the world per day.

At the end, the president of the Business Woman Club and the initiator of Greening the Planet, Hanna Krysyuk, invited the employees and students of the university to join the action "1 million trees of memory and life", which will take place on October 28.

Stanford University has announced another "2023 List of the World's Best 2% Scientists" in two categories. For another year in a row, the head of the Department of Technologies of Wood Composite Materials, Pulp, and Paper of the Ukrainian National Forestry University, Professor Pavlo BEKHTA, entered the list of the best scientists in the world in terms of citations to his publications. In addition, Professor Pavlo Bekhta ranks 8th on the list of the best scientists in the world in his scientific specialty, forestry and materials, and 29th on the list of the 98 best Ukrainian scientists. This year, only 5 scientists from Lviv were included in the ranking of the most influential scientists by citations in 2022: Sibyrnyi A. (14), Institute of Cell Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; Bekhta P. (29), NLTU of Ukraine; and three representatives of Lviv Polytechnic University: R. Tkachenko (32), I. Izonin (46), and V. Vysotska (58).

The ranking list contains the names of the top 2% of scientists whose publications are most often cited by other authors. The entire scientific output of individual scientists is evaluated according to a complex bibliometric index (the so-called C-score), which takes into account such criteria as the Hirsch index, the number of citations, the impact factor, and the place in the list of authors. The rating is divided into two lists: the first covers scientific achievements for the entire period of the scientist's professional activity (Table 1-Authors_caree), and the second covers only the achievements of 2022 (Table 1-Authors_singleyr).

The full list of outstanding scientists can be found at the following link:
https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/6

We sincerely congratulate Professor Pavlo Bekhta on his high achievements!

Recently, the adaptation course "Live Communication" was held at the Ukrainian National Forestry University, which was attended by the chaplain of the university, Fr. Bohdan Kulyk, and the deputy head of the Western Regional Administration, Colonel Dmytro Lishchynskyi. They talked about various things, but mostly about the war and its influence on people, in particular on the youth. The issues of families who lost relatives in the war were touched upon, and not without reason: by the Decree of the President of Ukraine, for personal courage and selfless actions shown in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and loyalty to the military oath, border hero Yuriy Zilinskyi (the father of a student of the NLTU of Ukraine) was awarded the Order "For Courage" III degree (posthumously).

The deputy chief of the Western Regional Administration, Colonel Dmytro Lishchynsky, presented the award to the daughter of the fallen defender. "Our hero fulfilled his duty with honor. He courageously accepted the battle, and his fame will be engraved in our memory and the history of our country. We will not forget the feat of our brother and do everything possible to bring victory closer. Glory to our warrior!" Dmytro Lishchynsky noted.

Border guard Yuriy Zilinsky gave his life to defending his native land from the enemy. Senior soldier (posthumously) Yuriy Zilinsky, as a member of the rapid response border commandant of the Donetsk border detachment, took part in repelling the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in the Donetsk region in December 2022. Yuriy bravely performed all firing tasks, always volunteered to be the first to advance to the position, and repeatedly came under artillery fire. On the night of January 9, 2023, the enemy went on the offensive with the support of artillery and mortar fire, attacking the positions of the defenders near Soledar. Despite the massive shelling and overwhelming enemy forces, Yuriy, as part of the border unit, courageously held the defense of the designated borders. In the end, after fierce battles, the unit was forced to retreat to other positions, but the enemy did not stop shelling. During the maneuver, Yuriy received shrapnel wounds that were not compatible with life. The Border Guard Hero is buried in the city of Radekhiv, Lviv region. Olena's wife became a widow. Two daughters were left without a father.

On October 18, the Rector of the Ukrainian National Forestry University and Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor Volodymyr Zahorskyi, held a working meeting with representatives of the Western Interregional Department for the Execution of Criminal Punishments of the Ministry of Justice (hereinafter referred to as the Criminal Justice Department of the Ministry of Justice). In particular, the chief of the Department of Criminal Justice of the Ministry of Justice, Ihor Tymochko, and the head of the department, Mykhailo Gordynskyi, were invited to social and educational work.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the possibilities of cooperation in terms of professional development, providing methodical and informational support to civil servants, as well as organizing and conducting joint scientific, communicative, and educational events. According to the heads of both institutions, the holding of various seminars, round tables, scientific and practical conferences, forums, and other informational and explanatory open meetings will contribute both to the improvement of the professional competences of the employees and will ensure the development of the professional training system at UNFU.

The formation of the personality as a bearer of intellectual, innovative, professional, and cultural potential is one of the priorities of the Ukrainian National Forestry University. That is why the university management strives to develop cooperation in solving the topical issues of revealing the creative abilities of student youth, involving them in scientific research work and professional orientation, and targeting preparation for studying at the UNFU. In order to consolidate efforts, the Rector UNFU, Professor Volodymyr Zahorskyi, the First Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work, Professor Oleksandr Sushinskyi, and the Director of the Lviv Regional Council Communal Institution, "Lviv Regional Small Academy of Student Youth Sciences," Ivanna Borodchuk, met on October 18 to discuss resource opportunities for cooperation. During the meeting, the goal and main directions for consolidation were agreed upon. The leaders agreed that joint activities would contribute to the formation of innovative human capital.

Taking into account all the advantages of consolidation, the rector, Volodymyr Zahorskyi, and the director of the Lviv Regional Small Academy of Sciences of Pupil Youth, Ivanna Borodchuk, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, according to the provisions of which: