On November 12, 2025, the final event of the second cohort of the micro-credit educational program for retraining and social adaptation of internally displaced persons took place at Chernihiv Polytechnic National University within the framework of the project TURBO: “The Universities’ Reaction to Big Obstructions: Building resilient higher education to respond and manage societal crises.”

An honorary guest of the event, Volodymyr Rubtsov, President of the International Foundation for Social Adaptation, congratulated the graduates of the program and expressed gratitude to the university for the effective implementation of the educational component. In his speech, he emphasized that the TURBO project is an example of successful interaction between education, business, and the community aimed at supporting people who are seeking new opportunities for professional realization.

The event combined a pitching session of business ideas and a certificate awarding ceremony for program graduates. The participants presented their own projects that demonstrated their aspiration to develop local initiatives, create new jobs, and implement innovative approaches to doing business.

The Business Plan Competition Commission was chaired by Dr. Serhii Tsybulia, Professor, and Head of the University Employers’ Council. He highlighted the practicality and social significance of the presented ideas, as well as the participants’ readiness to implement them in their communities. The finalists of the competition were awarded gifts and distinctions from local businesses.

During the final event, the lecturers and mentors of the program emphasized the high level of preparation of the participants and their readiness to transform the acquired knowledge into real entrepreneurial initiatives. For most participants, the program became not only an educational experience but also an important stage of personal growth, resilience development, and self-confidence.

The project team sincerely congratulates all graduates of the second cohort, wishing them inspiration, courage, and success in implementing their business ideas. Ahead lie new opportunities, partnerships, and, without a doubt, success stories that will continue to grow within the TURBO community.

The TURBO project “The Universities’ Reaction to Big Obstructions: Building resilient higher education to respond and manage societal crises” aims to increase the resilience, preparedness and responsiveness of Ukrainian higher education institutions (HEIs) by building their capacities, improving competencies and sharing experiences.

This project has received funding from the European Union (ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE) under Grant Agreement No. 101129315.

This material reflects only the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official position of the European Union.