In June 2025, the Chernihiv Polytechnic National University hosted the final pitching of innovative pedagogical projects as the final stage of the mentoring programme ‘Digital Tools and Technologies in Teaching Academic Disciplines’, which lasted from October 2024 to June 2025.

Sixteen young teachers with up to three years of experience participated in the programme. During the academic year, they studied at the School for Young Teachers and improved their teaching skills through a mentoring programme implemented as part of the Erasmus+ KA2 PROMENT project. The mentoring programme was coordinated by Liudmila Remnova. Support for the programme was provided by the University’s Tutoring and Mentoring Centre, the PROMENT international project team, and mentor teachers from various departments.

The pitching of pedagogical projects took place in two formats: offline on 17 June and online on 25 June. A total of 16 original projects were presented, aimed at improving teaching methods in the context of blended learning and the rapid development of digital technologies and digital tools. The topics of the projects were diverse, contemporary, and interesting for the mutual exchange of ideas and insights:

• · Relaunch of the discipline ‘System Programming’ (Artem Mylytsia);
• · Innovative teaching methodology using Jupyter Notebook as part of the course ‘Fundamentals of Radio Electronics’ (Bohdan Pakhaliuk);
• · Application of virtualisation technologies in laboratory and practical classes in disciplines that use laboratory stands, using the example of the discipline ‘Software for Specialised Computer Systems’ (Dmytro Horval);
• · Use of an AI-based chatbot assistant in teaching the discipline ‘Modelling, Analysis and Tools for Information Security’ (Ivan Burmaka);
• · CS talks: educational podcasts for students (Oleksandr Khropatyi);
• · The use of AI in creating presentations for classes in the discipline ‘Fundamentals of the Construction of Electric Transport of Various Classes’ (Mashkovtsev Dmytro);
• · Innovative project-based learning as a basis for launching start-ups in agriculture and forestry (Olha Lohosha);
• · Digital tools and technologies in teaching the discipline ‘Human Anatomy’ in a blended learning environment (Anna Apetsko);
• · Improving the teaching system for the discipline ‘Geodesy’ taking into account digital transformations in the industry (Serhii Zavorotnyi);
• · Creation of an electronic arboretum in teaching the discipline of dendrology (Serhii Derkach);
• · Project-based learning for future IT specialists by involving them in the development of an information and analytical system for managing logistics operations for the innovative restoration of the Chernihiv region (Oleksii Trunov);
• · Microcourse in Notion+ChatGPT as a digital learning format in a blended learning environment (Dmytro Kalchenko);
• · Innovative teaching technologies and the development of soft skills of higher education students within the discipline ‘Movement and recreational games’ (Artem Synytsia);
• · Using GitHub to build interaction between students and teachers (Ihor Diuba);
• · Gamification of practical classes in professional Ukrainian language: digital tools (Kateryna Sai);
• · Using digital technologies in the teaching of the discipline ‘Food Technologies’ (Nataliia Berezkyna).

This pitching demonstrated the high level of professional motivation of the participants, their openness to change and their readiness to introduce innovations into the educational process. The presented pedagogical projects became an example of a successful combination of theory and practice, individual growth and mentoring support. We are sincerely grateful to all participants of the mentoring programme for their active participation. Special thanks go to our mentors, who generously shared their knowledge, experience and belief in the potential of young teachers.

The School for Young Teachers and the Improvement of Pedagogical Skills will continue its work in the future, opening up new opportunities for professional development, cooperation and pedagogical discoveries.

The project is co-funded by the European Union, but the views and opinions expressed are those of the authors of this project and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the grant provider can be held responsible for them.