January 26–30, 2026, Sigma Software University, together with its partners, organized an intensive program for teachers of secondary and higher educational institutions of Ukraine — Teachers’ Smart Up: Winter Edition 2026. The event brought together educators and IT professionals from Ukraine and Europe for the exchange of practical experience and professional discussion of current trends in education and technology. The intensive was attended by lecturers of the Department of Computer Science of KNEU, in particular: S. V. Ustenko, guarantor of the educational and professional program “Information Management Systems and Technologies”; O. M. Pomazun, guarantor of the educational and professional program “Computer Science”; Yu. M. Lozovyk, Deputy Head of the Department for Research.

The five-day intensive took place in the format of exchanging practical experience and professional dialogue. Within the program, participants attended lectures and practical sessions delivered by leading mentors and experts from the educational and IT sectors, including representatives of Sigma Software, Google DeepMind, as well as leading educational and STEM organizations of Ukraine and Europe.

The discussions focused on topical issues of applying AI solutions in education, the development of agent-based AI systems, integration of STEM projects, the use of UI/UX design in educational solutions, the implementation of robotics, and the formation of engineering thinking among students. Considerable attention was also paid to establishing effective interaction between education and industry, taking into account the needs of the modern labor market.

The first day of the intensive was opened by Maksym Pochebut, Chief Learning Officer at Sigma Software, PhD, Associate Professor, PMP, who welcomed the participants and set the overall tone of the event. The first lecture was delivered by Olena Bakhchedzhioglu, PhD in Statistics, teacher-methodologist and lecturer at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, on the topic “Competency-Based and Activity-Based Approaches in Education: Applied and Life Mathematics.” The day concluded with Pavlo Husevyk, a teacher of physics, engineering, and robotics, PhD in Physics, with a presentation titled “How to Create a Science Center at School, or the Experience of Preparing Winners of the Genius Olympiad.”

The second day was dedicated to modern approaches to the use of artificial intelligence. The lecture was delivered by Khrystyna Dolynska, Software Developer / ML Engineer at Sigma Software, on the topic “Why ‘Classic RAG’ Does Not Work: From Information Retrieval to Self-Correcting and Agent-Based AI Systems.” Participants discussed the evolution of RAG systems, the limitations of traditional approaches, self-correcting AI models, as well as the construction of agent-based systems with defined goals and tools.

The third day focused on design, development, and AI. The lecture “AI Tools for UI/UX Designer” was delivered by Yuliia Hroza, UI/UX Designer and trainer at Sigma Software University, focusing on the integration of AI tools into design processes. In addition, Maksym Vasylyshyn, Full-Stack .NET Developer and mentor, delivered a presentation titled “Full-Stack Web Development and Modern Technologies,” sharing practical cases of building web applications and designing architectural solutions.

The fourth day had an international format. A lecture in English was delivered by Claudia Ghouri, CEO of Einfach Genial gGmbH (Hanover), on the topic “iRobot Factory — Edutainment for Schools & Universities,” presenting an educational approach in which students can program robots in a 3D environment. Anastasiia Myhun, Head of the Department of STEM Education, also spoke on the topic “Project-Based Approach in the Implementation of STEM Projects,” demonstrating how to transform traditional lessons into full-fledged STEM projects.

The final, fifth day combined topics of robotics, engineering, and science in BigTech. The lecture “Engineering and Robotics Projects: Integration Experience” was delivered by Viktoriia Konofolska, a robotics expert, who presented practical cases of school STEM education. The concluding presentation was given by Serhii Kashubin, Research Engineer at Google DeepMind (Protein Function Discovery), with the talk “Shipping Science: Research in Industry,”dedicated to the application of AI in scientific research in BigTech.

Participation in Teachers’ Smart Up: Winter Edition 2026 contributed to the renewal of professional competencies of lecturers, the exchange of modern educational practices, and the strengthening of the integration of innovative technologies into the training of students in IT-related fields.

The event provided an opportunity not only to acquire new knowledge and practical skills, but also to establish professional exchange of experience with Ukrainian and international experts, which will contribute to the further improvement of educational programs of the Department of Computer Science and the development of competencies in the fields of computer science, information systems, and innovative technologies.

The lecturers of the Department of Computer Science of KNEU sincerely thank Sigma Software University and its partners for organizing the Teachers’ Smart Up: Winter Edition 2026 intensive, as well as all lecturers, mentors, and experts for their thorough practical experience, professional knowledge, and inspiration, which open new opportunities for the implementation of modern technologies, AI solutions, and STEM projects in the educational process.