From 20 to 24 July 2026, Sigma Software University, together with its partners, held the 10th anniversary season – the summer intensive Teachers’ Smart Up: Summer Edition 2026 for lecturers of higher education institutions and professional pre-higher education institutions of Ukraine. The event brought together educators and representatives of the IT industry to discuss modern approaches to teaching, the use of artificial intelligence, the development of professional competencies, and the transformation of the educational process.

Lecturers of the Department of Computer Science of KNEU took part in the intensive, including: L.V. Vasylieva, Guarantor of the Educational and Professional Programme Artificial Intelligence Systems; O.M. Pomazun, Guarantor of the Educational and Professional Programme Computer Science; S.P. Rippa, Professor of the Department; Ya.Yu. Vozniuk, Deputy Head of the Department for Educational and Methodological Work; Yu.M. Lozovyk, Deputy Head of the Department for Research; and N.V. Volkova, Senior Lecturer of the Department.

The five-day intensive programme was devoted to the current challenges of modern education, the integration of artificial intelligence into the educational process, the development of interdisciplinary approaches, project-based learning, partnership between education and business, the digital transformation of educational institutions, and the formation of professional competencies of future specialists. During the event, participants became acquainted with practical cases of implementing AI technologies, modern educational methodologies, and the successful experience of Ukrainian universities, IT companies, and professional communities.

The first day was opened by Maksym Pochebut, Chief Learning Officer at Sigma Software, PhD, Associate Professor, PMP, who outlined the key directions of the intensive and emphasized the importance of developing modern educational practices and cooperation between education, the state, and the IT industry.

The lecture "Project-Based Approach in Teaching and Learning Using the Example of the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet FREEGOOD Project" was delivered by Ella Derkach, Professor at Vasyl’ Stus Donetsk National University. The day concluded with Yaroslav Sohor, education expert at the NGO Prostir Suspilnykh Initsiatyv (Space of Public Initiatives), who shared practical approaches to creating interdisciplinary tasks for social sciences and humanities disciplines.

The second day was devoted to the development of leadership competencies and the professional growth of lecturers. The lecture "Dos and Don’ts for a New Manager" was delivered by Zane Eaton, Operations Director at Dish Ukraine, who spoke about the key skills of a modern manager and the typical mistakes made by new managers. The programme continued with Tetiana Botsian, Project Development Analyst at Kharkiv IT Cluster, with the lecture "Grow Without Borders: How to Find a Community, Resources, and Global Opportunities", dedicated to international educational initiatives, professional communities, and opportunities for continuous professional development.

The third day was devoted to the development of critical thinking and modern educational methodologies. The lecture "Mathematical Thinking in the Era of Ready-Made Answers" was delivered by Dmytro Bobyliev, who highlighted the role of mathematical thinking in the context of the rapid development of artificial intelligence and demonstrated examples of using AI tools to develop students’ analytical skills. The programme continued with Stanislav Kukhtyk, Vice-Rector for International Relations at Academician Yuriy Buhay International Scientific and Technical University, with the lecture "Learning Through Real Challenges: How to Integrate Project-Based and Challenge-Based Learning into an Educational Programme", presenting practical approaches to implementing project-based and challenge-based learning.

The fourth day was devoted to cooperation between education and business, as well as the transformation of IT education under the influence of artificial intelligence. The lecture "Partnership Between Education and Business: How to Build Effective Cooperation" was delivered by Yuliia Tsymbala, Head of the Educational Team at Lviv IT Cluster, who presented the results of the IT Research Ukraine 2025 study and successful models of cooperation between universities and IT companies. Next, Alina Fedosieieva, PhD in Technical Sciences, delivered the lecture "AI Agents and the Future of IT Education: Rethinking the Professional Competencies of a Programmer", devoted to the impact of AI agents on the programming profession and the transformation of IT education. The day concluded with Volodymyr Skitsko, Associate Professor of the Department of Artificial Intelligence, Modelling and Statistics at Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman, with the presentation "AI-ready Course: How to Design a Course When AI Changes Faster Than the Syllabus", in which he presented modern approaches to updating academic disciplines using the capabilities of artificial intelligence.

The final, fifth day was devoted to the digital transformation of education and the effective use of artificial intelligence in the educational process. The lecture "Architecture of a Modern Digital Educational Ecosystem: Theoretical Approaches and the Experience of Implementation at ISTU" was delivered by Serhii Kovalenko, Vice-Rector for Scientific and Methodological Work at Academician Yuriy Buhay International Scientific and Technical University, who presented the concept of the university’s digital educational ecosystem and practical experience of its implementation. The programme continued with Volodymyr Berest, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, with the lecture "Teacher + Student + AI: A New Learning Model Instead of Prohibitions and Control", demonstrating practical possibilities of using NotebookLM, Gemini, and other generative AI tools in the educational process. The intensive concluded with Kostiantyn Zhereb, lecturer at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, who shared his own experience of motivating students to study new topics and develop practice-oriented projects.

Participation in Teachers’ Smart Up: Summer Edition 2026 contributed to enhancing the professional excellence of the lecturers of the Department of Computer Science, familiarising them with the latest educational approaches and modern opportunities for using artificial intelligence in the educational process. The acquired knowledge and practical experience will serve as a basis for the further improvement of educational programmes, the implementation of innovative teaching methods, and the development of students’ competencies in accordance with the modern requirements of the IT industry.

The lecturers of the Department of Computer Science of KNEU express their sincere gratitude to Sigma Software University, the partners of the intensive, as well as all lecturers and experts for their informative presentations, the exchange of practical experience, and the creation of a professional environment for the development of modern education, in which special attention is paid to digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and innovative educational practices.