Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Kherson State Maritime Academy has not stopped the educational process for a minute.
The KSMA administration determined their main task: to continue graduating the young generation of seafarers and to motivate youth to work for the benefit of our country. Vasyl Cherniavskyi, the rector of the Kherson State Maritime Academy, told us about the Academy's condition after a long occupation and shared their plans for the future.
- November 11, 2022 Kherson was liberated from the invaders, and you were finally able to enter the Kherson Academy. Tell us about the current state of facilities of the academy.
Unfortunately, the facilities of the KSMA was partially damaged during the occupation of Kherson by Russian troops, as well as by Russians and collaborators staying in the academy building.
Computer classrooms, virtual reality laboratories, office equipment of services and departments of the academy, information and computing center equipment, multimedia equipment of lecture and training laboratories suffered the greatest losses.
- What about the equipment that was purchased and installed within the framework of the joint project of the KSMA, MTWTU and IMEC?
Our joint project with MTWTU and IMEC helped to finalize the educational and training facilities of the KSMA, which made it possible to provide 100% training of cadets in accordance with the requirements of employers. Therefore, answering this question, I consider it necessary to mention the entire educational and training complex.
The equipment of the Training Laboratory “Survival at Sea and Fire Fighting Training Complex”, Training Laboratory “Training Complex – Mooring Station”, and the simulator for fastening containers has been largely preserved. Office and multimedia equipment is dismantled or mostly missing. In general, the condition of the equipment requires further inspection and performance testing.
The Training Laboratory “Full-Mission Engine Room Simulator” was almost completely preserved and visually almost undamaged. The Training Laboratory “High Voltage Equipment” has also been preserved and is in satisfactory condition.
Training equipment for the training of navigators was affected largely. The Training Laboratory “Full-Mission Dynamic Positioning Simulator” has been preserved. However, only furniture remained in the laboratories of electronic navigation means, navigation information systems, a fully functional navigation bridge, and a control center for navigation simulators. Communication equipment and cables were also damaged there.
The equipment of the Training Laboratories “Heavy Lift”, “Medical Care Onboard Ship”, “Fire Ground”, “Global Maritime Distress аnd Safety System” is partially dismantled. Their condition requires further examination.
Almost all the equipment of the academy's printing house has been preserved.
Currently, it is impossible to determine the condition of the buildings and equipment of the KSMA Water Station, as well as the training vessel OM-106, since they are located on the occupied left bank of the Dnipro River. It will be possible to determine the condition of the above-mentioned equipment only after the de-occupation of the left bank. At present, we only know about the destruction of a free-fall lifeboat located at the KSMA Water Station due to a fire that occurred during the shelling.
- What did you feel when the flag of Ukraine was raised over the Kherson Academy?
The de-occupation of the city of Kherson and the raising of the Ukrainian flag over the building of the academy was a real celebration for both the employees of the academy and all residents of our city, since the buildings of the academy are located in the very center of Kherson. We felt proud of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This inspired hope for the further revival of our city and the entire Kherson region.
- You did not stop the educational process, even when Kherson was temporarily occupied. Tell us how you were able to organize the study then, and how it continues now.
During the occupation of Kherson, the leadership and staff of the academy managed to fully preserve the educational process in our educational institution, which took place, and is taking place now, in a distant mode. We were able to do this qualitatively thanks to the many years of experience in implementing methods and means of distance learning, acquired during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as training part-time students. Despite the fact that a significant proportion of the academy's teachers were forced to move to other cities of Ukraine, or even beyond its borders, the transition to distance learning took place almost painlessly and without reducing the quality of education and training. The process takes place using the MOODLE learning platform and interactive educational content, which is the author's development of our teachers, as well as testing tools. In addition to already traditional means of distance learning, thanks to our partners, members of IMEC, we were able to introduce specific cloud technologies and interactive distance courses (from such providers as Wärtsilä and Ocean Technologies Group) into the educational process, which gave an opportunity to provide practical training and acquisition of professional competences by cadets .
- Some of your cadets are currently studying in Lithuania with the support of MTWTU. How significant is this contribution to their future and their education?
Currently, 50 fourth-year cadets have received or are receiving educational services at the Lithuanian Maritime Academy with the financial support of MTWTU.
Undoubtedly, the training of our cadets in Lithuania has a positive effect on the quality of their training, as it provides an opportunity to undergo practical training on training facilities, access to which, unfortunately, is currently unavailable in Kherson. Undoubtedly, the training of our cadets in Lithuania has a positive effect on the quality of their training, as it provides an opportunity to undergo practical training on training equipment, access to which, unfortunately, is currently unavailable in Kherson. It also contributes to the integration of our specialists into the European educational space, as it becomes possible to obtain double diplomas, Lithuanian and Ukrainian ones.
Such projects are not only significant financial support for our cadets, but also significant social and psychological help, because most of them are residents of recently de-occupied and, unfortunately, still occupied territories of Ukraine. Great gratitude to MTWTU for this project from our cadets.
- What are the plans for the restoration and development of the educational institution?
We have every hope that in the near future, the Kherson State Maritime Academy will be able to resume the training of maritime specialists within its walls in the usual mode; the educational and training base of our educational institution will not only be updated, but also improved. We certainly hope for the support of our partners from the industry in this matter; and of course we believe that MTWTU, as an active participant in the ITF negotiations with IMEC, will join the process of renovation of the academy.
Therefore, we believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and see you soon in our native Kherson, within the walls of the Kherson State Maritime Academy!
