As part of the visit by the delegation from Kherson State Agrarian and Economic University (KSAEU), held from 13 to 16 October 2025, an excursion to the new research building for the Faculty of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences at Kiel University (CAU) was organized. The tour was conducted by Prof. Dr. Remco Stam (Institute of Phytopathology, Department of Phytopathology and Plant Protection) for Prof. Dr. Viktoriia Hranovska, Vice-Rector of KSAEU, and Prof. Dr. Oleksandr Averchev, Head of the Department of Agriculture at KSAEU.
During the visit, the delegation was introduced to the concept and design of a modern learning and research environment being developed within the new facility, where key disciplines of agricultural and nutritional sciences are beginning their work. The new building fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, trains urgently needed specialists, and develops innovative approaches for a more efficient and resource-conserving agriculture of the future.
The offices and laboratories within the research building are designed with a high degree of flexibility, allowing for adaptation to new scientific challenges and technological advancements. This flexibility enables teaching and research to be conducted at a state-of-the-art level, combining practical experimentation with modern digital tools.
The visit also included demonstrations of laboratory experiments and research methodologies currently being conducted at the institute. Ongoing experiments involve crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, rapeseed, and quinoa, focusing particularly on the molecular mechanisms of plant resistance to diseases. These experiments are carried out in specialized, climate-controlled laboratories equipped for precise environmental and genetic analyses.
In addition, the delegation from KSAEU and Prof. Dr. Remco Stam engaged in an exchange of scientific experience and perspectives, comparing research methods and academic approaches used in Ukraine and Germany. The discussion highlighted both shared challenges and opportunities for future cooperation.
Such visits contribute significantly to strengthening academic collaboration and international scientific exchange between Kiel University and Kherson State Agrarian and Economic University. Both sides expressed their commitment to continue building on this partnership through joint research projects, staff exchanges, and student mobility initiatives in the years to come.
