Welcome meetings with students of the I10 “Social Work and Counselling” programme

During the first academic week of the new academic year, the Department of Social Work and Inclusive Education, on the initiative of the Head of Department Kateryna Petrovska and the guarantor of the educational and professional programme “Post-war Socio-Psychological Reintegration” (Assoc. Prof. Anastasiia Popova), organised and held a general introductory meeting for first-year Master’s students (full-time and part-time) of the I10 “Social Work and Counselling” speciality.

Purpose of the event – to help Master’s students immerse themselves in university life from day one: meet the department team, learn about educational opportunities, understand how the learning process is organised, and explore prospects for professional development within the programme. Such welcome meetings have become an established practice of the department to build cooperation and communication with students.

During the meeting, first-year students were introduced to the department’s history, the university’s achievements, the programme guarantor and the programme support team, course instructors, and potential supervisors of qualification theses. The programme guarantor offered a “behind-the-scenes” look at studying: outlining the programme structure (compulsory and elective components), internships and placements, the research module, opportunities for an individual learning trajectory, and support for mental health within the educational process.

The Head of Department provided details on community guidelines: students’ rights and responsibilities, the academic integrity policy, communication with instructors, feedback tools, and a safe and accessible learning environment. We also discussed non-formal education – how to combine courses, trainings, volunteering and project activities with the curriculum so that these results can be recognised (credit transfer/individual achievements) and contribute to a professional portfolio.

Students received practical guidance on qualification theses: thematic directions within the programme, choosing a supervisor, preparation stages, formatting requirements, and the procedure for academic integrity checks.
Additionally, participants were able to take a virtual tour of the university spaces and, in an informal setting, ask questions to instructors and the programme team.

The meeting became the first step toward a partnership between students and the department, strengthened the sense of belonging to the university community, and outlined pathways for professional growth in social work and counselling. We are already planning the next events – workshops on academic integrity, mini-labs on research methods, and meetings with practitioners. More to come!