Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University has officially launched the international project "Heritage Futures Lab: Youth Co-Creating Cultural Landscapes" (Project No. 12610032), selected for funding under the V4 Gen Mini-Grant Programme of the International Visegrad Fund.

The project aims to strengthen international academic cooperation between Ukraine, Czechia and Poland in the fields of cultural heritage, cultural landscapes, sustainable tourism, youth mobility and intercultural dialogue. Its primary objective is to engage young people in developing innovative approaches to heritage preservation and the sustainable development of local communities through international collaboration.

The project is coordinated by Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University (Ukraine) in partnership with:

• Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Czechia);
• Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań (Poland).

The main activity of the project will be the international youth mobility programme "Heritage Futures Lab: Youth Co-Creating Cultural Landscapes", which will take place in Prague, Czechia, from 11 to 16 October 2026.

The programme will bring together students, young researchers and academic staff from the three partner countries to explore contemporary approaches to cultural heritage preservation, sustainable cultural landscape management and community engagement. Participants will attend expert lectures, interactive workshops, field-based learning activities, and international team sessions focused on developing practical solutions for heritage protection and sustainable regional development.

The project will result in joint international outputs, including collaborative project proposals, digital educational resources and new opportunities for long-term academic cooperation among the partner institutions.

According to Prof. Victoriia Yavorska, Project Coordinator and Professor at the Department of Economic and Social Geography and Tourism of Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University:

"This project provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen international academic cooperation and youth mobility. By bringing together students and young researchers from Ukraine, Czechia and Poland, we aim to encourage knowledge exchange, intercultural dialogue and the development of innovative approaches to preserving cultural heritage and cultural landscapes. We believe that this initiative will establish new partnerships and contribute to the European Higher Education Area."

Project information

Project title: Heritage Futures Lab: Youth Co-Creating Cultural Landscapes

Project No.: 12610032

Programme: V4 Gen Mini-Grant Programme

Coordinator: Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University (Ukraine)

Partners:

• Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Czechia)
• Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań (Poland)

Mobility venue: Prague, Czechia

Mobility dates: 11–16 October 2026

The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the Fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.