The VNAU-FRENDT Educational and Research Center “Geoinformation Systems in Agroengineering”

A key priority for Vinnytsia National Agrarian University (VNAU) in training highly qualified and competitive specialists is the comprehensive alignment of its educational programs with the real needs of production, ensuring their compliance with the best international standards. The successful implementation of these ambitious goals is possible only through close cooperation between the academic community and stakeholders. The roadmap for such collaboration was discussed during the meeting of the Stakeholder Council of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, held on April 24, 2023.

The Launch of the VNAU-FRENDT Educational and Research Center Marks a New Chapter in Stakeholder Collaboration

The establishment of the Stakeholder Council commenced with the inauguration of the VNAU-FRENDT Educational and Research Center “Geoinformation Systems in Agroengineering” – a joint initiative between Vinnytsia National Agrarian University and one of its key industrial partners, LLC "FRENDT". University President Hryhorii Kaletnik and Vitalii Shuberansky symbolically inaugurated the center by cutting the red ribbon, marking the beginning of a new stage of partnership between two leading institutions: Ukraine's largest precision agriculture hub and the country's foremost university training specialists in geoinformation systems for the agro-industrial sector.

The Stakeholder Council meeting was attended by leaders of twelve prominent enterprises specializing in the integration of innovative digital technologies into agricultural production. Among the distinguished guests were University President Hryhorii Kaletnik, Rector Viktor Mazur, Director of the Department of Agro-Industrial Development of the Vinnytsia Regional Military Administration Oleh Sidorov, Vice-Rectors Svitlana Lutkovska, Inna Honcharuk, and Liubov Spiridonova, Dean of the Faculty Vitalii Yaropud, heads of the faculty’s departments, and directors of VNAU's professional colleges, Oleh Tsurkan and Pavlo Dovhan. 

In his welcome address, President Kaletnik emphasized that the establishment of joint educational and research centers with stakeholders – both at the university and its colleges – is a timely and crucial step toward enhancing the competitiveness of graduates. These centers serve as modern innovation platforms within an integrated system of “education-science-industry,” facilitating the implementation of dual education models. Students not only gain professional knowledge tailored to real industrial processes but also acquire valuable experience through scientific research, startup development, and the application of creative and inventive skills. The commercialization of such research outcomes represents a significant source of institutional growth. This system is already successfully functioning in the United States, where only 60% of university funding comes from the state, with the rest generated through applied research. VNAU is also progressing in this direction: its Research and Development Enterprise "Ahrohomichne" is already operating within the university structure, successfully implementing faculty and student innovations, generating millions in revenue, and independently renewing its agricultural machinery fleet while contributing to the modernization of university infrastructure.

VNAU has already established a successful collaboration with PJSC "MHP" through a modern educational center at the Ladyzhyn College and also boasts the Innovation Technology Center at the main campus. President Kaletnik expressed confidence that the Stakeholder Council members are already considering launching joint educational and research projects within the university’s premises. Importantly, these centers are not merely showrooms – they are hubs for hands-on education and scientific inquiry. As early as tomorrow, the VNAU-FRENDT Educational and Research Center will begin hosting classes and student research groups.

Vitalii Shuberansky, founder of LLC "FRENDT," noted that the main goal of this Center is to promote the use of digital technologies in agro-industrial production, particularly among youth. The philosophy of precision agriculture lies in optimizing the use of resources such as fuel, fertilizers, seeds, and crop protection products to maximize profit and achieve high-quality yields. Our partnership with VNAU is a hands-on collaboration involving practical field-based sessions, digital field mapping, and task map creation for seeding, fertilization, and crop protection using variable-rate technology. We also plan to involve farmers from Vinnytsia and other regions in workshops hosted by the Center to consolidate efforts toward ensuring Ukraine’s food security.

Oleg Sidorov noted the high professional level of graduates of Vinnytsia National Agrarian University and the high qualification of teachers and scientists of the university, and called on those present to continue the creation of joint laboratories, centers, which are filled with modern technical and technological equipment, since by investing in the training of specialists, we reduce the time of their adaptation in production. 

Vice-rector for scientific, pedagogical and educational work Svitlana Lutkovska emphasized that today the employer gives preference to the development of creative abilities of graduates of higher education institutions, the ability to effectively use the material base of the enterprise to create new knowledge-intensive and competitive products. The activities of the Center involve students, postgraduates, young scientists and teachers of VNAU and its structural divisions-colleges in research in the direction of geoinformation systems in agricultural engineering, training, retraining and internships of teachers and specialists of agricultural enterprises.

Vice-Rector for Scientific, Pedagogical, Scientific and Innovative Activities Inna Honcharuk introduced the attendees to the priority areas of scientific activity of the university's scientists, startups and the base for carrying out scientific and research work. She thanked the faculty stakeholders for fruitful cooperation in the framework of implementing state topics and scientific and research work commissioned by businesses. She called for continued cooperation to develop the production site - the Agronomic Research and Development Group of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, where students can use theoretical knowledge in performing practical work and solve engineering and technical problems. She noted that the newly created center will become a new impetus for cooperation between science and business, the transfer of technologies and knowledge from business structures to education seekers and scientists. Such synergy of education, science and production will contribute to the opening of new R&D centers at the university, where new ideas and inventions are generated; support and development of progressive solutions and technological products for the development of the agricultural sector and the recovery of the country's economy are carried out.

Dean of the faculty Vitaliy Yaropud acquainted the participants of the meeting with the unique technical and technological support provided by the faculty stakeholders for use in the training of students of technical specialties of the university in the programs of educational disciplines in precision agriculture, navigation systems, and geographic information systems. These are operating stands of precision seeders Horsch Maestro, unmanned aerial vehicle XAG V40 for ultra-small-volume application of liquid plant protection products, Hexagon navigation equipment, electrical installation stands of LLC "FRENDT", microcontrollers Arduino MEGA, Arduino UNO, Arduino NANO, sensors, sensor devices, etc.

Vinnytsia National Agrarian University is a leading institution of higher education that provides the best conditions for the effective implementation of educational and research activities.

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