Protected Areas in Focus: Building Research Partnerships through Shared Infrastructure

On 23–24 July 2026, Prof. Viktoriia Khrutba, member of the ConnectED project team, contributed to discussions on interdisciplinary environmental research and international academic collaboration researchers, during the interdisciplinary seminar "Protected Areas in Focus: Ecosystems, Methods and Collaboration." The event was jointly organised by Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, the International Scientific Centre "Observatory" (ISC Observatory) and the ConnectED Network together with the Environmental Doctoral & Research Alliance.

Among the invited experts, Prof. Viktoriia Khrutba had a keynote presentation about the project. In her presentation, "ConnectED and EDRA: Developing International Partnerships between Universities and Protected Areas for Scientific and Technological Solutions for Sustainable Recovery," she demonstrated how long-term international partnerships can connect universities, researchers and protected areas to address environmental challenges through collaborative research, innovation and knowledge exchange.

Rather than focusing on a single research discipline, the seminar created a space where specialists from environmental sciences, forestry, ecology, biodiversity, geoinformation technologies and environmental engineering explored how different research approaches can complement one another in studying protected ecosystems. A particular focus of the meeting was the research infrastructure of the International Scientific Centre "Observatory", which is being developed as an interdisciplinary platform for environmental research and international collaboration. Participants became acquainted with the Centre's scientific facilities and discussed their potential for joint research projects together with the ConnectED Network.

The Centre provides opportunities for environmental monitoring across multiple spatial and temporal scales, including atmospheric and climate observations, water and soil quality analysis, biodiversity monitoring, GIS-based spatial analysis, remote sensing applications and digital environmental monitoring technologies. Together, these tools create new possibilities for long-term ecosystem research and interdisciplinary cooperation between universities, researchers and protected areas.

The seminar also brought together representatives of universities, national parks, research institutions and representatives of Environmental Doctoral & Research Alliance (EDRA) to explore opportunities for strengthening cooperation. The event demonstrated how shared research infrastructure can serve as a foundation for future interdisciplinary projects, doctoral cooperation and international research partnerships.

This event marked another important step in strengthening the ConnectED research community by bringing together institutions, expertise and research infrastructure that will support future collaborative projects across the German–Ukrainian university network.