In an increasingly interconnected world, the importance of international cooperation in higher education cannot be overstated, especially in specialised fields that require advanced knowledge and technological achievements. Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design (KNUTD) is an active participant in global academic initiatives. In September-October 2025, representatives of the Department of Fashion Technology took part in an international training programme on the design and manufacture of custom orthopaedic footwear. The event was held at the Unbroken Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Centre in Lviv.
The training was organised as part of a partnership with the German organisations Praeparatio e.V. and GIZ – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, implemented with the support of the German government.
The training programme was conducted by leading experts from Germany Bernd Franke and Franz Fischer, who have many years of experience in the field of orthopaedic footwear and training specialists. Dariia Kaptiurova, a postgraduate student at the Department of Fashion Technology, and Tymofii Lypskyi, Associate Professor at the Department of Fashion Technology, took part in the training on behalf of KNUTD, joining the second stage of the programme.
The international training consisted of three sessions covering the main stages of the technological process of manufacturing orthopaedic footwear:
– 1-5 September 2025 – studying the principles of designing and manufacturing orthopaedic shoe last;
– 29 September – 3 October 2025 – modelling footwear designs and assembling upper blanks;
– 13-17 October 2025 – technological processes of stretching shoes on a last, manufacturing and attaching outsoles.
During the training, participants learned about the German vocational training system, which is based on a comprehensive approach to biomechanical foot diagnostics, individual footbed modelling, and the use of modern materials and technological equipment. Particular attention was paid to working with a portable 3D scanner, foot plastering techniques, creating trial footwear from film, and using a heated vacuum press.
Participants gained knowledge and practical experience that will serve as a basis for improving KNUTD’s educational programmes in training specialists in the design and manufacture of orthopaedic footwear. The University plans to integrate modern German methods into the educational process and students’ industrial practical training.
The participation of KNUTD representatives in the international programme Praeparatio e.V. and GIZ – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit is an important step in the development of Ukrainian science, education and production, aimed at improving the professional level of specialists, introducing innovative technologies and strengthening European partnerships.
KNUTD consistently fulfils its mission – to shape modern Ukrainian education based on traditions of national craftsmanship, international experience and the desire to develop a strong, independent state!
29.10.2025
