On November 11, 2025, an online roundtable discussion of members of the advisory board of the Erasmus+ Innovatex project — ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CB-VET "Innovation in Smart and Digital VET Skills for Advanced Textile Industry", implemented by scientists from the Faculty of Design, took place.

The moderators of the event were Kalyna Pashkevych, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Design of the KNUTD and Marcela Irovan, Doctor of Philosophy, Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Design, Technical University of Moldova (Moldova).

The roundtable was attended by members of the InnovaTex project Advisory Board:

Bohdan Kass, designer, entrepreneur, founder of the KASS brand, owner of the Factory KASS clothing production (Kyiv);

Iryna Makhinko-Dumih, director of the brand clothing studio "І-CHEF by Irina Makhinko" (Kyiv);

Olga Ostapchuk, Chief Technologist of PRJSC "Edelvika" (Lutsk);

Oksana Zakharkevych, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Director of Technology Consulting Private Enterprise, Coordinator of the European Digital Innovation Hub Clothing Technology and Textile Hub (EDIH Clotex-HUB) (Khmelnytskyi);

Lyudmyla Nazarchuk, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of Department, Lutsk National Technical University (Lutsk);

Svitlana Kuleshova, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Technology and Design of Sewing Products, Khmelnytskyi National University (Khmelnytskyi);

Mariia Georgitsa, PhD, University Professor, Technical University of Moldova, Moldova;

Larisa Bugaian, PhD, University Professor, Technical University of Moldova, Moldova;

Veronica Pentelei, Director of Velitextil Plus, Moldova;

Olena Statnik, Vice-Director of the College of Light Industry in Balti, Moldova.

The project coordinator joined the meeting Raluca Maria Aileni, scientist, project manager and head of the Materials Science and Textile Processes Research Department at the National Research and Development Institute for Textiles and Leather (Bucharest, Romania); project implementers InnovaTex from Kherson National Technical University: Mariia Artemenko, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, First Vice-Rector, Larysa Ponomarenko, Director of the International Department, Mariia Rastorgueva, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Integrated Technologies, as well as Kyiv National University of Technology and Design: Natalia Chuprina, Doctor of Art History, Professor, Head of the Department of Art and Fashion Design, KNUTD; Olga Yezhova, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Professor of the Department of Graphic Design KNUTD, Olena Gerasymenko, Doctor of Philosophy, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Art and Fashion Design, KNUTD, Lyudmyla Melnyk, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Art and Fashion Design, KNUTD; Nadiia Lyuklyan and Anastasia Yukhymchuk, postgraduate students of the Department of Art and Fashion Design, KNUTD.

During the meeting, the project implementers presented the main stages of its implementation and the results obtained. Project implementers Olena Gerasymenko, PhD, Associate Professor, KNUTD, Elena Florea-Burduja, PhD, Technical University of Moldova (Chisinau, Moldova) and Aliona Raru, PhD, Technical University of Moldova (Chisinau, Moldova) in their speeches talked about the process of implementing the project stages for the creation of laboratories, training platforms, and the publication of manuals for training specialists for the garment and textile industry.

One of the main achievements of the project was the creation of Smart laboratories for 3D design of smart fabrics and products in Ukraine and Moldova. The project implementers reported on the purchased modern equipment for Smart laboratories in Ukraine by the KNUTD and KNTU institutions - 4 powerful laptops, 2 multimedia projectors and licensed software Style3D Studio and CAD/ LAY.Assyst . Within the framework of the project implementation InnovaTex has already held two international meetings – in Romania and Moldova - regarding the stages of project implementation.

Project implementers InnovaTex said that it plans to develop an electronic textbook in English with subsequent translation into Ukrainian and Romanian, as well as develop an interactive online platform for training students and industry professionals.

Advisory board members assessed the project results InnovaTex and gave advice on the next stages of its implementation.

Entrepreneurs, owners of clothing companies Bohdan Kass, Iryna Makhinko-Dumih, Olga Ostapchuk emphasized the importance of the project, the high level of purchased equipment and specialized programs for clothing design. Olga Ostapchuk noted that the CAD/LAY.Assyst software complex has also been installed at the Edelvika PJSC and they are waiting for the completion of the project to implement its results and further cooperation.

Oksana Zakharkevych advised paying more attention to three-dimensional clothing design programs, emphasizing that the licensed software purchased as part of the project is modern and makes it possible to export data to other similar programs.

Svitlana Kuleshova expressed support for the project, especially the electronic platform for fashion industry professionals in three-dimensional product design.

Lyudmyla Nazarchuk emphasized that the development of the industry requires not only innovative technologies, but also trained specialists.

Larisa Bugaian, Director of the Erasmus Center of the Technical University of Moldova, also welcomed the participants of the round table.

Members of the project Advisory Board concluded that international cooperation and participation in Erasmus+ projects are opportunities for real innovations in education and production and wished the project implementers continued successful implementation.

Mariia Georgitsa, PhD, University Professor, Technical University of Moldova, Moldova;

Larisa Bugaian, PhD, University Professor, Technical University of Moldova, Moldova;

Veronica Pentelei, Director of Velitextil Plus, Moldova;

Olena Statnik, Vice-Director of the College of Light Industry in Balti, Moldova.

17.11.2025