Career guidance work with students is one of the important areas of activity of higher education institutions, which contributes to the attraction of applicants and the formation of a conscious choice of their future profession. The staff of the Department of Industrial Pharmacy of the Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design (KNUTD) systematically conducts various career guidance educational and practical activities.
This year, the department began implementing a new joint career guidance initiative with Farmak JSC for high school students, aimed at forming a holistic understanding of the modern pharmaceutical industry in future applicants - from fundamental university training to work in high-tech production. The first event within the framework of such cooperation took place on February 10, 2026. It was attended by 11th grade students of the Shchaslyve Academic Lyceum of the Prystolychna Village Council of Boryspil District of the Kyiv region (chemistry teacher Stanislav SUSHKO).
The event began with a visit to the Department of Industrial Pharmacy of the KNUTD. The high school students were greeted by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department Olena ISCHCHENKO, who introduced the students in detail to the advantages of studying at the KNUTD, the educational environment of the university, the prospects for the professional realization of graduates, the conditions of admission and the features of studying in the educational and professional programs "Innovative Pharmaceuticals" and "Industrial Pharmacy". Anastasiia BEHDAI, a graduate of the Department of Industrial Pharmacy, who today successfully continues her path in science as a researcher of the department, joined the professional dialogue with the students. Her personal experience and history of professional development became extremely valuable for the high school students, because they had the opportunity to hear firsthand how the knowledge and practical skills acquired at the university are applied in real work.
The next stage of the event was an open practical master class under the leadership of the Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Industrial Pharmacy Hanna KHARITONENKO. The event took place in the format of a laboratory workshop: after a short theoretical introduction to the basics of molecular biology and biochemistry, students, under the guidance of the teacher and laboratory assistants of the department, performed research on the identification of proteins, amino acids, fats and carbohydrates. Immersion in a real laboratory environment allowed students not only to gain new knowledge, but also to experience the specifics of student training at the department on their own experience.
The university part of the program ended with a visit to the educational and scientific laboratory of molecular pharmacology, chemogenomics and biogerontology (MPCB Laboratory), which conducts research at the intersection of modern pharmacy, chemical technologies, cosmeceuticals and materials science. In this laboratory, ambitious students of the Department of Industrial Pharmacy of KNUTD have been implementing their scientific projects since the first years of study. The students not only got acquainted with the infrastructure and scientific directions of the unit, but also received a unique opportunity to join practical pharmaceutical development: under the guidance of laboratory specialists, each of the high school students took part in the manufacture of solid dosage forms and research of their pharmaco-technological indicators.
The second part of the program was a visit to the joint-stock company "Farmak" – the leader of the pharmaceutical industry in Ukraine. The enterprise is one of the largest and most technologically advanced manufacturers in the country and already has production facilities in European countries. The company's specialists gave the students a meaningful presentation of the corporate history of Farmak JSC – from the founding of the enterprise to today's achievements and strategic development priorities. Later, the company's employees conducted an excursion to the liquid medicine production workshop, where high school students had the opportunity to directly observe the technological processes that transform scientific developments into certified pharmaceutical products.
We hope that the implementation of such comprehensive career guidance educational and practical initiatives will help students form an informed professional choice, become interested in scientific and production activities in the pharmaceutical industry, and lay a solid foundation for a future career in a field that directly affects people's health and quality of life.
23.02.2026
