On April 9, 2026, the VІІІ International Scientific and Practical Conference "Topical Issues of Modern Design" was held at the Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, which brought together well-known scientists, practicing designers, art historians and leading specialists from various fields of design from Ukraine, Great Britain, Poland, Moldova, Belgium, China, Italy, Germany, Romania and other countries of the world.
The conference was held in a mixed format with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
The conference is organized by the Faculty of Design of the KNUTD, which is included in the world ranking of the best design schools in the world, is a member of international organizations and associations, and has other world recognitions. The conference co-organizers are Global Association of Art and Design Education and Research CUMULUS, European League of Institutes of the Arts ELIA, National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, Birmingham City University (Great Britain), Technical University of Moldova (Moldova), Ion Creangă State Pedagogical University (Moldova), George Enescu National University of Arts (Romania), University of the National Education Commission (Poland), University of Antwerp (Belgium), Sheffield Hallam University (Great Britain), Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, National Union of Artists of Ukraine, Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, Union of Designers of Ukraine.
The event was moderated by Kalyna Pashkevych, Doctor of Engineering, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Design of the Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design.
On the occasion of the opening, the Acting Rector of the Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Talіat Bielialov, Doctor of Science in Economics, Professor, addressed the conference participants with a welcoming speech, wishing everyone fruitful work and the formation of new ideas during the scientific discussion that will become strategic vectors for the artistic development of Ukraine and other countries. Talіat Bielialov noted: “Participation in such conferences gives scientists, teachers and students the opportunity to demonstrate the high level of design education in Ukraine, to popularize their achievements in the Ukrainian and global educational and creative spaces.”
The wishes for a successful conference were expressed by the Vice-Rector for Research and International Cooperation of the KNUTD Liudmyla Hanushchak-Yefimenko, Doctor of Science in Economics, Professor.
The Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Activity (Educational Activity) of the KNUTD Oleksandra Olshanska, Doctor of Science in Economics, Professor, addressed the conference participants with welcoming words.
Olha Rossoshanska, Head of the State Agency of Ukraine for Arts and Art Education, Doctor of Science in Economics, Professor, conveyed words of support and wishes for fruitful work to the conference participants.
Warm words of greetings were sent by Lorenzo Imbesi, President of the Global Association of Art and Design Education and Research CUMULUS, Professor at the Sapienza University of Rome (Italy).
Marcela Irovan, Dean of the Faculty of Design of the Technical University of Moldova and representative of the partners in the Erasmus+ InnovaTex project, addressed the conference participants with welcoming words.
Uliana Furiv, manager of the UAx platform of the European League of Institutes of the Arts ELIA, sent words of greeting to the conference participants. With the support of the UAx platform, the Faculty of Design of the KNUTD received the opportunity to cooperate with the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (Norway) to train design students, and 6 students of the faculty received scholarships.
Ana Simac, Doctor of Arts, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Visual Arts and Design of the Ion Creangă State Pedagogical University (Moldova), addressed the conference participants with welcoming words. In her speech, she thanked the staff of the Faculty of Design of the KNUTD for many years of cooperation, participation in conferences, symposia, joint publications and creative exhibitions.
Warm wishes and words of support were conveyed by the rector of Kherson National Technical University, Olena Chepeliuk, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Laureate of the Boris Paton State Prize.
Dr. Lara Furniss, a lecturer at Birmingham City University, expressed her sincere congratulations to the organizers and guests of the conference. She spoke about the joint projects of international academic online mobility that have been implemented between partner universities for three consecutive years.
Lesia Maliuta, Director of the company "Promo-Tex" (Kyiv, Ukraine), announced the winners of the "Corporate clothes" corporate clothing sketch competition. For the fourth time in a row, the company " Promo-Tex" - a partner of the Faculty of Design of KNUTD, is holding a sketch competition for students as part of the conference. Lesia Maliuta presented the winners of the competition with cash prizes and gifts from the company.
Golda Vynohradska, designer, head of the "National Industry Partnership in Light Industry of Ukraine", head of the "FashionGlobusUkraine" project, emphasized in her speech that today Ukrainian design is not only about trends, but also about dignity, identity and the future that we create with our own hands.
Mykola Skyba, anthropologist, director of the NGO "Agency for Cultural Strategies", member of the Coalition of Cultural Figures, gave a report on issues of ethics in design. He highlighted the results of a study on the attitude of Ukrainian respondents to ethics in design.
Mykola Yakovlev, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Member of the National Union of Architects of Ukraine, Honored Worker of Education of Ukraine, Academician of the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, also expressed his best wishes for fruitful work to the conference participants.
Colleagues from many higher education institutions and institutions of Ukraine visited the university and took part in the conference: Ruslana Bezuhla, Doctor of Study of Art, Professor, Head of the Design Department of the State Trade and Economics University; Sviatoslav Berdynskykh, Candidate of Art History, Associate Professor, Head of the Design Department of the KROK University of Economics and Law; Halyna Ripka, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Light Industry Technologies, Yevhen Mazniev, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor of the V. Dahl East Ukrainian National University; Nataliia Danylchenko, Senior Lecturer of the Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding (Mykolaiv); Iryna Dovzhenko, Senior Lecturer of the I.K. Karpenko-Kary Kyiv National University of Theater, Cinema and Television; Serhii Komisarov, Member of the National Union of Journalists, Honored Journalist of Ukraine, Co-Founder of the International Art Association “Return Alive!”; Alla Horbunova, Director of the charitable foundation “Soniashnyk”; Karina Gaeva, designer, art curator of exhibitions; Maryna Kisil, clothing designer and others.
The executive secretary of the conference, Ruslana Khynevych, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Multimedia Design, the secretaries of the conference platforms, graduate students of the Faculty of Design, as well as the student self-government of the Faculty of Design led by Daria Karpenko and Victoria Stepanets provided organizational support for the conference.
On the same day, meetings of four conference sections were held, which were attended by over 150 participants from different countries of the world - scientists, students, postgraduates. There was an exchange of experience and results of scientific research on current design problems of scientists from Ukraine, other countries of Europe and the world.
Key speakers of the platforms were: Maryna Kisil, fashion designer; Raisa Chernukha, graphic designer; Tetiana Pushkareva, Reinventex company; Svitlana Kuleshova, Khmelnytskyi National University; Vladyslav Gurdina, Vladyslav Slivka, Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts (Ukraine), Stela Railean, Chisinau State University named after Ion Criange; Lucia Adaskalitsa, Viorica Kozak, Technical University of Moldova, (Moldova); Juliana German, George Enescu National University of Arts (Romania), Kateryna Critchlow, Birmingham City University (Great Britain) and others.
Section 1. Trends in the development of art and fashion design. Moderator – Nataliia Chuprina, Doctor of Study of Art, Professor, Head of the Department of Art and Fasion Design, KNUTD, Secretary – Olesia Skaskiv, PhD student of the Department of Art and Fasion Design.
Section 2. Information technologies of visualization in design. Moderator – Olena Vasylieva, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Head of the Department of Multimedia Design, KNUTD, Secretary – Anastasiia Noga, PhD student of the Department of Multimedia Design.
Section 3. Graphic Design: Modern Trends. Moderators: Liliia Zhuravel-Zmieieva, Doctor of Philosophy, Head of the Department of Graphic Design, Olha Yezhova, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Professor of the Department of Graphic Design, KNUTD, Secretary – Anastasiia Yukhymchuk, PhD Student of the Department of Art and Fashion Design.
Section 4. Prospects for the development of environmental design. Moderator – Danylo Kosenko, PhD, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Interior and Furniture Design, Secretary – Natalia Ryshkevych, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Interior and Furniture Design.
Summing up the results of the conference, it can be stated that the problems and difficulties caused by the war did not prevent the conference from being held at a high level, in a warm, friendly scientific atmosphere. The wide geography of participants and the variety of topics of the reports indicate the relevance and productivity of interdisciplinary approaches, the effectiveness of interaction between representatives of science and art both in scientific research and in practical work and in education.
Thank you to all conference participants, moderators and speakers for your participation!
Thank you to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the opportunity to live and work for the restoration and development of our state!
14.04.2026
