Since 2021, the Faculty of Design at KNUTD has been a member of the international CUMULUS association, becoming the first higher education institution in Ukraine to join this international network of universities and colleges in the fields of art, design and media. The participation of university representatives in the association’s General Assembly is a key component of international academic cooperation and the development of partnerships in the field of design education.
In 2026, the university’s representative at the Cumulus General Assembly and the international conference Cumulus Athens 2026: Roots/Routes in Design, held from 5–9 May 2026 in Athens (Greece) at the University of West Attica (UNIWA) (Athens, Greece), was Tetiana Bulhakova, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Interior and Furniture Design at KNUTD, and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Design at KNUTD.
During the Cumulus General Assembly, the association’s activities were reviewed, prospects for the development of international academic partnerships were discussed, new members of the organisation were introduced, and upcoming Cumulus conferences and events for 2026–2027 were announced.
The theme of the Cumulus Athens 2026 conference: ‘Roots/Routes in Design’ focused on the interconnection between cultural heritage, local identity and contemporary trends in design. The main events of the conference and working sessions took place at the new campus of the University of West Attica (UNIWA) in the Moschato district.
Plenary session of the conference
As part of the conference, Tetiana Bulhakova took part in the plenary sessions, thematic sections, the international workshop “Ethics in Design Education: A Participatory, Global Process (2025–2027)” and the NEW SPACES | NEW INTERIORS group, dedicated to contemporary approaches to shaping the interior environment. Professional discussions covered issues of ethics in design education, sustainable development, cultural heritage, multisensory spatial experiences, and the integration of modern technologies into environmental design.
Workshop: ‘Ethics in Design Education: A Participatory, Global Process (2025–2027)’
Participation in the workshop “Ethics in Design Education: A Participatory, Global Process (2025–2027)
NEW SPACES | NEW INTERIORS working group
An important aspect of participating in Cumulus events was professional communication and the exchange of experiences with representatives of the international academic community in the field of design. The conference served as a platform for establishing new contacts, familiarising oneself with current international trends in design and design education, contemporary research approaches and practices, as well as discussing prospects for further inter-university cooperation and the development of joint educational and research initiatives.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to CUMULUS President Lorenzo Imbesi, as well as to Secretariat members Eija Salmi and Justyna Molik, for their support of KNUTD representatives, the high standard of event organisation, and their contribution to the development of international academic cooperation. The support provided by the CUMULUS Association to Ukrainian higher education institutions and the academic community of Ukraine is particularly valuable at this difficult time for our country.
18.05.2026
