At the beginning of the year, Vice-Rector for international cooperation of Mariupol State University Professor Mykola Trofymenko has undertaken internship in the United States within the framework of the U.S. Department of State program Study of the United State Institute on U.S. National Security Policymaking (SUSI).

The program is designed for secondary educators, heads and thought leaders from around the world. It was aimed at improving the quality of teaching American studies at universities outside the United States. The internship included an intensive academic program at the University of Delaware (Newark) and study trips to the country with final meetings conducted in Washington. All costs were covered by the U.S. Department of State.

Participants to the program have undergone a thorough screening process. Only 200 candidates’ profiles from Ukraine were considered, among which only Mykola Trofymenko was recommended by the Embassy of the United States. At the final stage of selection, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State considered applications from 120 countries. As a result, 18 participants from Ukraine, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Israel, Slovakia, China, India, Argentina, Georgia and other countries were invited to undertake the internship. The preference was given to highly motivated and experienced employees of higher education institutions or institutions involved in the development of national security policy.

The program focused on issues of the US foreign and national security policy making, the role of the federal government, think tanks, media and public opinion in shaping this policy. Every week, the participants attended education events, round-table conferences with US National Security Experts, and public talks with the citizens of Newark and the state of Delaware on key issues. Within the framework of the program they have visited 11 cities, 13 higher education institutions, including 4 military institutions, 40 lectures and dialogue-building events, visited leading analytical centers of America.

"We had a unique opportunity to have a dialogue with world-famous scholars, politicians, diplomats, representatives of state institutions, analytical centers, to familiarize ourselves with the political system, the structure of the national security, foreign policy bodies, U.S. think tanks etc. This is a huge experience, which will definitely be used to the good of our country and Mariupol State University. Participation in this program means the launch of a large number of international projects and initiatives. One of the main results of the program is that the USA and 17 more countries have a better understanding of Ukraine now as well as the occurrences in the East of our country ", - says Mykola Trofymenko.

An important result of the program was the establishment of the Scientific Community. Its main objective is to support the contacts between the participants and facilitation of international cooperation. The first initiative of the community will be the publication of a joint monograph on international relations, global and international security by the end of 2018. In addition, they agreed to sign cooperation agreements between Mariupol State University and the universities of the USA, India, Pakistan, China, Lebanon, Israel and other countries.

It is not the first time when Mariupol State University actively cooperates with the Embassy of the United States in Ukraine. Today, Mariupol State University takes part in the Embassy project Window on America, which provides for the set up of the so-called "American shelf" at the premises of the University's research library. Also the University will host lectures, workshops, exhibitions, presentations of American movies and literary writings, and other events aimed at familiarizing with the U.S. public, political and cultural life and, at the same time, improving English language skills.