In Chernivtsi, the Center for Developing Students’ Experimental Skills has been launched within the Da Vinci Ukraine grant programme by KSE Foundation and STEM Talent Fund. Its opening has already delivered tangible results: 27 students who completed training at the center became winners of the regional chemistry olympiad.
The center was established by Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University in partnership with the NGO “Bukovyna Innovatsiĭna” on the basis of the Department of Chemistry and Food Expertise. The initiative aims to address limited access to modern laboratories and hands-on learning in natural sciences for school students.
Over two months, 40 students in grades 7–11 completed 12 intensive sessions combining theory with practical research. As part of the project, professional laboratory equipment was purchased—equipment that was previously available only to university students.
Viacheslav Savieliev, student of Chernivtsi Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 1:
“Most of the equipment in the laboratory I had previously seen only in videos or online — it is already university-level infrastructure. The teachers are truly passionate about chemistry and teach it in much greater depth. When you are surrounded by people who understand the subject well, you automatically start to improve and develop yourself.”
As a result, more than 60% of participants became winners of the regional chemistry olympiad. The project also strengthened the teaching community: over 180 chemistry teachers from different regions upgraded their qualifications and learned about modern teaching approaches.
Participants emphasize that access to laboratory equipment and hands-on experimentation played a key role in achieving these results.
The Da Vinci Ukraine project is an example of how access to practical science and modern infrastructure can improve the quality of STEM education and prepare students for olympiads and scientific competitions.