How Ukrainian women learn reconstruction in a CAS
Published: Monday, Jan 1st 2024, 09:50
Zurück zu Live Feed
Ukrainian women are learning how to rebuild their country in a special CAS at Bern University of Applied Sciences. Among other things, the course imparts knowledge about water and electricity supply, spatial planning and recycling management. Keystone-SDA visited them.
The offer is aimed at refugee women from Ukraine with protection status S who also have a professional connection to the construction sector. The Bern University of Applied Sciences writes this on its website. People from Ukraine who have been living in Switzerland for some time and are members of aid organizations involved in reconstruction are also allowed to take part in the course.
The course is intended to make a concrete and sustainable contribution to shaping active and far-sighted reconstruction in Ukraine. Among other things, graduates will learn skills for the reconstruction of buildings and infrastructure. Other learning objectives include sustainability, circular economy, energy efficiency, damage analysis, value chains, water and electricity supply, spatial planning and political framework conditions.
Specialists for reconstruction
"The aim is not simply to learn how to rebuild something, but to generally pay attention to whether it makes sense, is sustainable and socially responsible when rebuilding," said Thomas Rohner in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency. Rohner is a professor and lecturer at the Bern University of Applied Sciences. In the case of energy plants or residential buildings, for example, you can't wait for the end of the war, but have to start rebuilding immediately.
"We want to build a bridge between Switzerland and Ukraine in the reconstruction process. The idea is that we bring specialists with the necessary know-how and contacts in Switzerland back to Ukraine," said Mariana Melnykovych, project manager of CAS Reconstruction Ukraine. CAS stands for Certificate of Advanced Studies.
Theory and practical relevance
"I want to get to know Switzerland's innovative solutions here and bring them to Ukraine," said Ievgenia Rudnytska, a CAS participant. "This will help us to renovate a large hospital in Ukraine and operate it independently and in an environmentally friendly way using solar cells."
In addition to theoretical lessons, the CAS Reconstruction Ukraine also offers practical training. On one day of the course, participants visited a Swiss civil defense bunker and a construction company that produces new concrete from construction waste.
The course offers space for 30 students. The training is financed privately or through sponsorships for individual participants. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) is also a training partner.
©Keystone/SDA
German 
English 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic