Vilnius University Intern from Ukraine Valeriia Hladkova: Science Is My Way to Raise Awareness and Inspire Others to Create a More Sustainable Future
“Gaining new experience by studying abroad has been one of the biggest dreams of my life and Lithuania was the country I had always wanted to visit, so I was overjoyed to find the chance to study here. The country has beautiful nature and an interesting history, which attracted me a lot. That's why I tried my best to secure a spot at the Vilnius University summer programme,” says Valeriia Hladkova. She is a first-year Master student in International Economics at the National University of Food Technologies in Ukraine, which is located in Kyiv. This summer she resides in Vilnius University Kaunas Faculty based on the summer student scientific practice project organised by the Research Council of Lithuania, with the support of Assoc. Prof. Ilona Kiaušienė.
Being an active individual and an extrovert, she has a great passion for traveling and constantly seeks opportunities to learn new things. It led her to an opportunity to participate in a summer project at Vilnius University. “This is my first experience abroad and I’m excited about everything,” gladly says Valeriia and with same passion she explains her choice of topic. „In today's world, International Economics holds significant importance, making it a crucial field of study. During this project, I am focusing my research on the application of circular economy principles in the tourism industry,” says the young scientist.
Upon arrival to Lithuania, she was met by Professor Virginija Jurėnienė and had a short tour around Kaunas. “When I arrived in Kaunas, my first impression of this country was that the people here are incredibly friendly and open-minded. Especially when I came to the Kaunas Faculty, I received a warm welcome from the university staff and my supervisor, Assoc. Prof. I. Kiaušienė, who was also very welcoming,” says the intern.
“I have only positive impressions from my stay in Kaunas. The city truly impresses with its rich historical beauty and the abundance of nature that surrounds it. Exploring the charming old town and experiencing the vibrant culture has been an unforgettable experience. I am eager to stay longer in Lithuania to continue studying and exploring. The country's captivating beauty, rich history, and warm people have made me fall in love with it. I want to delve deeper into my academic pursuits while immersing myself further in the culture and discovering more of what this wonderful place has to offer,” says V. Hladkova. She states that getting to know the city while having now previous experience of it helped to understand the way tourists see it.
“The tourism industry is recognized as one of the world's largest and fastest-growing sectors, generating substantial income for various businesses and creating numerous job opportunities. However, it also poses a significant challenge due to the staggering amount of waste produced globally, with the European Union alone generating over 2.2 billion tonnes of waste annually. As a result, finding sustainable solutions is paramount, and one potential approach is the implementation of circular economy principles,” explains the young scientist.
“Through my research, I hope to shed light on the importance of this topic and contribute to further investigations in this field. By understanding and implementing circular economy principles, we can strive towards a more sustainable and environmentally responsible tourism industry, reducing waste and its negative impacts. I am determined to share my findings and insights in an article, aiming to raise awareness about this crucial subject and inspire others to join in the efforts to create a more sustainable future,” says the intern and states it as her goal.
“Circular economy is one of the tools of sustainable development and its aim is to limit the negative impact on the environment, reduce waste and pollution at every stage of economic activity and avoid inefficient use of natural resources,” explains the internship supervisor. This economic principle is rapidly gaining popularity, but has not yet been widely practised in the tourism sector, despite its high energy and water consumption, food waste, congestion problems and CO2 emissions. “The study aims to determine how often hospitality and accommodation providers apply circular economy principles and what are the good and bad practices of applying circular economy principles,” says Assoc. Prof. I. Kiaušienė. She believes that the study will help to explore the specificities of applying circular economy principles in the tourism sector.
“In my opinion, participation in the project will allow the student to develop the ability to independently organise and conduct qualitative research in a new cultural environment, to recognise and critically evaluate the applied circular economy principles in the hospitality and accommodation sector. It is a useful experience for a young person focused on their career goals. The added value of the project is the continuity of cooperation between Lithuanian and Ukrainian scientific institutions, the sharing of best practices, discussions on more responsible and efficient resource management, encouraging to move away from the traditional “take, use, and throw away” principle,” – explains the Associate Professor.