British professor of surgery David Jayne visited Bukovinian State Medical University as part of a programme organised by the Fund of the President of Ukraine
The visit by Professor David Jayne, a professor of surgery at the University of Leeds and one of the UK’s leading specialists in robotic surgery, to Bukovinian State Medical University has come to an end. The visit took place as part of the UK–UA Visiting Professors Programme, organised by the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports.
The collaboration combined two formats: online lectures throughout April and May, and an in-person visit at the end of June. Professor David Jayne and his colleagues worked with researchers, lecturers, postgraduate students, undergraduates at Bukovinian State Medical University, and practising doctors.
The online series began on 30 April with a lecture entitled ‘Robotic Surgical Systems: Clinical Applications, Benefits, and Limitations’, in which Professor David Jayne discussed the practical possibilities and limitations of robotic surgery in clinical practice. This is a topic that remains the subject of debate within the global medical community: the technology is developing rapidly, but its implementation requires a clear understanding of both its benefits and risks.
On 7 May, Professor David Jayne introduced his colleague Patrick Coughlin, who delivered a lecture entitled ‘Novel Imaging Modalities in Arterial Disease’, focusing on modern imaging techniques for arterial diseases. Patrick Coughlin is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Leeds, Medical Director of Education at Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, a consultant vascular surgeon at the Leeds Vascular Institute, and the elected Vice-President of the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
On 14 May, David Jayne and Patrick Coughlin delivered a joint lecture entitled ‘Medical Training in the UK: Past, Present and Future’, discussing how medical education is structured in the UK, the educational technologies it utilises, and the direction in which it is heading. For their Ukrainian colleagues, this was an opportunity to view medical training through the lens of a system that has shaped global medical standards for decades.
On 21 May, Dr Mykola Koval joined the project: together with Professor Jayne, they presented a lecture entitled ‘Surgical Immersive Technologies: State-of-the-Art and Development of a System for Colorectal Surgery’. Immersive technologies (VR, augmented reality, 3D visualisation) are gradually becoming an integral part of surgical training and operation planning, and this lecture gave participants an insight into the current state of this field and its future prospects.
The final online lecture, ‘Anastomotic Leak: The Most Feared Colorectal Complication’, took place on 28 May. Its topic centred on one of the most dangerous complications in colorectal surgery, the prevention and early diagnosis of which directly impact patient survival rates. Professor Jayne examined modern approaches to this problem from the perspective of clinical experience and scientific research.
On 29 June, Professor David Jayne visited Chernivtsi and delivered a public lecture entitled ‘Fluorescence-Guided Surgery’ on fluorescence-guided surgery, a modern surgical technique that enables surgeons to visualise anatomical structures more accurately during procedures, assess the condition of anastomoses in real time, and significantly reduce the risk of complications. The event was attended by the Rector of BSMU, Professor Igor Gerush, representatives of the administration, lecturers, doctors, postgraduate students, interns and undergraduates. Yuriy Petrushenko, Director of the Fund of the President of Ukraine, joined the event online. Patrick Coughlin also took part in the discussion following the lecture.
The ties between the two universities have a history. The Rector of BSMU, Professor Igor Gerush, first met David Jayne back in 2024 in Leeds, and Patrick Coughlin in 2023 during their first visit to Chernivtsi. Participation in the UK–UA Visiting Professors Programme has given this collaboration a new impetus.
During the visit, they discussed prospects for further collaboration in the fields of surgery, medical technologies and the training of doctors, and also visited the BSMU’s Simulation Medicine Education and Training Centre.
A special part of the visit was the interaction with the student research community: podcasts were recorded for them, in which Jayne and Coughlin spoke about modern surgery, research work and their own journeys in medicine.
All six lectures delivered as part of the project are available on the BSMU YouTube channel.
The UK–UA Visiting Professors Programme is implemented by the Fund of the President of Ukraine in collaboration with the UK–Ukraine Academic Diaspora Network, JSC ‘Ukrgasbank’ (UGB) and the ‘MHP-Hromadi’ Charitable Foundation.
The programme gives Ukrainian universities the opportunity to invite lecturers from leading British universities ranked in the top 250 of the QS, THE or ARWU world rankings to collaborate. Visiting professors deliver lectures, hold consultations, run practical sessions and organise academic events, and may also participate in joint research projects. An in-person visit to a Ukrainian university is a mandatory requirement of the programme.
Amid a full-scale war, such initiatives help Ukrainian universities maintain a vibrant academic environment, develop STEM disciplines, strengthen international partnerships and create opportunities for students and young researchers in Ukraine.
Background
The Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports — a state institution dedicated to the systematic development of talented Ukrainians, fostering the restoration and realization of the nation’s human potential, supporting scientific research, and strengthening the global competitiveness of Ukrainian education. Its areas of activity include supporting young people in education and science, participating in national and international events, awarding scholarships and prizes from the President of Ukraine, and attracting foreign lecturers and researchers to work at Ukrainian higher education and research institutions. The Fund coordinates state efforts to develop human capital, supports talented young people and scientific projects, and promotes international exchange to strengthen Ukrainian education.
UK–UA Visiting Professors Programme — a programme run by the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports, which it implements in partnership with the UK–Ukraine Academic Diaspora Network and the Ukrainian business community. It gives Ukrainian universities the opportunity to invite lecturers from leading British universities ranked in the top 250 of the QS, THE or ARWU world rankings to collaborate with them. The programme was established to strengthen Ukraine’s integration into the international scientific and educational community and to develop STEM education, which is vital for the country’s reconstruction, technological development and long-term sustainability.
