The Faculty of Arts of the Technical University of Košice is actively involved in the development of the European university alliance Ulysseus, with one of the key topics of the current international discussions being the preparation of joint doctoral (PhD) study programmes and the strengthening of interdisciplinary research in the fields of art, technology, and the creative industries.

These topics were also discussed during a working meeting of Slovak higher education institutions involved in the European Universities alliances, held on 27 April 2026 at the Comenius University Science Park in Bratislava. The meeting was attended by the Rector of the university, Prof. JUDr. Marek Števček, DrSc., representatives of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic, the Slovak Accreditation Agency for Higher Education, SAIA, as well as representatives of individual European alliances and Slovak universities.

The Technical University of Košice and the Ulysseus alliance were represented at the event by Ing. Viliam Fedák, MBA, Project Manager of TUKE for the European University Ulysseus, and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts of TUKE, Assoc. Prof. Mgr. art. Ing. Richard Kitta, ArtD.

The discussion brought forward several suggestions concerning the implementation of joint study programmes, the development of micro-credentials, the creation of mobility windows, and the support of active student participation in the decision-making processes of the alliances. An important aspect is also the future of joint doctoral programmes and participatory approaches within the European academic environment.

The Faculty of Arts of TUKE has long profiled its approach as one open to the interdisciplinary integration of art, digital technologies, media, architecture, and creative industries. The Dean of the Faculty of Arts of TUKE, Assoc. Prof. Richard Kitta, sees the Ulysseus alliance as an important platform for the development of an international academic environment and joint research activities:

“Joint doctoral programmes represent an important step towards a connected European area of education and research. For the Faculty of Arts of TUKE, they also provide an opportunity to develop new interdisciplinary forms of artistic research.”

Within the framework of Ulysseus, the Faculty of Arts of TUKE also aims to actively develop international cooperation with partner universities in the aforementioned areas. The long-term ambition of the Faculty of Arts of TUKE is to create international research and educational platforms connecting artistic and technological disciplines, with an emphasis on experimentation and innovation.