When Artem Dedenok arrived in Kaunas three years ago, he was just 17 and knew little about Lithuania. Today, the Ukrainian student has made a life for himself here while studying Renewable Energy at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), gaining research experience, helping to develop a student start-up and exploring hydrogen technologies. Lithuania, once an unfamiliar country, has now become a place where he can see himself building his future.
Artem, a Renewable Energy student at the KTU Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, moved to Lithuania after finishing school in Kyiv. Originally from the Kherson region, he decided that moving abroad was the best option while the war in Ukraine continued.
He is also learning Lithuanian – he has already passed the state Lithuanian language exam at A2 level and will put his knowledge to the test in the Constitution Exam in September.
Putting His Knowledge into Practice in the Energy Sector
While planning his future in Lithuania, Artem has maintained close ties with Ukraine. For the past year and a half, he has been working with friends who remain there on the student start-up “WITERoK”. The team is developing wind turbines for private households using advanced aerodynamic blade designs.
“Since the team is based in Ukraine and I live in Kaunas, my main responsibilities are analysing the start-up market and evaluating potential solutions based on the underlying physics. I have also looked for other promising ideas and helped adapt them for our product,” explains Artem.
The start-up, however, is not the only way Artem has put the knowledge and skills gained during his studies into practice. In his first year at university, he took part in a summer research internship funded by the Research Council of Lithuania, where he studied the synthesis of organic semiconductors for solar cells.
The First Step Is to Seek Out Opportunities
Soon after starting at KTU, Artem joined the SKILLed AI talent programme. For him, the most valuable part is not the particular programme a student chooses, but the people they meet along the way.
“The main aim of these programmes is to bring together like-minded people and give students the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge independently. Simply being surrounded by motivated students encourages you to push yourself further too,” says Artem.
Through the talent programme, Artem takes part in hackathons and works on challenges set by business partners. He says these experiences have helped him improve his presentation skills, build his confidence and learn to approach problems in new and unconventional ways.
“Being proactive and willing to try different things is one of the most important pieces of advice I would give to first-year KTU students. The University offers plenty of opportunities to those who actively seek them out,” he says.
Artem recommends aiming for strong academic results, which can open the door to scholarships, support from benefactors and funded travel. He also encourages students to take part in mentoring and career programmes, attend conferences and University events, and volunteer.
“The most important thing is not to be afraid to try. There are plenty of opportunities at KTU, but students themselves have to take the first step,” says Artem, reflecting on his own experience.
