DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL LAW OF THE INSTITUTE OF LAW
Academic and Research Institute of law
Sumy state university
A formal diploma award ceremony was held at the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure for graduates of the “Intellectual Property” educational programme. The event marked an important final stage in the academic journey of higher education graduates who successfully completed the programme and acquired professional knowledge in the field of legal protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.
Today, the first working online meeting took place as part of the preparation of an international educational COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) project between the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure of the Academic and Research Institute of Law at Sumy State University and California State University, Chico (USA).
Associate Professor, Doctor of Law Mykhailo Dumchykov has successfully completed the online course for lecturers of the academic discipline “Anti-Corruption and Integrity”, confirming a high level of professional competence in promoting anti-corruption culture and adherence to the principles of academic integrity.
The Department of Criminal Law and Procedure of the Academic and Research Institute of Law at Sumy State University has once again confirmed its high academic and pedagogical standards and its active contribution to strengthening the University’s human capital.
According to the results of the “Best Academic Staff of SumDU” competition for the 2024–2025 academic year, representatives of the Department were recognised as laureates at both the University and Institute levels, demonstrating the effectiveness of their educational, research, and organisational activities.
✨ Among the laureates of the competition are:
▪️ Maryna Utkina — Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure;
▪️ Olha Maletova — Head of the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure.
The professional achievements of the lecturers received high recognition at the University level, once again confirming the role of the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure as one of the leading academic and educational units of the University in the field of criminal law and judicial proceedings.
👏 The Department warmly congratulates its colleagues on this well-deserved recognition and wishes them further academic achievements, professional growth, and new successes.
January 7 became a truly special and milestone day for students majoring in Law Enforcement — they completed the first coursework defense of their academic journey within the course “Institutional Foundations of Law Enforcement Activity.”
On 23 December 2025, the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure of the academic and research institute of law organised and held the scientific and practical workshop “GDPR in Your Pocket: European Practices of Data Protection on Smartphones” within the framework of the ERASMUS-JMO-2023-MODULE – ERASMUS2027 – 101125350 – “EUEPPDC” project (Jean Monnet Module of the Erasmus+ Programme).
On 16 December 2025, at the initiative of the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure of the Academic and Research Institute of Law of Sumy State University, a practice-oriented lecture entitled “Forensic Experts at a Crime Scene: How It Works in Reality” was held for students of the “Law Enforcement Activity” educational programme.
As part of the implementation of the Jean Monnet Module project ERASMUS-JMO-2023-MODULE – ERASMUS2027 – 101125350 “EUEPPDC: EU Experience in Personal Data Protection in Cyberspace”, a legal awareness and educational event was organized for students enrolled in the Law, International Law, and Law Enforcement degree programmes.
The event was held in the format of an interactive lecture and discussion entitled:
“Where Is the Boundary Between Ensuring Cybersecurity and Interfering with the Right to Privacy?”
During the event, participants examined contemporary challenges related to balancing the state’s legitimate public interests in ensuring cybersecurity with the protection of fundamental human rights, particularly the right to privacy and the right to personal data protection. Special attention was devoted to European standards of personal data protection, the practical implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the European Union’s approaches to assessing the legitimacy, proportionality, and necessity of state intervention in digital privacy under conditions of evolving cyber threats.
Through an open discussion format, students were encouraged to express their views on the acceptable limits of state oversight in cyberspace, explore challenges associated with large-scale data collection, digital surveillance, the use of artificial intelligence technologies and cyber intelligence tools, and critically assess the potential risks of misuse and excessive interference with individual rights.
The event contributed to enhancing students’ legal awareness, fostering critical thinking regarding the balance between security and human rights, and deepening their understanding of European approaches to cyberspace regulation. These issues are of particular relevance to future legal professionals, international law specialists, and law enforcement practitioners operating in an increasingly digitalized environment.
Disclaimer to use in all communication materials: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
The Coordinator of the Jean Monnet Module ERASMUS-JMO-2023-MODULE – ERASMUS2027 – 101125350 – “EUEPPDC: EU Experience in Personal Data Protection in Cyberspace” and Associate Professor at the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure of the Academic and Research Institute of Law of Sumy State University, Mykhailo Dumchykov, delivered an educational lecture for pupils of the 8th and 9th grades of Secondary School No. 4 of the Sumy community.
On 9 December 2025, Olha Maletova, Chair of the Council of Young Scientists under the Sumy Regional Military Administration, participated in the Regional Meeting of the Councils of Young Scientists of Sumy Region, organized at the initiative of the Council of Young Scientists under the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
