EN 
UK 
Under a grant program from the Polish Intermarium Foundation, Sumy State University received a free educational license for FlexSim software for 20 jobs. Sumy State University is the third Ukrainian university among FlexSim users after Lviv Polytechnic National University and the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering in Rivne.
FlexSim is a software product designed for modeling and analysis of complex processes and systems.
What is the reason for the need to implement such software in the educational process of the university? The answer to this question can be found by analyzing the state of production systems.
Take a walk on modern production. Note how many items are waiting for processing operations. Multiply this number by the amount of equipment and imagine the total work in progress. Assess the presence of idle vehicles and machines. This production situation does not correspond to that which should be in active motion and in the struggle for profit. Downtime of equipment, unfinished production lead to increased duration of the working cycle, reduced productivity of operation of production systems and increased cash costs of the enterprise.
To solve these problems, specialists and experts usually use MS Excel, MS Project, build analytical calculations. But these calculations are not always accurate, as production systems are very complex. The complexity is due to the fact that production and service operations are influenced by random factors, occur in conditions of variability and uncertainty. Therefore, people making decisions in the workplace must use computer models of complex processes and systems. Such a model can be changed - change the structure of the system, the mode of operation of its resources and predict behavior. However, all experiments on the model are performed in a software environment, separate from the real system, and therefore do not involve any risks.
FlexSim software, equipped with powerful visualization tools, 2D and 3D graphics, provides production systems analysts with a risk-free environment for building and conducting experiments on models. FlexSim can be applied to any system, including discrete and continuous production, all areas of transport and logistics, construction, healthcare, services (catering services, restaurants, outlets and many other). Using this software product, users have the opportunity to create working simulations of objects and use them as a tool of support in making decisions.
In modern conditions that require the application of a competency-based approach to the training of graduates, the introduction of such a software system in the educational process is very important. SumDU teachers who use the FlexSim program as part of their training courses note: “There is an opportunity to improve the learning process through the use of tasks containing practical cases, involve students in working on real tasks, implement projects relevant to local organizations and achieve the main goal - to form the readiness to independently solve professional problems of different complexity in graduates".
Students have an opportunity to undergo practice and internships at enterprises, perform case studies and work on diplomas that contain practical aspects, to participate in academic mobility programs. A graduate who uses modern computer technology, who is able to identify "bottlenecks" in the work of organizations and offer possible solutions of problems, will always be in demand both in our Sumy region and abroad.
Today, Ukraine's production systems are experiencing a difficult period of declining productivity. Organizations need to improve and optimize production processes. In such conditions, cooperation with European countries is very important for Ukraine, which guarantees the implementation of joint projects aimed at the practical implementation of modern computer technology.
For reference. The Polish InterMarium Foundation (http://intermarium.org.pl/) was established in 2018. Among the main goals of the Foundation are promotion of concepts, innovative management methods aimed at improving products, processes and services, including Industry 4.0, computer modeling, 3D visualization, virtual reality. Development of cooperation in the educational, scientific and economic environment between the countries of the Baltic-Black Sea region.
