A Novel Textbook: Advanced Mathematics in German and Ukrainian
Studies, School |
In 2025, the first volume of the bilingual textbook “Advanced Mathematics in German and Ukrainian” was published by the international academic publisher Springer Nature. It was first used in the winter semester of 2025–26.
International Collaboration with Strong Involvement from CIT
The work is aimed at first-year students in engineering and the natural sciences and is the result of close collaboration between the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, the Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and Springer Nature.
Author PD Dr. Andreas Johann conducts research at the Chair of Analysis and Modeling (Professor Zimmer) and teaches engineering mathematics at TUM. Author Dr. Irina Sidorenko studied and earned her doctorate in Kharkiv. She is currently also working at the TUM Chair of Analysis and Modeling. The third author, Dr. Oleg Burdo, conducts research at the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv. Editorial support from Ukraine also contributed to the project, including involvement by Professor Ihor Hirka from the educational and scientific institute “Faculty of Physics and Technology” at Karazin University in Kharkiv.
Subject Knowledge and Technical Language Combined
The textbook follows an innovative didactic approach that enables students to acquire mathematical knowledge and the corresponding scientific language simultaneously. German mathematical terminology is rarely covered in general language courses; the book deliberately addresses this gap and facilitates students’ entry into German-language STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) studies.
At the same time, the work makes a significant contribution to establishing Ukrainian as a modern language of science and scholarship. Since university education in Ukraine has been consistently shifted from Russian to Ukrainian only after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there was a strong need for a coherent Ukrainian mathematical terminology consistent with international traditions. “In the course of developing this textbook, there was a broad discussion on the Ukrainian side about which scientific terms should become the definitive Ukrainian terminology in the future. In this respect, the book can be regarded as a compendium,” explains Dr. Andreas Johann.
A Bridge Between Ukraine and Germany
By publishing a bilingual textbook specifically for the first year of study, the authors see their work as a welcoming bridge for Ukrainian students and prospective students to consider pursuing their studies in Germany, and particularly at TUM. In this way, the project creates an important foundation for future collaborations between Ukraine and Germany in research, teaching, and industry.
The authors also set a strong example of solidarity by donating all royalties from the book’s sales to Ukrainian humanitarian organizations. The first volume has been available since the summer of 2025, and a second volume is currently in preparation.eitung.