On January, 16th, 2015 a working meeting of the East European University Network (EEUN) was held in the EENU library. Rectors, Vice-Rectors and scholars from foreign and domestic universities participated in the meeting.
Among those, who participated in discussing the important issues of cooperation were:
- Antoni Dębiński, Rector of John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin;
- Dr. Hab. Marcin Szewczak, Coordinator of the East European University Network;
- Ihor Kotsan, Rector of Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University;
- Petro Saukh, Rector of Ivan Franko Zhytomyr State University;
- Nadiia Skotna, Rector of Ivan Franko Drohobych State Pedagogical University;
- Pavlo Skotnyi, Deputy Director of the Institute of Physics, Mathematics and Information Studies of Ivan Franko Drohobych State Pedagogical University;
- Ivan Kutniak, Dean of the Faculty of Pedagogy of Ivan Franko Drohobych State Pedagogical University;
- Mykola Pantiuk, Head of International Cooperation Department, Vice-Rector for Research Work of Ivan Franko Drohobych State Pedagogical University;
- Mykola Yokhna, Vice-Rector for International Relations of Khmelnytskyi National University;
- Yurii Shalapko, Head of the Polish-Ukrainian Center of Khmelnytskyi National University;
- Oleh Adamiv, Vice-Rector for Research and Academic Work (international and information activities) of Ternopil National Economic University;
- Hryhorii Monastyrskii, Professor of the Department of State Municipal Management, Coordinator of the Network from Ternopil National Economic University;
- Eduard Balashov, Coordinator of Erasmus+ programmes, Coordinator of EEUN (WSU);
- Denys Lundyshev, Associate Professor of the Department of Natural Sciences of Baranovichi State University;
- Dmytro Karamyshev, Deputy Director for Research Work of Kharkiv Regional Institute of the Ukrainian Academy of Public Administration at the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Among other participants from EENU were Anatolii Tsios, First Vice-Rector, Svitlana Havryliuk, Vice-Rector for Academic Work, Mykhailo Yatsyshyn, Vice-Rector for Research Work, Serhii Fedoniuk, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations, Ihor Chulipa, Head of the International Relations Department.
The event was attended by special guests — Volodymyr Yevtukh, Honorary Doctor of Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University, Director of the Institute of Sociology, Psychology and Social Communication, Serhii Shtepa, Professor of the Department of Social and Public Communication of the same Institute; Mykola Zhulynskyi, Honorary Doctor and member of the Supervisory Board of Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University, Director of Taras Shevchenko Institute of Literature of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Vira Kudriavtseva, Head of International Cooperation and Project Activity Department of the Lutsk City Council.
As is known, the EEUN was founded in John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin at the beginning of December, 2014. Twelve universities of Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Georgia are members of the EEUN.
The roundtable meeting was opened by Ihor Kotsan, Rector of Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University. He welcomed the participants and emphasized that the main objective of the EEUN is the possible extensive cooperation between the universities in Central and Eastern Europe in the areas of Education, Culture and Sport. In Mr. Kotsan’s opinion, there is a great opportunity for Ukrainian universities to enter the European arena, hence intensive work and communication are absolutely necessary.
The conversation was joined by Antoni Dębiński, Rector of John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, who shared his own expectations from creating such a network of universities with the audience. Among the general prospects he singled out writing joint grants within the framework of Erasmus+ programme; implementation of the "double diploma" programme; exchange of students and teachers (for example, Summer Schools). And at the very meeting, in Mr. Dębiński’s words, it was necessary to define specific measures that can be taken within the next one or two months. In particular, the documents for the Erasmus + programme need to be collected during February and March.
Dr. Hab. Marcin Szewczak, EEUN Coordinator, named four areas in which the Polish side sees the prospects for cooperation: 1) Mathematics, Information Studies, Biotechnology; 2) Psychology, Pedagogy, Sociology, Political Studies; 3) Humanities (language learning — English, Polish, Ukrainian); 4) Law and Administration.Today, however,the administration of the Catholic University of Lublin highlighted the active preparation of documents for the contest in the Erasmus+ programme, writing the grant project, and organizing the European Law Summer School.Of course, the EU investments and establishing contacts with business and government officials are very important for implementing these plans.
In addition, Dr. Marcin Szewczak suggested that the participating universities should prepare information about scientific work they are doing, so that they could find areas for cooperation in science.Moreover, the universities must provide information in English for the Polish side by the end of January.The latter implies another very topical aspect — the knowledge of English (!). This topic was discussedby everyone at this meeting.
Rector Ihor Kotsan summarized primary results of the meeting and outlined three steps for the EEUN: the first step is signing the Agreement of the EEUN; the second is creation of the database of Universities in the Network; the third is creation of an Expert Council of the EEUN Coordinators, which, after studying the directions of scientific work of all participating universities, would find common aspects of research and match them with the needs of European Education and Science space.
The speakers assessed positively the creation of the EEUN which involves theEU university, as the Ukrainian science currently needs external financial assistance. It is the cooperation in the implementation of specific programs which will help a particular university to fully realize the projects it launched. Among other topics the meeting discussed were cooperation of the Network with local and regional authorities, founding joint scientific journal, free access to the libraries of the EEUN member universities, etc.
Since the roundtable was attended by Mykola Zhulynskyi, Director of Taras Shevchenko Institute of Literature of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, his speech concerned the cooperation between the participating universities and the institutes of the National Academy of Sciences, creation of research institutes (example is the Lesya Ukrainka Research Institute at Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University). In addition, Mr. Zhulynskyi visited our university with invaluable gifts, which are the books fromYevhen Sverstiuk’s personal library.
Finally, the place and date of the next meeting of EEUN coordinators were determined. It will be held in Drohobych on 15th February, 2015. It will be dedicated to the issues of the project topic discussion and its applying for the Erasmus+ programme.
Ivanna Myslyva-Bunko
When using this information reference to the source is obligatory
