Oleksandr Ivanov,
Ph.D. (History), Associate Professor,
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
Oleh Mashevskyi,
Dr.habil. (History), Professor,
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
Abstract.
The onset of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has prompted an escalation in cooperation between higher education institutions in Germany and Ukraine. In Bavaria, one of the largest federal states of Germany, within the structure of the Bavarian Academic Center for Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe (BAYHOST), a special Coordination Office for Ukraine was established and began operating in March 2022.
The main purpose of establishing and operating this office was to provide urgent and comprehensive informational and practical support to researchers, professors, and students from Ukraine who sought refuge in Bavaria since the beginning of the Russian aggression. One of the key points of this long-term program was the creation of joint educational programs between universities of both countries. To facilitate a broader discussion of this perspective, study, and exchange of experiences, as well as practical support in implementing this task, it was decided to hold a Ukrainian-Bavarian scientific-practical conference on the creation of joint double degree educational programs in the Bavarian city of Regensburg, where the University of Regensburg closely collaborates with the long-standing partner — Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
The conference took place on May 4-5, 2023, within the University of Regensburg in a hybrid format, as not all participants had the opportunity to attend in person. Over 100 participants from 40 Ukrainian universities and 16 Bavarian institutions of higher education took part in it.
At the conference, the first practical experience in the creation and functioning of joint Bavarian-Ukrainian dual degree educational programs was presented. Pioneers in this field were experts in mathematics and computer technologies. During the further proceedings of the conference, particularly in the sessions of its three sections (in technical-natural, economic-legal, social and human sciences), participants shared their own experience of international cooperation and their ideas and proposals regarding the creation of joint dual degree programs. The session of the section on humanitarian and social sciences began with the presentation and discussion of the report by Associate Professor Oleksandr Ivanov and Professor Oleh Mashevskyi on “Assessments by alumni of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv of higher education in Ukraine”.
One of the most significant practical outcomes of participation in this conference was the agreement reached between the representative of Taras Shevchenko National University, Associate Professor Oleksandr Ivanov, and the head of the Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Eastern Europe at the University of Passau, Professor Thomas Wünsch, to create a dual master’s program for training historians-researchers.
It should be noted that work in this direction is already underway. After a series of discussions on the dual educational program project, clarification of various organizational and methodological issues, and identification of interested members from the Faculty of History of Taras Shevchenko National University to participate in this project, the first visits of our colleagues to Passau have been planned. Several trial courses in English from both sides for the 2024/25 academic year have been also identified.
Keywords: German-Ukrainian relations, dual degree educational programs, higher education, academic mobility, University of Regensburg, educational diplomacy, international relations.
Submited 21.12.2023
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