BRAMA, July 15, 2010, 9:00 AM ET
Press release
Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America
Statement
on the
Transfer of the National University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy"
to the Sphere of Management of the
Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
On July 7, 2010, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine issued Decree No. 1353-r, which officially transferred the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) and the National University of Ostroh Academy, Ukraine's two oldest universities, to the sphere of management of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. In previous years these universities acted under the formal authority of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Prevailing Ukrainian law requires that all universities fall under the purview of the Ministry of Education and Science.
The announcement of the government's Decree on the Transfer of Administrative Authority to the Ministry of Education is a de jure recognition of what in fact has been a de facto practice for years. It provides for a unified policy related to all universities.
Implementation of the decree will clarify the government's position and will indicate the nature of its policies toward higher education.
What matters more is the government's next steps. There is hope that the implementation of this official decree will not result in new policies to limit university autonomy and academic freedom, including admission policies, personnel and curriculum.
Kyiv Mohyla Academy's leadership expects and hopes that institutional autonomy and academic freedom will be preserved for the ability of Ukraine to advance needed educational reforms and compete on an even level in the world community. Academic freedom is a precondition to advancing knowledge and developing and sustaining a civil society.
Serhiy Kvit, president of the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy, stated, "The issue is not about this ruling, there is another issue at stake. Kyiv-Mohyla Academy has its own bylaws, and these bylaws provide specific rights of autonomy and academic freedom to the university. We will be guided by the fundamental principles of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and the university's status of a self-governing research national institution of higher learning”.
Kyiv-Mohyla Academy was re-established in 1992 after the fall of the Soviet Union. Since that time, the University has been providing the highest order of education to a new generation of leaders of Ukraine. It has been at the forefront of educational reforms, based on academic freedom and university autonomy – two indispensable pillars of institutions of higher education.
Kyiv-Mohyla Academy conducts many programs to integrate the university into the world academic community. It introduced anonymous admission testing, new schools and institutes (School of Public Health, Institute of Political Analysis, New School of Journalism and Media Center, a three tier degree program – baccalaureate, master's and Ph.D. programs, and numerous other initiatives). It requires proficiency in the English language for admission. These and other steps of reform are efforts to integrate Ukrainian universities within guidelines of the Bologna Agreement aimed at establishing competitiveness, parity and recognition of diplomas among European universities.
Statement from National University of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
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