Ukrainian Catholic University's history program is accredited (11/30/03)

Ukrainian Catholic University's history program is accredited

by Matthew Matuszak

LVIV - The history program of the Humanities Faculty of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) in Lviv received state accreditation last summer. That was the topic of a press conference held at the UCU on November 12, with the participation of the rector, the Rev. Dr. Borys Gudziak, and the staff of the faculty.

According to Ihor Pidkova, head of UCU's accreditation department, the accreditation process lasted two years and the UCU can now start joint educational projects with other universities. UCU students will have the opportunity to take courses offered by similar departments in other institutions. One example of such cooperation is an individualized humanities studies program arranged between UCU and Ivan Franko National University in Lviv.

"UCU is an institution in which humanities studies, based on the Christian viewpoint, can seriously, creatively and critically develop," said Father Gudziak. "We have our own unique laboratory for integrating Ukrainian society into the world, and so, undoubtedly, we deserve the recognition and support of our government."

"The potential for UCU that we have been nourishing for years can finally begin to function in the field of education and research, accredited by the state," continued Father Gudziak. "For a long time, the state did not recognize our programs, but in this we see the providence of God, because from a certain point of view the absence of state accreditation gave us more freedom. Due to a more creative approach to the development of curricula, the university has accumulated many interesting proposals that will undoubtedly influence the reform of humanities education in Ukraine in general."

However, Father Gudziak noted that "The problem of the accreditation of the UCU's theology program is yet to be resolved. For now, while officials in Kyiv are preparing to approve it, we are trying not to waste time and are training specialists whose diplomas are recognized worldwide. We hope, and exert every effort, to be able to admit students in 2004 for an accredited program at the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology," said Father Gudziak

"Today we have witnessed a small event, which is however an event at the all-Ukrainian scale," stressed Olena Dzhedzhora, acting dean of the UCU Humanities Faculty. "Our goal is to create a generation of young professionals whose knowledge will be used in Ukraine." Ms. Dzhedzhora added that there is no concern over potential pressure from the Ministry of Education trying to impose its standards. She stated that the process of reform of higher education in Ukraine is significant and the ministry is not interested in hindering it.

The UCU Humanities Faculty, now consisting of the history program, was established in July 2001. In addition to the courses required by the state standard list for history specialists, the students also take basic courses in theology. Special emphasis has been placed on the teaching of intellectual and social history, the history of Central and Eastern Europe, and the teaching of classical and modern foreign languages.

The UCU actually received the license authorizing it to grant a bachelor's degree in history on July 22. The university decided to publicize the information on November 12, before Student Day is celebrated in Ukraine on November 17. As part of the ceremony, the 35 first-year students enrolled in the UCU's history program received government identification to allow them to take public transportation at the student rate. The 190 seminarians and 145 general department students in the UCU Faculty of Philosophy and Theology do not have such identification, because their program is still not fully accredited by the Ukrainian government.

For further information about the Ukrainian Catholic University readers may contact the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation, 2247 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60622; phone, (773) 235-8462; fax, (773) 235-8464; e-mail, [email protected]; website, http://www.ucef.org.

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