UMANA plans a major expansion of its web presence (12/11/05)

UMANA plans a major expansion of its web presence

by George Hrycelak

CHICAGO - Representatives of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA) and the Ukrainian Knowledge Internet Portal Consortium Association (UKiP) met in Chicago recently to solidify plans for a major expansion of UMANA's Internet activity for the immediate future.

UMANA's president Andrew Iwach, M.D., said he believes that "communication via the worldwide web is the key to expanding medical knowledge and resources to Ukrainians globally, at a fast pace and reasonable cost." UMANA's current website has served admirably until now.

Dr. Iwach explained that "UMANA is striving to become the first major Ukrainian American professional group to fully incorporate the Ukrainian language into its website, thereby opening its resources to all." He added that "Collaborating with our Canadian colleagues will lead to an efficient partnership."

While in Edmonton this summer for the UMANA Scientific Conference, board members made contact with representatives of UKiP, a consortium of organizations dedicated to the development and delivery of resources for learning and appreciating the Ukrainian language and culture. Headquartered in Edmonton, UKiP coordinates, develops and provides bilingual (English-Ukrainian) online learning resources to a variety of schools, post-secondary institutions and a worldwide audience.

Members of UKiP include the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) at the University of Alberta, Canada Ukraine Foundation, Ukrainian Resource and Development Center at Grant MacEwan College and others.

UMANA board members began preliminary deliberations in Edmonton to evaluate the possibility that UMANA's website could be enhanced and raised to bilingual status through cooperation with UKiP.

UKiP members Dr. Roman Petryshyn (via teleconference), Anna Biscoe, Dr. Bohdan Klid and Kim Robinson visited UMANA headquarters over the weekend of October 15-17, meeting formally with the board of directors to present their proposal for developing the UMANA website. Board members discussed the various options and potential expansions with enthusiasm, realizing that a successful web expansion will significantly increase the association's reach, and include a large segment of Ukrainian-speaking health care professionals for whom up to now this has been a difficult task.

One major change will have the basic website exist in both languages, English and Ukrainian. A visitor could pick between versions with a simple click of a button. Posted material would be translated and updated with new editions, such as the currently posted issues of UMANA News and Likarskyi Visnyk (Journal of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America, JUMANA). Options will be built in to allow links to major medical resource sites and permit viewing of select articles of interest to the medical community.

Another goal is to encourage UMANA members to begin to incorporate the Internet as a basic learning resource as well as communication center for association activities and knowledge database. "If we can serve as a template for other Ukrainian American professional organizations in the diaspora, so much the better," reasoned Dr. Iwach.

At the UMANA board meeting on October 17, members voted to proceed with the project to expand and amend the www.umana.org website. Input on proposed changes will be sought from the UMANA members, with enhancements expected to be tested and completed by early 2006.

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