A solemn meeting of the Academic Council of the Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University was held on the occasion of the 103rd anniversary of the University.
Opening the ceremony, Olha Porkuian, Rector of Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University, said: “This is a significant day for every person involved in the history of the University. Every year on this day we say words of sincere gratitude to the founders of the University, previous generations of professors, teachers, students, and everyone who gave a part of their minds, souls, and talents for the benefit of the university. Today’s Day of our University is overshadowed by a full-scale war. Our glorious soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are holding back the enemy at the cost of their lives. We are proud that the staff and students of our University, as well as graduates, are defending the independence of the country in the ranks of the Armed Forces. Unfortunately, there are fallen among them on the battlefield. Praise be to them! Their memory is eternal!”
The participants of the event honored the memory of the Heroes with a minute of silence.
In her report, Olha Porkuian outlined the main stages of the university’s complex history and development:
- The creation of the first higher technical educational institution in Luhansk region and in Donbas as a whole. The fact that a powerful locomotive building plant was operating in Luhansk played a major role. It became the educational and production base for the new university;
- restoration of the institution in Luhansk from scratch after the war as part of various universities;
- obtaining autonomous status in 1960;
- establishment of the East Ukrainian State University in 1993;
- obtaininobtaining national status in 2000;
- naming the University in honor of Volodymyr Dahl in 2001;
- signing in 2004 in Bologna (Italy) of the Magna Charta of Universities as a sign of readiness for development in accordance with European standards;
- у 2000-2014 роках перебудова організаційно-структурної науково-дослідної діяльності університеin 2000-2014, restructuring of the organizational and structural research activities of the university; formation of powerful scientific schools; strengthening of the material and technical base of the institution; establishment of scientific relations with foreign universities, enterprises and organizations; participation in the implementation of a number of major international projects; training of personnel with higher education for 75 countries;
- in 2014-2022, revival of the University’s activities in Sievierodonetsk with the help of international donors, partners from the European Union, Japan, the United States, UNDP, USAID, etc; improvement of the positions in the rankings that failed in 2014-2015; introduction of digitalization; creation of the Resource Center for Sustainable Development, the Green Lab and BlueLab multi-hub dialogue platforms, the Pro Bono Legal Clinic, the Electronic Legal Office, the Career Development Center, the Fab Lab Creative Laboratory, the EU Information Center, the Media Center, the Veteran hab, and the Archaeological Museum; launch of a large project to create two powerful zones with multimedia auditoriums and coworking spaces, etc;
- in March 2022, evacuation of staff and students to Kamianets-Podilskyi and Dnipro, resumption of the institution’s activities after two weeks of vacation; joining the assistance of our friends and partners from international organizations, obtaining a permanent location in Kyiv.
Olha Porkuian also mentioned the outstanding rectors Borys Rumiantsev, Oleksii Koniaiev, Oleksandr Holubenko, under whose leadership the university staff passed all the milestones of development and reconstruction.
Today, Olha Porkuian summarized, the portrait of the university looks like this.
The university structure includes: 8 faculties, the Center for Education Improvement, one research institute, 36 departments, one joint branch of the National Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 12 branch and specialized research laboratories.
The university enrolls 4435 students (as of January 01, 2023), and the educational process is provided by 329 research and teaching staff (including 72 doctors of sciences and 191 candidates).
Students are enrolled in 117 educational programs.
Specialists in energy, chemical technologies, logistics, computer science, cybersecurity, a wide range of engineering, social sciences and humanities, in all fields of modern scientific knowledge are trained.
The university ranks 51st in the 2022 TOP-200 Ukraine ranking. The university is ranked 45th in the SCOPUS science-based database based on the results of references to the publications of university scientists.
Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University is the only university from Luhansk region, one of 35 Ukrainian universities, which is included in the QS EECA University Rankings 2022.
The solemn meeting of the Academic Council was attended by honored guests.
Vilen Fatalov, chairman of the Shield and Sword Association, chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University: “I once studied at this university, received a basic higher education, and defended my PhD thesis. Now, as the chairman of the Supervisory Board, together with Olha Porkuian, vice-rectors, heads of departments, we are working on the revival of the University at a new level. I wish you new successes and victories! We will overcome everything together”.
Mykola Kalashnyk, acting head of the Darnytsia District State Administration in Kyiv: “As a person who finds it difficult to change his or her location, I can’t even imagine what the university is going through after the second relocation. It’s all starting all over again: arranging, forming, restoring the image. Thank God you have it. Local authorities should also be involved in solving everyday issues, and as a representative of the largest district of the capital, I can say that we are ready to cooperate. Our district is home to the largest number of children – 94 thousand, as well as IDPs, including about 10 thousand children. So, we will make sure that these children receive a quality education at your University. Difficulties are given to those who can overcome them. For me, this is your team.”
Svitlana Karpinska, representative of the USAID Democratic Governance in Eastern Ukraine Project: “We have been working with your University for a long time (the project was implemented in Luhansk Oblast for 5 years), we have been carrying out a number of activities together, but thanks to our partners, the US Government, the project has been extended until March 2026. In such difficult times, we responded to your request for support. We have partially supplied you with furniture worth UAH 255 thousand, and in the near future, by April 6-8, we expect to deliver computer equipment worth $75 thousand: 15 printer-scanners and 45 laptops. We are open to cooperation and are determined to help your university.”
Snizhana Leu-Severynenko, representative of the USAID Economic Support to Ukraine Project: “Unfortunately, the war destroyed most of our achievements. This is a number of laboratories and resources of the University, but we must always remember that the University is not only about walls and equipment. It is about the expertise you bring. It is about the space you create. It is about the experience you share with your students. Now there is an opportunity to support you until 2026. War is also about opportunities. Cooperation with our partners from the East is a priority for us. It is a great pleasure to work with Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University – we have developed a common language and understanding, and we are happy to join the process of restoring your university. The war will end someday, which is why we are providing you with the tools you will need when you return to the East – fundraising, working with businesses, dual education, restoring the mental health of students and teachers. You will also have to do a lot of work with the local population. We are interested in your development and will help you in every way possible.”
Vladislav Yemelin, 4th year student: “As a representative of the student community, I would like to say that it is more difficult than ever to study, but we want to do it more than ever. Because we see how people who put their hearts and souls into the revival of the University help us overcome difficulties.”
Honored guests and partners also came to congratulate the University: Viktoriia Tromsa, Head of the Department of Youth and Sports of the Pechersk District State Administration, Iryna Kotliarova, Head of the Vyshhorod District Court of Kyiv Region, Maryna Pekerman and Andrii Smorodin, members of the Supervisory Board of Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University, Hanna Borova, Inclusion Advisor of the USAID GOVERLA Project, and Ruslan Korzh, a private entrepreneur.
