The Relocated University Is Alive and Developing

2.7.2024

With the beginning of the large-scale invasion of Russia on the territory of Ukraine, dozens of educational institutions were under occupation.

In order to remain in the Ukrainian education system and continue to work, universities had to relocate to the territory of Ukraine in the rear.

“In Ukraine, as a result of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, 44 higher education institutions were relocated. Their losses are critical. Due to the lack of funds, higher education institutions now face the task of surviving,” Oleg Sharov, general director of professional pre-university and higher education of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Ukraine, said last year on the air of the talk show “Novyi Vidlik”.

But how do these institutions of education and science feel today?

The correspondent of the newspaper “Visnyk” visited the state institution “Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University”, which, together with its units – institutes and colleges – left the occupied territories to Lubny, Myrhorod and Poltava.

Currently, the university in Lubny is located in the Gymnasium named after Vasyl Barka, on Viktor Novikov St.

This building is known to all Lubny residents, because it was built more than 100 years ago in 1905 by the famous architect Beketov. In this building, at different times, there were a Temple, a Theological School, a pedagogical institute, and now – Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University.

It was here that the meeting took place with Vitalii Semenovych KURYLO, Chairman of the Academic Council of the University, First Vice-Rector, Academician of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor.

– Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University has been operating in Poltava region, in particular, in Lubny, for two years. Moving is always stressful, and especially in the conditions of relocation. It should be noted that the interaction between the university, the Lubny community and the city government takes place. 

At the extraordinary 41st session of the 8th convocation, a decision was made to allocate UAH 300,000 to the university for the purchase of information equipment. Tell me how this will help the university?

– Vitalii Kurylo: We are now very actively transforming our institution into a digital university. This is a rather broad concept.

There are both online and offline training. In order for them to be combined, we need special equipment for this.

If we talk about today’s traditional online education, then everything happens like this: a student goes to the university program, to the relevant web-sites, performs certain tasks, receives consultations or attends the teacher’s lectures. But the digital university is when off-line and on-line learning will be combined. That is, the student can be present directly at each lecture via the Internet, and can also perform individual tasks online. That is, such a high-quality combination will also provide high-quality education. And for this you need the appropriate equipment.

– That is, it will be possible to study at the university from any part of the world where there is an Internet connection. Do I understand correctly?

– Vitalii Kurylo: Yes, these are new opportunities for the university. Thus, it will “attract” students both from all over Ukraine and from all over the world.

In addition, we are actively implementing the teaching of some courses in English. And these are also new study opportunities at our university for foreign students who will receive education together with Ukrainian students. Not in all programs, but we are introducing it, especially in master’s training. Therefore, we need to provide all this technically, and we are applying for various grants and various aid programs. They also appealed to the city authorities, which responded and provided assistance of 300,000 UAH. Last year, the Lubny City Council also provided financial support. Thanks to this, the university re-equipped the chemical laboratory, and this year – digital equipment.

And yet I would point out that the university is not a beggar walking around with an outstretched hand. We cooperate with the Lubny community in various directions.

– It is interesting to learn about these directions.

– Vitalii Kurylo: I would like to tell about four directions. 

The first is the educational process. Education of all categories of the population.

Several colleges of the Luhansk University operate in Lubny, where Lubny children study, starting from the 9th grade. In addition, smaller children also come to us.

There is a special office in the premises of the university, which is visited by children who have certain developmental problems. In particular, language and some others. Specialists from the inclusive field work with them here. This office was equipped with the help of the organization “SOS Children’s Villages of Ukraine” and now all children who need help can visit them. We provided premises, engaged an international organization, and it equipped this inclusive center. So children come to us starting from 2-3 years old.

And 9th graders, after graduating from school, go to study in colleges. After the 11th grade pupils can start their studies at the bachelor’s level. And then – master’s studies.

Also, last year we actively worked, and this year we will work with the adult population through the Employment Center. In particular, with citizens who already have a higher education, but for some reason want to change their profession, field of training or improve their qualifications.

Such people have the opportunity through the Employment Center to enter LTSNU for a master’s degree, and their one and a half years of education is paid for by the state.

So, last year, more than 100 people entered the university for a master’s degree through the Employment Center. Received grants, study quite successfully.

The second direction is cooperation with the community in the financial and economic direction.

First, the university is a taxpayer. The main tax is personal income tax. Each of us, receiving a salary, deducts a tax of 18%. These funds are transferred to the local budget, part to the regional budget.

If we take the transfer to the local budget, namely to the city of Lubny, then in 2023 we transferred 13 million 600 thousand hryvnias. And in 5 months of 2024, we have already transferred 7 million UAH. For 2024, we forecast to fill the local budget by more than 15 million hryvnias. We transfer 1 million 200 thousand UAH to the budget of the city of Lubny every month. Therefore, to say that we are taking something away from the people of Lubny is not true. We give much more than we ask.

In addition, if we talk about the financial component, the university rents 2 premises provided by the City Council. Rent, as for budget organizations, is symbolic. But we pay utilities. For example, we are currently in the building of the Vasyl Barka Gymnasium, which would be heated regardless of whether we were here or not. The premises that we occupy, which is actually a third of the school, are paid for by the university. Thus, we saved the city 875,000 hryvnias on heating two premises only for this heating season.

I would like to point out that we have children studying here who receive a scholarship on a budget basis. During this academic year from September to May, only children from the Lubny community received a scholarship worth 1 million 350 thousand UAH. This is an addition to the family budget at the expense of the university.

– Indeed, the numbers are quite significant. Society is set up in such a way that the successful are more drawn to. Did you feel it at the university?

– Vitalii Kurylo: We successfully cooperate with the community in the social direction.

The university settled in Lubny. First of all, we hire employees from the Lubny population. Some of the teachers are from the city of Lubny. As of today, 96 Lubny students work at the university. Among them are 60 employees and 36 teachers. Thus, the university in Lubny opened about a hundred (!) jobs. And the salary is also additional funds in Lubny, as a result, the ability of people to spend them on their own needs. And again, the money stays here, in the city.

In addition, if we talk about the third social direction, the young people who came to study here stayed here in Lubny, and did not go to other cities. Almost 300 students from the Lubny community study at the university. Of them, 170 are on the budget form of education. This is more than 60 percent.

Therefore, I believe that this is a good social contribution of the university to the development of the city.

I emphasize once again that young people stay, do not leave the city. In addition, many students work part-time, including a certain proportion of 96 working Lubny students who work in university institutions. When young people study and work, I think it is very good.

The fourth direction, in my opinion, is extremely important – cultural.

The presence of a university in the city, highly qualified specialists, doctors of science, professors, associate professors, specialists with advanced degrees, intelligent people – this adds a certain charm to the city. The city became a university city.

We cooperate very actively and we like such cooperation. These are the Lubny Museum of Local Lore named after Hnat Stelletskyi, local libraries, and Art Gallery. We cooperate with the Houses of Culture, with other cultural and educational institutions. And our students also create impressive concert programs. Students and teachers participate in numerous events held by the city and various local organizations, with which we find a common language on absolutely all issues.

We help and are helped. For example, I recently contacted the director of one of the leading enterprises of the city of Lubnymash, Yurii Mykhailovych Pleskach. For repair work, we needed scaffolding, which could not be found. He responded instantly. The issue was resolved in 10 minutes. And it is extremely pleasant.

In general, we cooperate fruitfully with the heads of various institutions of the city, with state institutions. Therefore, I would like to emphasize that during the 2 years that the university has been in Lubny, we have received support from the authorities. I personally want to thank Lubny Mayor Oleksandr Petrovych Hrytsaienko for his strong support and mutual understanding.

We asked him to help the financial and economic college. They have a dormitory, the roof of which is in need of repair. But the educational institution does not have such funds. Therefore, this issue was also included in the program and the first tranche was allocated for project works. And the college, in turn, already has an agreement to provide our students with a dormitory. Because the lack of a dormitory today is a significant problem. Therefore, such arrangements are already working. I am also grateful to the deputies of the Lubny City Council. They supported the decision to provide aid to the college, understanding that this is a common problem for the city, for the community. There were no questions. And it is good that there is such an understanding of the problems of education, the problems of the university and, in general, all educational institutions.

It is clear that we need to help everyone and there are not enough funds for everything. But we help the city, and the city helps us.

– Thank you for such an important and thorough conversation. I wish Luhansk Taras Shevchenko  National University to achieve the highest achievements in the educational and scientific field.

Tamara BIRIUKOVA,
journalist-correspondent
of the regional information publication Visnyk LIVE