Ukraine’s rectors union joins EUA

Photo: EUA website.

On 21 June, the EUA Board approved the application for full collective membership by the Union of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine, taking the number of national rectors’ conferences represented within EUA to 35.

The Union of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine will thus be represented in the EUA Council, which consists of the presidents of the national university associations. The Council decides on EUA’s priorities and policies and approves membership applications. It meets three times a year.

The Union of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine was established in 1993. It currently counts 98 higher education institutions as members and is the primary representative body for universities in Ukraine. EUA has 27 university members in Ukraine, 15 of whom are also members of the rectors’ conference. The Union of Rectors of Ukraine promotes the interests of its members in national policy discussions and works to strengthen both the autonomy of universities and their role in public life. Ukraine has been a full member of the Bologna Process since 2005.

Amanda Crowfoot, EUA Secretary General, said: “We warmly welcome the Ukrainian rector’s conference into our family of European university associations. We greatly value cooperation with our Ukrainian members and the perspectives they contribute to EUA’s work. Today, European solidarity is more important than ever, and EUA is fully committed to supporting the Ukrainian higher education sector in these difficult and uncertain times.”

Professor Petro Kulikov, Chair of the Union of Rectors of Ukraine, said “Today, the issue of Ukraine's integration into the European community is of great and strategic importance for us. This is a step forward, a step towards meeting new things that will radically transform Ukrainian Higher Education. The Union of Rectors of Ukraine’s accession into the European University Association means being among the changers, implementing ideas and making them a reality. We will become the driving force that will make significant efforts to integrate the Ukrainian system of education into the European structures. On behalf of the members of the Union, I would like to express our deep gratitude to all EUA members for supporting our aspirations! We are confident that we will work together for the development of higher education and creation of new opportunities for our young people.”

The endorsement of the Union’s membership application follows an expedited procedure decided by the EUA Council in April, according to which decisions on Ukrainian membership applications may be taken between Council meetings by the EUA Board. This is one of several measures in support of the university sector in Ukraine decided by EUA’s statutory bodies during the spring.

This article was first published on 15 July by EUA.