Network of European Information Centers of Ukraine, with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation and in partnership with the «Teraz Wrocław» Project, held a European Education week, November 15-21. The purpose of the event was to inform Ukrainians about European educational projects and Ukraine’s integration to the European educational space.
During the week, eleven European Information Centres in the regions of Ukraine conducted awareness raising activities, which attracted over a thousand young Ukrainians: Skype conferences and meetings with “living books”, people who shared their own experience of studying, internships and volunteering abroad; exhibitions, movie screenings, presentations of educational and internship programs abroad; presentations of informal studying and volunteering programs; consultation concerning scholarship and grant opportunities from international foundations, as well as courses and trainings necessary for further career growth, discussions and debates on reforming higher education and Ukraine’s integration into the European educational space; meetings with representatives of Ukrainian educational institutions that implement European standards of education.
On November 15, a meeting entitled “Education of a European type in Ukraine and abroad” was held in Vinnytsia library. During the meeting, high school students, university students and representatives of school European clubs of Vinnytsia and the Oblast found out about introduction of European educational practices and their adjustment to Ukrainian needs and reality on the example of the “Krok” University of Economics and Law and participated in a skype conference with Ukrainian students studying in Wroclaw, with the assistance of the “Teraz Wrocław” project. On November 16, a presentation entitled “Informal education: European voluntary service”, was held along with the presentation of the European Commission’s program “Youth in Action”, with participation of volunteers from the European Volunteer Service.
School students, university students and graduates gathered at the Mykhaylo Ostrohradsky Kremenchuk National University to learn about studying opportunities abroad. Oleh Ovcharenko, head of Kremenchuk European Club, spoke about opportunities for cooperation with Polish universities and presented some of the major Polish educational programs, which involved our teachers and students. Among them were: Teraz Wrocław, Study Tours to Poland, proposals of the Center for Eastern Europe Studies at the Warsaw University, programs of Eastern Europe College in Wroclaw and others. Participants received useful information about conditions of internships, financial support, and necessary set of documents for travel. Young people informally talked about master’s degree programs, research scholarship programs, internship and volunteering programs, got detailed information about peculiarities of filling out application documents, peculiarities of formal and informal education abroad. On November 19, a web conference was held at the Department of International Relations of Mykhaylo Ostrohradsky Kremenchuk National University. During the web conference, Kremenchuk students communicated with Ukrainian participants of the “Teraz Wrocław” project who now study in Wroclaw universities.
Khmelnitsky European Information Center also held presentation of the “Teraz Wrocław” project and skype-meeting with Ukrainian students studying in Wroclaw, as well as news hour “European educational system as a manifestation of present European integration. Opportunities for studying abroad” for high school students”. The center also showed a European film “Images of Europe”, at the request of “Positive” European club, and organized a workshop on methods and forms of information support of the “Teraz Wrocław” project in district centers.
On November 17, presentation of educational programs and internship opportunities for youth was held in Taras Shevchenko Luhansk National University. Educational and Consulting Center “Osvita” (Kharkiv) presented current one-year studying programs for Ukrainian youth. Representatives of Luhansk European Information Center made a presentation about studying opportunities in Wroclaw universities (Poland), provided to Ukrainian high school and university students through the “Teraz Wrocław” project. International youth organization AIESEC held a presentation about opportunities for professional internships in different countries. Ivan Syrovatko, vice-president for public relations of the Luhansk committee of youth organization AIESEC, noted, “It is very good that one presentation contained a lot of information about studying abroad, internships, educational opportunities that young people can use without leaving their native city, but simply by visiting the library”.
On November 15, 16 and 19, Luhansk European Information Center organized film exhibition of contemporary European cinema, in order to show life in the EU countries and filmmakers’ vision of it. After watching films, participants discussed such essential aspects of life in the EU countries as public health care system, education, freedom of movement within the European Union, the life of immigrants and challenges they face on a daily basis, important issues of history and transformation processes of late 80s-beginning of 90s on the territory of the present EU etc. Luhansk European Information Center and Luhansk Oblast NGO Business club “European Choice” conducted training for students on current issues of student leadership and student self-government (Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast). An exhibition “Study in Europe” was opened in the frames of the European Education Week. It will be opened until the end of November.
Cherkasy European Information Center organized a skype-conference with Ukrainian students studying in Wroclaw, with the support of the “Teraz Wrocław ” project. Students that are eager to study in Poland had an opportunity to find out about admission requirements and peculiarities of studying in Polish universities in a friendly conversation. The European Education Week in Cherkasy ended with a live broadcasting of the TV program “Education Abroad: For and Against” on the oblast TV channel. Students and teachers of the First High School who participated in exchange programs abroad also took part in the TV program.
Chernivtsi European Information Center held a presentation of the “Teraz Wrocław” project and web-conference for high school and university students with representatives of the “Teraz Wrocław” project.
Mykolayiv European Information Center also organized a skype-conference with representatives of the “Teraz Wrocław” project for students.
This initiative aroused great interest among Ukrainian youth, which is why the Network of European Information Centers of Ukraine will continue conducting awareness-raising and information activities concerning Ukraine’s integration to the European educational space.
Details about the conducted activities in Ukrainian oblasts can be found on the webpages of regional European Information Centers – http://ukrcei.org.
Information provided by the European Information Center in Vinnytsia.
Contact person: Oksana Bondar, European Information Center in Vinnytsia, e-mail: oksana.bondar.v@gmail.com, tel. +38-097-3913590.
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Network of the European Information Centers of Ukraine is a voluntary association of European Information Centers that provide access to information resources and conduct education and information activities aimed at promoting knowledge on European integration of Ukraine. At present, the Network unites 15 centers, created with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation in 2005-2008, and a center based in Kremenchuk information center “European Club”. Web portal of the Network of European Information Centers of Ukraine – http://ukrcei.org, e-mail: ukrcei@gmail.com
“Teraz Wrocław” project is a non-profit project launched in 2006 on the initiative of the municipality and universities of Wroclaw (Poland). The main goal of the action is to invite young people from Eastern Europe to study at Wroclaw higher educational institutions, and inform about admission conditions and studying. Website: www.study-in-wroclaw.pl
