The Rector of the Ukrainian Free University in Munich Mariya Pryshlyak intends to strengthen the cooperation with Lviv University

On January 14, 2016 the newly elected Rector of the Ukrainian Free University in Munich Professor Mariya Pryshlyak made an official visit to Ivan Franko National University of Lviv where she met with the Rector, Professor Volodymyr Melnyk, Vice-Rector for research and educational work and international cooperation Mariya Zubrytska and the Director of the Centre for Political Studies, Professor of the department of political science Anatoliy Romaniuk.

During the meeting the parties outlined the vector of developing the academic cooperation between the Lviv University and Ukrainian Free University as well as they discussed possible ways of implementing joint projects and initiatives. In particular, at the meeting the issues of establishment of joint training programs, introduction of certified master’s courses, scientific internship for students, postgraduates and lecturers as well as conducting international conferences, joint publication of scientific works and periodicals were discussed.

The Rector Volodymyr Melnyk emphasized that Lviv University was open for the dialogue to strengthen and expand the cooperation with the Ukrainian Free University in Munich.

“We will be pleased to accept German students and lecturers for internship providing them with necessary conditions for studying and work”, – the Rector of the University assured.

Professor Volodymyr Melnyk noted that the indicators of the academic mobility of the students and lecturers of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv who aspired to improve their knowledge and get new experience in the leading world universities had increased lately.

“About one thousand students and lecturers had an internship abroad this year. Accordingly, the same number of our students and lecturers worked at our university”, – the Rector added.

The Vice-Rector Mariya Zubrytska told about the experience of the cooperation with the universities of Germany in more details focusing on the productive cooperation with Wurzburg University.

In addition, Mariya Oleksiyivna emphasized on the importance of the Ukrainian higher educational establishments integration into the European educational space. “If the Ukrainian Free University goes through the development of the idea of issuing double diplomas and implementing joint training programs, it will be a great support for us as it is very necessary for Ukrainian education which is at the stage of implementing reforms”, – the Vice-Rector was convinced.

The Rector of the Ukrainian Free University Mariya Pryshlyak willingly supported the proposals of the Lviv University management and expressed the hope that the parties would move from the declaration of intentions to specific steps of implementing announced initiatives in the nearest future.

“The Ukrainian Free University starts to develop more dynamically serving as a bridge of understanding between Ukraine and Europe”, – Mrs. Rector emphasized in conclusion.

On behalf of the academic community of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv the Rector Volodymyr Melnyk congratulated Professor Mariya Pryshlyak on the beginning of work as the Rector of the Ukrainian Free University in Munich and presented symbolic gifts – a pysalo (a writing utensil) found by the expedition participants if Ivan Franko National University of Lviv during archaeological excavations of the chronicle town of Plisenska in 2001 and the book “Andrey Sheptytsky, Metropolitan Galician (1901-1944), Harbinger of Ecumenism” of his Beatitude Liubomyr Huzar published by Lviv University.

We should remind that at the general meeting of the Professorial Board and Faculty Council of the Ukrainian Free University Mariya Pryshlyak was elected the Rector of the Ukrainian Free University in Munich on July 4, 2015. The cadence of Professor Mariya Pryshlyak as the Rector started on January 1, 2016. Before that Mariya Pryshlyak had been the Head of International Program of East European and Eurasian Studios of Georgetown University (USA), the Dean of the faculty of state and economic sciences of the Ukrainian Free University in Munich.

We should note that the cooperation of Lviv University and Ukrainian Free University has a long history that was initiated at the level of agreements of 1994.