Today we had a conversation with the rector of UVU, professor, doctor of philological sciences Yaroslava Melnyk, and we want to share with the readership her plans and tell what awaits UVU under the leadership of a new team of her like-minded people.
– IN stories UVU you – the first woman–rector. Tell me something about himself and own scientific activity.
- I graduated from the Ukrainian branch of the Faculty of Philology of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, as well as the doctoral program of this university. After graduating from the University, she first worked at the Ivan Franko Museum in Lviv. At least, I owe the choice of the master plot of my scientific studies to the work in the museum. This is the history of Ukrainian literature of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily French studies, early Christian literature, and the Apocrypha. Actually, I came to the Apocrypha through I.Frank, who attached great importance to studies in "that interesting but difficult field of research." Therefore, among my scientific works, the monographic studies "...And the last part of the road" are the most favorite for me. Ivan Franko. 1908–1916" (Drohobych, 2006) and "Ivan Franko and biblia apocrypha" (Lviv, 2006), working on them was very interesting for me, just as in general, it was interesting and exciting for me to work in the department of Ukrainian literature of the Institute of Ukrainian Studies named after I. Krypiakevych of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and at the Institute of French Studies of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, where I worked until recently, as well as at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. By the way, at the Department of Classical, Byzantine and Medieval Studies at UCU, where I am a professor, this year we started work on the big project "Christian Apocrypha", the result of which should be the publication (in four volumes) of apocryphal texts in the Ukrainian language. I would also like to complete work on the monograph "Apocrypha and Ukrainian Literature", to publish a selection of apocryphal prayers from Ukrainian manuscripts (from the archive of I.Frank). And to return again to the work on the scientific biography of I.Frank. Recently, a number of new ideas related to the unique archival and library collections of UVU have also appeared.
– IN January will be year, as you led UVU. By this time happened many changes. As would you characterized today's academic the situation in UVU?
- In short, as something that inspires great hopes and optimism. Today, UVU is an institution that initiates many new initiatives, very open to dialogue and cooperation. An institution that has many friends (we hope to have more) in both academic and public circles. Here are just two testimonies. "I am ready to be a lobbyist of the University of Ukraine in Ukraine," said recently (at the end of November this year) during a meeting at the University of Ukraine Professor Serhiy Kvit, president of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (by the way, doctor of the University of Ukraine). For his part, Dr. Yuriy Logush, vice-rector for strategies and development of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, after visiting UVU at the beginning of December. and discussion of cooperation projects between UCU and VUU stated: "The possibilities before us are simply unlimited."
– Which one, on your opinion, role in life University plays back Foundation UVU in New–York?
- The role of the UVU Foundation in New York in the activities of the University at the current stage, as well as in previous decades, is difficult to overestimate. Indeed, it is rare that any significant event in the life of the University takes place for many years in a row without the material and moral support of the Foundation of the Ukrainian Free University in New York. Thanks to the personal support of the President of the Foundation, Teodor Volyanik, M.A., the University was able to fruitfully develop its scientific and pedagogical activities, including providing scholarships to the best students, and carrying out active social and cultural activities in Munich. Yes, only in this year, 2012, in addition to pedagogical and scientific work, the University, thanks to the help of the Foundation, held such events as the celebration of the 91st anniversary of UVU, the Shevchenko Academy, Vera Vovk's evening, an exhibition of works of folk art from the Chernobyl zone, a presentation collection of Universitas Libera Ukrainensis (Munich, 2011), an academic evening commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Society for the Promotion of Ukrainian Science, which included the opening of the photo exhibition "Motherland Ukraine", a meeting with Prof. S. Kvit, president of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and others.
To the entire Administration, donors and benefactors of UVU in different countries of the world, we express our recognition and deep gratitude for many years of hard and dedicated work for the benefit of UVU, for the benefit of Ukrainian science, and we hope for further financial support from the Foundation's patrons.
– Or could b you something to tell about Your teaching storage?
- Speaking about the members of the UVU Professorial Board, the words of Patriarch Yosif the Blind come to mind: "Truth and love of science gathers in the scattering of the existing" (such a task was "assigned" by Patriarch Yosif the Blind to the Ukrainian Catholic University in Rome). These words of the Patriarch are surprisingly suitable for the teaching staff of UVU. "Truth and love of science" "gathered" and "gathers" scientists from Ukraine, the USA, Canada, and the countries of the European Union to UVU. Many of them are leading scientists in their fields of science. The uniqueness, at the same time, perhaps, and the advantage of our university over others is that, not having the so-called "full-time" teachers, UVU is able to create a creative and powerful international scientific society, inviting new professors to its lectures every time.
– As looks in University scientifically–publishing house activity?
- Several interesting books were published at UVU this year. In particular, Mikhail Moser's monograph "Taras Shevchenko and the Modern Ukrainian Language: An Attempt at a Decent Assessment" (Lviv, 2012), which was published under the auspices of three respected institutions - the Shevchenko Scientific Society, the I. Krypyakevich Institute of Ukrainian Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and Ukrainian Free University. Oleksiy Habyuk's monograph "Conceptual foundations of media economics" (joint publication of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and the Ukrainian Free University) was published in the Varia series T.57. At the end of 2011, UVU also published the prestigious volume Universitas Libera Ukrainensis - a kind of summary of the scientific and pedagogical activities of UVU over 90 years.
Several more editions in our publishing "portfolio" are expected to be published in 2013. These are primarily the materials of the international scientific conference "Ukraine on the historiographical map of interwar Europe", which took place at UVU on July 1–3, 2012 (together with the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine), another issue of the UVU Scientific Collection (humanities), materials of the first student scientific conference of UVU, Hryhori Skovoroda's publication in German - "Narziss oder das Gespräch: über Erkenne Dich Selbst" (Introductory article and translation by Roland Pietsch), etc.
– Why students choose exactly UVU?
- Obviously, the motivation to choose UVU or another educational institution of each of our master's and doctoral students from Ukraine is individual, but it is also possible to single out a common one. This is the desire to get an education at the same time in a Ukrainian (UVU is the only Ukrainian university outside of Ukraine with the right to grant master's and doctoral degrees) and in a European university, a university with a glorious history and, as we believe, with a great future, in a free University: a free in the deployment of scientific research, free from the influence of ideological manipulation, free in the cultivation of academic freedom. UVU students have the opportunity to listen to lectures, conduct scientific research, and in the widest possible comparative dimension, under the guidance of scientists from different countries of the world, participate in university student dialogues in Munich. After all, to get to know "up close" the culture of Germany and other European countries. I advise students who would like to continue their studies at UVU to visit our website: https://www.ufu-muenchen.de
– Or could b you to share with readers Yours plans of perspectives development University?
- Several decades ago, Ivan Mirchuk, the rector of UVU at the time, on the occasion of one of UVU's anniversaries (he was 35 years old), spoke words that have not lost their relevance to this day: "Ukrainian Free University is a unique phenomenon, it is a great achievement of our nation. The small fire, lit by fanatics of Ukrainian science, a group of scientists and journalists 35 years ago in Vienna, does not go out even today. It is our sacred duty to pass it on - this unquenchable torch of Ukrainian science - to future generations."
To transmit, responding to the challenges of the time, preserving, on the one hand, the tasks and priorities consecrated by national tradition, on the other hand, taking into account the need to fit them into the context of the modern globalized world. As for filling this noble task with concrete content in the scientific, pedagogical, and cultural and social vectors of the University's activity (opening of new educational programs, language schools and courses, implementation of scientific, publishing, and other projects, among them projects aimed at strengthening UVU as a leading center studies of Ukrainian studies in Western Europe), then this is a very broad topic. Topic for a personal interview. So when do we meet again?
– yours wish readers with occasions Christmas holidays and New year.
- Strong health, well-being and harmony in families, success in all noble endeavors and good for Ukraine.
– Thank you for the conversation. It was nice to hear that UVU will continue to implement the goals and tasks set for the University by its founders back in 1921.
A conversation spent d–p Mykola Magic,
member of the Board of the UVU Foundation in New York