Students are the first to become Euro-aware
Euro-Atlantic University opens in KyivOpened on the initiative of two foundations, Suspilnist and Europe XXI, Euro-Atlantic University is supported by the Journalism Institute at Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv, the diplomatic missions of Slovakia and the US in Ukraine, and Oleh Rybachuk, an advisor to the president of Ukraine.
One of the university’s main objectives is to involve the public at large in a discussion of Ukraine’s national interests and new challenges, in particular national security and the development of a civil society. The university’s mission is to establish a global dialogue and understanding, promote democratic values, and develop a civil society and social partnership by strengthening European and Euro- Atlantic cooperation.
“The university’s tasks will include conducting information campaigns about Ukraine’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration, training specialists, disseminating information about European and Euro-Atlantic cooperation, creating public forums to discuss possible ways for Ukraine to achieve European and Euro-Atlantic integration, forging and developing partnership networks, and monitoring the government’s policy on European and Euro-Atlantic integration,” said Taras Petriv, the head of the Suspilnist Foundation.
The project also involves holding international and nationwide Ukrainian conferences, public hearings, roundtable discussions with experts, regional seminars, and public lobbying forums. The university will operate in the following areas: law, people, the environment, security, the mass media, electronic government, and public administration.
Students have already initiated the 2008 All-Ukrainian Student Security Forum with the participation of President Viktor Yushchenko. The purpose of the forum is to develop a close dialogue between the state’s leadership and youth and to engage young leaders in new state-building processes. Many other events are scheduled for 2008: lectures and meetings with prominent leaders of the Euro-Atlantic space, regional seminars and roundtable discussions, international conferences, training sessions, a youth forum that will be attended by Ukraine’s top officials, and the Summer School of Partnership and Cooperation, which unites young leaders from 46 countries.
“The symbol of our university is a unique house that represents security, warmth, and unity. We worked on this little building with great inspiration and hope they will like it,” said student Yulia Yarmolenko.
