Inkos, the Ukrainian Innovation Center for International Educational Programs, held its presentation on February 18. The European Union supplied Inkos with 200,000 euros for the first two years, through Tempus/Tacis, thus to help Ukrainian institutions of higher learning establish contacts with their European counterparts.
Inkos sees its principal objective in building databases relating to Ukrainian institutions of higher education and Western educational establishments wishing to cooperate with Ukrainian partners, says its managing director Ihor Minhazutdinov. Due to such an information field all interested Ukrainian institutions of higher learning can make friends with European higher schools, as well as receive financing from foreign and international foundations including provincial ones which, in Mr. Minhazutdinov’s words, “sometimes do not know where to turn for help.” Looking for potential partners and then turning to every institution of higher education is a very laborious task.
Taking part in the project are four partners: the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Taras Shevchenko University’s Institute of International Relations, Rhine-Westphalia Technical University (Aachen), and the Imperial College (London). The experience of these two Western European higher schools can be especially important for Ukraine; for example, the German university’s budget worth DM 900,000 includes one-third of extra-budget funds and approximately the same applies to the British college.
The Tempus/Tacis program has been underway in Ukraine since 1993, with the EU investing over 25 million euros in higher educational reform in 1993-99. Funding has been provided for 96 projects at 37 institutions. It is probably thanks to the Innovation Center that Europe has discovered many Ukrainian institutions for itself, and that Ukrainian teachers, students, and postgraduates can learn more about the European educational system.
INCIDENTALLY
The EU’s Joint Strategy for Ukraine (approved during the Helsinki summit in December 1999) mentions cooperation between the European community of nations and Ukraine, including “culture along with programs of partnership and exchange.” In particular, the EU undertakes to support closer contacts among volunteer organizations, civil society, and nongovernmental organizations of the European Union and Ukraine by backing educational and scientific exchange programs among schools, universities, and research centers. The new EU project in Ukraine is yet more evidence that the European Union is translating its pretty words about support into reality.
