There were dozens of bodyguards on the campus of Ostroh Academy National University and special security arrangements. This is nothing new. After all, this university has played host to many high-ranking government officials in the past few years. Preparations for Arsenii Yatseniuk’s visit differed little from the routine procedures.
Although the current speaker of the Ukrainian parliament is a relative newcomer to politics, he and his team have learned the rules of the game. Yatseniuk’s meetings with the students and faculty of Ostroh Academy were fast-paced and impressive, unusual for members of the Ukrainian political community. His instant responses to questions that were posed for more than two hours netted the politician additional dividends from the Ostroh students.
“We need to lead, not be led,” was how the head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine began his speech about our country’s geopolitical position. “We must be absolutely convinced that we are doing the right things, and that we are capable of doing them. This may seem unpopular at first and cause negative reverberations. What we are trying to accomplish is not intended for the current or even the next generation. Today we are working for the generation that will come the day after tomorrow.” Considering the recent domestic political developments and the coming visit of NATO’s Secretary General, Yatseniuk’s statement sounded symbolic, even though few people outside Ostroh Academy heard it.
Yatseniuk came to the university to launch his book Bankivska taiemnytsia chasiv pomaranchevoi revoliutsii (The Banking Mystery in the Time of the Orange Revolution). The book launch was apparently just a formal pretext: the visiting politician joked that he had written this book so that he could eventually meet with the students of Ostroh Academy.
The need for reform in many spheres, including the political one, was raised during the question period. Yatseniuk declared: “I urge you, our younger generation, not to stand aside from the political process. I regret to say this but our politics often make me sick. The process of transforming political elites is very complicated. Power is not a fetish but the means by which society and every member of it realize themselves. Some of our politicians still cannot grasp that the time has come for the people to change their attitude to the government, the state, society, and themselves. Spirit and healthy ambition, that’s what each of you should have. If you are a self-made individual, you can build a country.”
Most of the students and lecturers were interested in the bill “On Higher Education” tabled by the Ministry of Education and Science and in the future of Ostroh Academy. The draft law sets forth the criteria of a “classical university,” one of which is the number of students, which the Ostroh professors find paradoxical. “We should not be producing robots,” Yatseniuk declared, adding, “Knowledge is good, but it isn’t everything. There must be a civic stance.” He promised that he would keep track of the bill and arrange for its discussion with people from institutions of higher learning before submitting it to a vote in parliament.
During his visit the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada was asked about the funding of post-secondary education. He replied that education in Ukraine is adequately financed, but there are some 2,000 institutions of higher education whose quality of instruction is called into question. This is where state funds are being channeled - and lost. “There should be an official register of the most prestigious government-run universities, 50 at the most, and Ostroh Academy should be at the top of this list,” Yatseniuk said.
At a press conference held after his speech, the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament was asked if it is possible to develop a separate national program to finance Ostroh Academy. He replied that there are 220 national programs in Ukraine, none of which is functioning efficiently. “As a politician, I could assure you that such a program will be developed and that I will keep track of it personally. Instead, I will tell you a lie. It’s best to work out a strategy aimed at the advancement of our national universities, with Ostroh Academy topping the list. Then there will be a better chance of full funding. But again, this is a question of time and someone’s responsibility.”
Toward the end of the meeting, the student Viktoria Skuba challenged the youngest parliamentary speaker in the history of independent Ukraine with a question in English: “Who is Mr. Yatseniuk?” He instantly replied: “I’m an ordinary Ukrainian.” One can only hope that he is and that his “spirit and healthy ambition” will remain healthy and be instrumental in the implementation of his plans.
