I’m going to confess right away: I’ve never been to Viadrina. Because I didn’t have a Schengen visa. I saw Viadrina only in pictures and standing on the Polish bank of Oder.
What is Viadrina? It’s a German university in Frankfurt (Oder). It was founded comparatively recently and is not big (about 6,000 students are studying there). But Viadrina is a prestigious university. Those who want to do Eastern European studies in Germany try to get to Viadrina. And believe me, it’s not easy.
I happened to spend a few days in the town of Slubice. In fact, this is a part of Frankfurt (Oder). Slubice even doesn’t have its own downtown. All streets of the town lead to the bridge over Oder by passing over which one reaches Frankfurt. After WWII Slubice became a part of “people’s” Poland, and Frankfurt – of “democratic” Germany. Despite the fact that the countries were “brotherly” and “socialistic,” Slubice and Frankfurt were separated by a strict border equal to that to the notorious Berlin Wall.
However, when the Soviet Union collapsed and Germany united, this border was eventually destroyed. Strict border guards disappeared, and a checkpoint on the bridge between Slubice and Frankfurt appeared. And it was the moment when the idea of establishing a common Polish-German higher educational establishment appeared. Viadrina was the partner on the German side, while Poznan University, on the Polish side. In Slubice, literally a few hundreds meters from Viadrina which were to be passed via the bridge, a modern educational establishment was built – Collegium Polonicum. This is kind of a branch of Viadrina and at the same time of Poznan University. Polish instructors work here, and German professors also come to work from Frankfurt.
Viadrina and Collegium Polonicum became Europe’s first (!) international university. Certainly, it wasn’t easy, because there are differences between the educational systems of Poland and Germany. There were also problems with teachers’ salaries and taxation. But these issues were solved, because there was the goodwill of both parties.
The border was also a serious obstacle for cooperation between Viadrina and Collegium Polonicum. It complicated the communication between Polish and German teachers. But now that Poland joined the European Union and the Schengen zone, this isn’t a problem anymore. On the bridge between Frankfurt and Slubice there are no border guards or passport control. People walk freely from Poland to Germany and vice versa. A significant number of Viadrina students live in Slubice where comfortable hostels were built for them. Classes are held both in the buildings of Viadrina and Collegium Polonicum. The same applies to research conferences.
I chanced to participate in one of them (though only in Collegium Polonicum). It was called “The Image of Neighbor in Polish and German History Handbooks, 1918 to the 1990s.” At this conference, a common German-French history textbook was presented. By the way, there were many conflicts between the French and Germans. Correspondingly, German and French historians interpreted them differently. Therefore, it wasn’t easy to write such a textbook. But it is already written and used in schools. Many countries were interested in this textbook, and not only European ones.
During the conference they spoke about the necessity of creating a similar Polish-German textbook. A Polish-German commission of historians has existed for a long time; it coordinates debatable questions between the nations. It is anticipated that in a few years such a textbook will appear.
Strange as it may seem, but during the conference they repeatedly spoke about… Ukraine. They spoke that it was desirable that we should have a common Polish-Ukrainian history textbook. But has anything been done to this end? Virtually nothing.
However, we talk a lot about the European integration of the Ukrainian education, about the Bologna process, and other “highbrow stuff.” Meanwhile, perhaps it’s time to stop this “European imitation” and get down to specific actions – write a common Polish-Ukrainian history textbook, set up a common Ukrainian-Polish university, or organize wide-ranging students and teachers exchange. And, after all, not only with the Poles. However, of course, it’s easier to speak about “highbrow stuff” than to undertake “routine” specific activity.
One more thing about the common university. In Collegium Polonicum I happened to hear that other countries are now trying to use the experience of Viadrina, too. Bulgarians and Romanians are doing something like that as well. Even Russians are working on a similar project with the Chinese. That is why, they told us, it would be good to establish a common Polish-Ukrainian university.
One can think – why not? But will Ukrainians want to do it? In the past several years our glorious Ministry of Education and Science invented so many things regarding licensing, accreditation, and other aspects of the educational process that to establish a common university project with the Poles is just impossible.
Or let’s take such a “trifle” as external testing. Without its certificate it is now impossible to enter a higher education institution in Ukraine. For example, what shall a Polish student who would like to study in such a common university do? Since in Poland, as well as, for example, in Germany and other western European countries, despite certain nuances, admission to higher education institutions is accomplished on the basis of a high-school certificate.
In Germany, entering college right after high school is not considered to be a good idea. A person must learn life a little, try to find one’s place in it, and then pursue higher education. Of course, entering a higher educational institution a few years after school one forgets a part of knowledge learned at school. But this is not a tragedy. Usually one is not supposed to take admission exams or pass any external testing, but simply provide a high school certificate. And there is logic in it. Who, except for the school teacher who works with a student for years, can evaluate their level of knowledge? However, provided only that the school is not corrupt.
There is one more “trifle” which I have written about elsewhere — higher education diplomas and scholarly degrees. Formally we signed corresponding documents with a number of countries (and not only European) about the mutual acceptance of such diplomas. Nevertheless, we obstinately prefer not to recognize them but require nostrification (a special acceptance procedure). It’s very difficult to pass this procedure in Ukraine, and it requires some costs in addition. And all this happens despite the fact that in the countries with which we have agreements about mutual acceptance of diplomas mostly no nostrification is requested from our specialists (the only exception are diplomas in certain fields, such as medicine).
Let’s think: Would Poles and Germans have managed to create a common university if they had had a similar procedure of nostrification? I strongly doubt it.
Looking at Collegium Polonicum, at the quiet and comfortable campus of Viadrina and comparing it with our realities, I just feel like sinking into a reverie. Thankfully, just near the campus in Slubice there is a hut built in the Ukrainian style. How did it appear in those faraway lands? I have no idea.
