International Institute of Education, Culture and Relations with Diaspora

International Institute of Education, Culture and Relations with Diaspora
Abreviation	IECDR
Established	1992
Head of department	candidate of pedagogic sciences, associate professor I. Klyuchkovska

Lviv Polytechnic International Institute of Education, Culture and Relations with Diaspora is a separate institution of Lviv Polytechnic.

General information

The work of the Institute is governed by the Decree about Lviv Polytechnic International Institute of Education, Culture and Relations with Diaspora and conducted in accordance with applicable law.

This Institute cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), European Congress of Ukrainians Ukrainian World Coordinating Council, World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations, Ukrainian communities in the world; Open Ukraine Charitable Foundation, Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund, and with many other public institutions in Ukraine and abroad.

The Institute is the only institution in Ukraine that systematically and fully deals with the problems of foreign Ukrainians, using various forms and methods, including: scientific research; preparation and publication of teaching aids and textbooks; holding international scientific congresses, workshops, seminars, conferences, round-table conferences, international summer schools, competitions, presentations and meetings; reprinting of artistic and literary works of the Ukrainian diaspora.

Conceptually the work of the Institute is carried out in the following areas:

• Education of foreign Ukrainians (Step to Ukraine project).
• Modern migration (Towards a new wave project).
• Historical and cultural heritage and important figures of the Ukrainian Diaspora (Discover Ukrainian Diaspora for Ukraine project).

The staff of the Institute is a team of associates. These are people of all ages, but they all work for a common purpose–the unity of Ukrainians from all world forth development of authoritative, self-sufficient and economically developed European Ukraine.

Structure of the Institute:

• Director
• Department of Culture and Relations with the Diaspora
• Department of Ukrainian Studies and Education
• Department of publishing and information provision
• Accounting

The History of the Institute

In 1992 was established the International Centre of Education, Science and Culture, which by order of the Ministry of Education of Ukraine № 468, 30 December 1998, and Lviv National Polytechnic University Rector № 24-10, 21 April 1999, became the Lviv National Polytechnic University International Institute for Education, Culture and relations with the Diaspora. Today it is a two-way exchange of knowledge and experience between Ukraine and the Diaspora. This two-way movement that in the new conditions of our society should be realized in the new format. Only in this case we can speak about the success of the case.

Scientific activity of the institute

A small scientific department was created in the Institute ( N. Humnytska, I. Klyuchkovska (candidate of pedagogic sciences, associate professor), O.Palinska (candidate of philological sciences), O. Pyatkovska, O. Turkevuch, H. Shmilo, U. Hladun); confirmed scientific topic: Ukrainian diaspora: educational, culturological, politological aspects.

The choice of the scientific topics is mainly specified with transformational processes, which happened in the environment of the Ukrainian diaspora and were caused by the line of reasons — first of all by proclaiming of the independence of our country that lead to the change of tasks and forms of the work in western diaspora, which has an old history, is well-organized and has a great financial support. Opposite of western is east diaspora, which appeared as a result of the creation of new independent countries on the post-Soviet territory, it requires special attention and support from the historical motherland as it is still being on the stage of structuring and development. So, the work is aimed to help Ukrainian communities of the eastern diaspora, which is considered to be a powerful factor of influence in the countries of residence.

For that matter, the purpose of the work is researching the mechanisms of structuring and functioning of the Ukrainian diaspora as a social phenomenon and scientific analysis of the educational, culturological and politological problems, which are connected with diaspora.

The institute developed its own conception of the cooperation between Ukraine and diaspora, which is presented on many international conferences on diaspora and on the meetings of Ukrainian World Coordinating Council. There are such basic principles of our conception:

• Support of the Ukrainians in the world — a strategic orientation of our country;
• Achievements of Ukrainian diaspora — integral part of the achievements both Ukrainian and world civilization;
• Impact on the processes of government formation;
• Ukrainian diaspora is an effective instrument of political, economic and cultural influence in the countries of residence;
• Ukrainian diaspora is a powerful means for strengthening the positive image of our country in the international community.

On the stage of the formation of the state it’s important for Ukraine to use effectively the diaspora’s huge knowledge and possibility capital. It’s necessary to develop mechanisms of cooperation with countrymen abroad on the basis both previous experience and new tendencies in the world of Ukrainian diaspora. One of the most effective ways for developing a strategy of interrelations is holding scientific conferences. Conferences on the cooperation between country and diaspora are regularly held in the countries of Europe, Asia and Africa, especially in Poland, Hungary, France, Israel, Armenia, India, China, countries of African Union and many others. The main goal of these forums — supporting the cooperation with diaspora, which is thought to be a powerful factor of state formation and holding such conferences is considered to be an integral part of the development of relations between the country and countrymen abroad. Because of that, the institute initiated and organized such international congresses as Diaspora as a factor of strengthening Ukraine in international community (Lviv — 2006, Lviv — 2008, Lviv — 2010), their main result was holding of parliamentary hearings on the Ukrainians in the world in October, 2010, and on them performed Iryna Klyuchkovska — director of the institute, docent, candidate of pedagogic sciences, the author of the cooperation with diaspora conception, projects of the International Institute of Education, Culture and Relations with Diaspora, participant of different scientific conferences, congresses and forums, the author of more than 80 scientific works.

Projects of the institute

The question about education of the Ukrainians abroad, especially in Eastern diaspora, is a very important part of the Institute’s activity and its activity is aimed at the preservation of the Ukrainian identity abroad. Within the framework of the project "A Step" to Ukraine such activity was done:

• an educational complex of Ukrainian language as foreign "Step-1" was published;
• educational complex (medium level) of Ukrainian language as foreign "Step-2" was developed and prepared for publishing;
• the first part of the Individual Step textbook was compiled;
• the collection of the linguistic country research texts (Journey to Ukraine) and audiobook with exercises (Hitchhiker’s Guide to Ukraine) were prepared for printing;
• an interactive course of Ukrainian language and teaching materials for the rubric called Ethnic Workshop on the educational and methodological website were developed;
• International scientific and practical conference (Ukrainian Language in the World) was initiated and held on February 21-22, 2011;
• the concept of annual summer International Ukrainian Studies schools for the foreign pupils and students was developed and in 2010-2011 such schools were organized with young people from Russia, Belarus, France and Poland.

The main tasks of Towards the New Wave project are:

• to pay attention of the society and authority to the solution of such problem as social and national orphanage, which is caused by labor migration;
• to prevent destruction of the family as a fundamental cell of a strong state.

To achieve these aims the Institute conducts fundamental researches and hold scientific and organizational arrangements, including the project called Children of Emigrants about Themselves and International scientific and practical conferences (Transnational Families as a Result of Ukrainian Labor Migration: Their Problems and Solutions), roundtable discussions.

The project called Let’s Open Ukrainian Diaspora for Ukraine is realized in such way:

• holding of international scientific and practical congresses, symposiums, seminars, conferences, roundtable discussions, competitions, meetings, presentations of Ukrainian communities abroad;
• historic and culturological researches of works, which belong to prominent Ukrainians from abroad and leading them in the national cultural circulation;
• republication of art and literal works of representatives from Ukrainian diaspora, holding of art and literal international competitions, exhibitions, illustration of the Ukrainian communities’ activity in the media;
• learning the necessities of Ukrainian communities and assist in their activity.

The International Institute of Education, Culture and Relations with Diaspora of Lviv Polytechnic National university is starting Ukrainian Universe project, which provides the creation of the electronic map of all Ukrainian communities and organizations in the world and this map will contain a short information paper.

In January, 2012 the International Institute of Education, Culture and Relations with Diaspora of Lviv Polytechnic National University is initiating a common project of the Institute and doctor of Slavic Studies from the York University in Toronto (Canada) Mark Robert Stekh, which is called Through Culture’s Eyes.

Aim of the project: actualization for the Ukrainian youth of culturological and historical subjects as fundamental basis for the formation of national identity, national conscience and sameness.

Goal of project:

• To actualize before the Ukrainian youth culturological and historical subjects as a fundamental bases for forming of national identity, national consciousness and equality;
• To involve the widest range of Ukrainian youth to the cognition of the cultural heritage, their traditions, their roots and on the basis of the acquired knowledge to find the personal and national "I", to confirm individual self-identity, self-awareness, to feel human and national dignity and pride for belonging to the spiritual and rich civilization inheritance;
• to open for Ukrainians the name of Dr. Mark Robert Stech and to acquaint them with his project "Eyes of culture".