On January 27, 2021, a regular meeting of the Academic Council of Ivan Franko Lviv National University took place. The University Rector, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor Volodymyr Melnyk presided over the meeting.
A number of important issues were on the agenda. Thus, today the Academic Council of the University nominated Roman Hladyshevsky, Vice-Rector for Research, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Chemistry, Professor emeritus of Lviv University as a candidate for a full-fledged member of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences on a specialty “Crystal Chemistry”, and Director of the Astronomical Observatory, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Professor Bohdan Novosyadliy as a candidate for corresponding member of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences on a specialty “Astrophysics, Cosmology”. In addition, the Academic Council voted to nominate Doctor of Philology, Professor of the Radio and Television Department, Professor emeritus of the University Olexandra Serbenska and Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Professor of the Experimental Physics Department, Professor emeritus of the University Mykola Romaniuk for state scholarships for the University outstanding services in 2021-2025.
The document was presented by the University Rector Volodymyr Melnyk. Volodymyr Petrovych explained that the principles of “preserving the established long-standing traditions of Lviv University and understanding new challenges” are laid down in the Strategy. The combination of traditions and innovations, according to the Rector, allows the University to be modern and fully perform all its functions. Volodymyr Petrovych stressed that Lviv University’s main mission is to promote social and economic development of society, generating changes which the city, the region, the country and the world need. “Universities must model such environment that can be a prerequisite for a successful society, because we perform not only scientific and academic tasks, but also create the Ukrainian State. The university must establish a social genotype of behavior and set a model for the social life development, “said the Rector.
Volodymyr Petrovych focused his colleagues’ attention on the main issues of the document, in particular, outlined the main strategic goals of the University for 2021-2025: ensuring high quality educational process, achieving the highest standards in research and innovation, enhancing the University’s integration into the world educational and scientific space, formation of innovatory academic and scientific, information,communication and social infrastructures, strengthening the role of student self-governmenance and public oversight.
The strategy outlines the main University tasks aimed at the education and science development. Thus, the top priority in the field of learning process is the improvement of the internal education quality assurance system, the implementation of new specialties, the innovative educational programs introduction with the assistance of concerned parties and taking into account the labor market demands. The key elements of improving education are: the introduction of joint double degree programs together with universities -partners, the introduction of interdisciplinary educational programs, as well as programs in the dual form of education.
According to the Strategy, one of the University staff key tasks is to improve the quality of research and expand scholarly endeavor in the direction of technology transfer and commercialization of intellectual property. Also among the University priorities for 2021-2025 are the following aims: increasing the part of research funding in the University total revenues, increasing the number of full-time researchers, creating crucial research laboratories and new resource sharing centers.
The document also envisages the University’s international activities development, which presupposes the expansion in the number of the educational process participants involved in international academic mobility programs, increasing the number of partnership agreements with foreign partners, expanding the practice of foreign teachers engaging and inviting representatives of foreign institutions to conduct public lectures .
According to the Strategy, the core targets in the line of informatization and management are the information systems integration for educational process management, personnel and financial accounting, electronic document management, accounting and maintenance of physical resources and public web resources. During 2021-2025, it is also planned to upgrade the information and communication infrastructure and migrate the University key information systems to cloud services.
The University’s development strategy also includes priority tasks in the field of corporate culture such as: the academic traditions development and democratic principles of the University management, the national and cultural identity establishment, promoting civic engagement and responsibility, developing the culture of academic honesty among the educational process participants. Particular attention should traditionally be paid to supporting the ongoing dialogue between the University administration and heads of departments with employees.
The document also presents the social aspect as well as facilities and resources development. In particular, it is planned to implement the energy preservation program and adoption of energy-efficient technologies, implementation of investment projects “Construction of a residential house for the University staff”, construction of a new student dormitory and thorough overhaul of the University sports and training complex and stadium.
Among the goals which concern supplies and utilities are: the creation of a university science development fund, which will be formed out of grants, donor’s off-budget financial benefits; creation of a new model of cooperation with the University graduates in order to effectively coordinate work on fundraising in furtherance of learning and scientific projects.
Dean of the Faculty of Geography Volodymyr Bilaniuk and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages Lubomyr Borakovskyi discussed the Strategy.
By the Academic Council members decision, one of the main University documents for the next five years – the University Development Strategy for 2021-2025 – was approved. By the way, the vice-rectors presented to the Academic Council the priority tasks in accordance with their work threads in furtherance of University Development Strategy in 2021.
