Significant and Fruitful Collaboration Well-Tried by Time and its Significance

Abstract

This year we are marking the 45th anniversary of University of Saskatchewan (Canada) and Chernivtsi State University (Ukraine) Agreement. It was signed by the heads of both educational institutions, respectively. President Robert Begg and Rector Kostiantyn Chervinskyi on July 5, 1977. The agreement has become the first document of international collaboration of Chernivtsi State University since it became a soviet higher educational institution, and afterwards, as a result of the collapse of the USSR, a Ukrainian one. Today, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University has concluded more than 200 agreements with universities all over the world. Noteworthy, the agreement with University of Saskatchewan has opened the door of new opportunities to sign agreements with other universities of the world. The peculiarity of this agreement was the fact that for the first time in the long run of the history of Ukraine’s incorporation in the USSR, it was based on collaboration in the sphere of Ukrainian Studies. According to the Canadian part’s initiative, the agreement was to include the study of the Ukrainian language, as well as Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian history, to meet students and teachers/professors’ needs. In its turn, it didn’t contradict the Ukrainian academia interests. However, the content of the agreement did not comply with the norms of the-then Soviet ideology. Consequently, it caused problems with student exchange – study trips to Canada were banned for Ukrainian students. Eventually, the obstacles have been successfully overcome by joint efforts of both universities. The agreement was repeatedly extended and still remains in force. Owing to the agreement, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University developed Canadian Studies and in a while established the Roman Hnatyshyn Center for Canadian Studies. The implementation of the agreement promoted the unity of both universities, which resulted in the exchange of students, teachers, artists, and at the same time Ukrainian and Canadian cities established mutually enriching economic ties. Overall, both parties have benefited from it. We hope for the University of Saskatchewan and Chernivtsi State University Agreement further extension, which is exceptionally significant in the terms of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.