During the meeting, the issue of state recognition of theological educational institutions was discussed.
In particular, members of the meeting discussed the draft law “On Higher Education”, referred to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration and supported feasibility of adoption of the respective bill referred by deputies of Ukraine A.Yatsenyuk, V.Klychko, O.Tyahnybok, L.Hrynevych, L.Orobets, R.Pavlenko, P. Rozenko, O.Sych and I.Farion (Reg. No. 1187-1), which, according to them, “is the only bill that offers real mechanism of state recognition of religious educational institutions”. The participants expressed their proposals regarding further improvement of the bill.
The Chairman of the Committee Liliya Hrynevych stressed also on the importance of dialogue with the church community. She noted also that “the situation when the government has allowed establishment of theological educational institutions, and at the same time does not want to recognize the diplomas of their graduates, requires legislative settlement”.
The Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Vice-rector of Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary Bishop Klyment, Commissioner of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Higher Education, Rector of Saints Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Theological Academy of Uzhhorod and Avhustyn Voloshyn Carpathian University of Ukraine Archimandrite Victor Bed’, rector of Kyiv Three Saints Theological Seminary of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Fr. Petro Zhuk, Vice-rector of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate Archpriest Oleksandr Trofymlyuk, coordinator of educational development of Euro-Asian Accrediting Association Taras Dyatlyk and Deputy Chairman of the Public Council for cooperation with churches and religious organizations under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports Yuriy Reshetnikov participated in the event.