11 October 2011, 16:38
Universities shall properly respond to the historical challenges, and demonstrate collective leadership in the interpretation of modern socio-political processes, consolidation of developmental principles, and state-building of Ukraine.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Lytvyn made this statement at the anniversary academy in Lviv dedicated to the 350th anniversary of Lviv Ivan Franko National University.
He stated that the universities should "train the minds for positive changes in our life." V. Lytvyn stressed that universities "need much better financial support and much more attention on part of the government to keep up a high intellectual level of people, and support competitive capacity of the country." "Their role in the educational and research system should be maintained, and their importance in social life shall not be neglected. They should aim at Ukraine´s future, training creative strategists competent in social technologies and able to tackle complicated problems," the Head of the Parliament declared.
"Ukraine cannot, shall not, and will not develop as an under-state. This syndrome shall be eradicated, and unprecedented tension in the country shall be overcome. Ukraine needs dynamics. We shall set a new trend, inspiring it with vital impulses," the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine declared. "Historical moment shall be considered, we have a choice - to remain under-Europeans, to become Europeans, or to reject European perspectives."
V. Lytvyn supposes that it is the intellectual environment, including universities, that shall demonstrate determination and consensus in the issues of further social progress and Ukraine´s place in the world.
The Head of the Parliament suggested making European standards and values a basis for social consensus. This will make reforms understandable for all groups of population, and based on the deep patriotic and national feelings of the Ukrainians to develop the country, to develop the nation, to consolidate Ukraine.
"We should learn to be a united nation. Otherwise, we might lose our nationhood. We should learn to be one voice and talk about Ukraine, not its politicians. It is the task of the university corporation," V. Lytvyn emphasized. "It shall make Ukrainian society open."
The Head of the Parliament also believes that universities shall ‘generate´ culture which preserves and develops a unique spiritual code of the nation. Higher education establishments shall become centres "to produce and distribute meanings and symbols which can either consolidate the public or dissolve it in the global world."
"It is crucial that universities, whose activity is unthinkable without freedom and autonomy, shall demonstrate their firm stand on the issues of role and place of democracy in the society," said V. Lytvyn.
"If Ukraine needs to attain a new quality, it needs responsibility of the power to the public, decency of public representatives, responsibility of the public for the formation of authorities, participation of civic society in state affairs, transparency of power and ownership, and personal responsibility of every person for their life," he summed up.