Rector Volodymyr Smolanka answered the important questions put by the staff of the Ukrainian-Hungarian Educational and Scientific Institute of UzhNU
On Thursday, February 4, 2021, the Rector of Uzhhorod National University, Volodymyr Smolanka, together with the vice-rector Dmytro Soima met with the staff of the Ukrainian-Hungarian Educational and Scientific Institute.
“Our main goal is to hear the problems each faculty is facing. We have gathered here to find out what the main issues of concern are for you. There are no awkward questions for us. You are welcome to make even the most unusual requests, express all your wishes. We would like to discuss your problems in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere and do our best to help you. We are aware of some issues of your concern, as we always stay in touch with your managers. We also appreciate that you can solve some of your problems independently,” said Volodymyr Smolanka.
Oleksandr Shpenyk, the director of the institute, was the first to speak: “The day before, my colleagues and I talked about the issues we need to bring up for discussion today. And, in fact, I have to admit that there are no pending problems that have not been resolved for years. We manage to resolve all our problems routinely and it means that the university administration is working well. So after the discussion, we came to the conclusion that we were primarily interested in what changes our unit would experience after the entry into force of the law "On Education" in 2023. My colleagues also have questions about the Foreign Language Certification Center, repair works, computer equipment upgrades and the purchase of some equipment for research." Then, the teachers of the institute spoke in more detail on each issue.
Regarding the law "On Education", the Rector Volodymyr Smolanka replied: "We all understand that these are the changes we are obliged to adapt to. I think we will defend our position and find the right balance that will suit us, working within the law. The main thing for us is that there is no decrease in demand from applicants. After all, we have seen positive dynamics in the previous two years. We are working in a highly competitive environment and must provide the best quality educational services. Therefore, the university administration will settle this issue with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine."
There were no misunderstandings with regard to the issues of physical infrastructure. Due to transition to distance learning, 120 laptops were purchased for the needs of UzhNU teachers last year. There are also plans to purchase equipment for recording lectures. Therefore, in the near future the necessary devices will be delivered to the institute. Regarding the repair works, it should be noted that some positive changes await for the university due to the NEFCO project. Uzhhorod National University became one of the 7 universities out of 130 applicants that passed the competitive selection stage. It is also worth mentioning that lately there has been the opportunity for the university to purchase equipment for research activities. Therefore, the request for a spectrofluorometer for the institute will be considered, as well as all other issues raised during the meeting.
