You're reading: Fulbrighters praise Ukraine’s students, talk about educational environment

While all eyes are focused on the escalating political crisis, the academic community is getting ready to host a group of American Fulbright scholars and researchers.

One of the most recognizable student and scholar exchange programs funded by the U.S. government, Fulbright has placed some 20 scholars in a number of Ukrainian universities for the 2013-2014 academic years.

Most of the scholars and researchers focus on social and political studies, with an emphasis on Ukraine-Russia ties. Their research includes the identity of Ukraine’s youth, cultural aspects and language policy. In an effort to understand Ukraine, some of them already have immersed themselves in the local educational process.

When Fulbright scholar Robert Hiromoto was on his first Lviv-Ternopil road trip, he was “quite impressed by the countryside and quite depressed by the road conditions.” However, that’s not the only surprise most of American scholars stumble upon in Ukraine.

Hiromoto, who was invited by the head of the American-Ukrainian School of Computer Science at Ternopil National Economic University in western Ukraine, was disappointed with the bureaucratic routine in Ukrainian universities.

“The most surprising aspect of the university is the centralization of many activities that require the rector’s approval,” Hiromoto said. “U.S. universities are not totally free from the centralization of general policy issues but we have more freedom to develop and offer courses through designated university committees.”

He is, however, impressed with Ukrainian students. “The students that I have encountered here have a better theoretical background and exhibit a higher maturity level than, for instance, U.S. ones,” Hiromoto said.

Donald Davis is a frequent guest to Ukraine. He visited western Ukraine in 2002. This time he is stationed at the Precarpathian Vasyl Stefanyk National University in Ivano-Frankivsk. He says the students have improved their English language skills compared to previous years and they “respect the profession of teaching more than their American counterparts.”

On the flip side, Davis says Ukrainian students face many difficulties.

“Ukrainian students are somewhat limited because of the lack of access to good resource materials (such) as current, up-to-date textbooks. But (they) seem to manage pretty well on limited budgets,” Davis says.

Emily Channell-Justice came to Ukraine to study student movements. Because of EuroMaidan events that are entering their fifth week, the researcher boosted her chances to get a firsthand account of the subject.

“The students have played a key role in participating in mass mobilizations as well as in organizing their own student-oriented protests and strikes,” Channell-Justice said. “They have formed an organized coordination committee; their concerns are not only about the resignation of (President) Viktor Yanukovych and ending the use of violence against peaceful protesters but also about improving student life and learning.”

She said the student organizers are using Maidan not just “to show displeasure with the current regime but to suggest alternative ways to organize education that would be beneficial for students.”

Kimberly Kline, who teaches a graduate program at the University at Buffalo of the State University of New York, is going to teach journalism.

Kline plans to work on writing techniques for academic journals, and ethical and moral considerations for journalists. She has previously been to Ukraine and acknowledges “the genuine openness of the Ukrainian people”.

Taras Filenko is ready to present his “Ethnomusicology online” course both in Ukrainian and English. “Ukraine lacks world ethnomusicology classes, and there are no professors and English-language materials as well,” Filenko explains.

The scholars also found some catching points.

“Ukrainian cuisine is simple yet a culinary delight,” Hiromoto says. “Food is a good measure of the character of a country. In many cases it captures its long history of foreign occupations and rivalries – it has adopted, adapted and transformed many dishes into its own,”

“I was impressed with the desire of Ukrainians to spend quality time with you as a person,” Kline said.

“When they (Ukrainians) say ‘would you like to meet for tea – they mean it,’ Kline says.

Olena Fomenko, a Fulbright alumnus who is now the chair of foreign languages at the Institute of Journalism at Taras Shevchenko National University, believes American Fulbright scholars contribute to universities’ goal of internationalization.

“Fulbright scholars are the U.S. cultural ambassadors contributing greatly to mutual understanding between our countries,” Fomenko says, adding that Fulbright scholars keep coming “because of Ukraine’s rich history and culture, and, probably, even its challenges.”

Kyiv Post staff writer Olena Goncharova can be reached at [email protected]