Ukrainian and German universities create joint department

For the first time in Ukraine a joint department is being created thanks to the efforts of two universities, the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute National Technical University and Otto von Gericke University (Magdeburg, Germany). Since 1997 these institutions have exchanged scientific and methodical information and scholar publications, since 1999 students, and last Monday an agreement was signed on creating a joint Machine Building Department on the basis of three Kyiv Polytechnic ones (Mechanics and Machine Building, Welding, and Engineering and Physics) and their German university counterparts. Education will be paid for both Ukrainian citizens and foreigners (on a contract basis). However, for ethnic German citizens of Ukraine, it will be paid from budget funds and financial aid from FRG federal and state governments. In time it is proposed to work out a system of stipends using funds from enterprises. The first stage of the project envisages composing combined curriculums by Ukrainian and German scholars and professors. The second stage will be sending some Ukrainian students to Magdeburg for further training. There they will thoroughly study foreign languages, work at German industrial enterprises, and proceed with their studies. At the third stage Ukrainian students earning a bachelor’s degree at the joint faculty will be able to go to Magdeburg University to obtain their master’s.

The rector of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute National Technical University stressed that this agreement is a qualitatively new step in developing the Ukrainian educational system. Since the activities of this joint department will be provided by two universities simultaneously, one can also speak of a new quality in the training of specialists, as German colleagues have successfully developed technological constituents of education, when training takes place not only in class but in workshops where future engineers will work.

Rector of Otto Von Gericke University Mr. Pollman told The Day’s correspondent that the Ukrainian higher education system compared to other Western countries is attractive in terms of its quality of fundamental training, but the integration process would be much simpler if young people in both countries paid more attention to mastering foreign languages.