“Gaudeamus igitur, juvenes dum sumus!” The initial lines of “Gaudeamus” perfectly convey the mood of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University on its 79th birthday.
Today, the University is a leader in many prestigious regional nominations. And it does its best to maintain its leading position. The University’s ambition is setting up a modern international education and research center that would boost the economic and social potential of the whole region. Thus our general priorities are education, science and the development of the region.
The University sets great store by its traditions. So the University Day started with the Divine Liturgy and blessing held in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The festive service was attended by the newly reelected Rector Igor Tsependa, the faculty, the students, and the workers of the University. Father Vitalii said the Prayer for the University and blessed its great family.
Another important event was the traditional festive Academy attended by the University Professors, workers, students, veterans, and honored guests: Deputy
Mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk Bogdan Bilyk, Deputy Director of the Department of Education, Science and Youth Policy of the Regional State Administration Ihor Havryliuk, Consul General of Poland in Lviv Rafał Wolski, Director of the Centre for East European Studies of the University of Warsaw, Honorary Doctor of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University Jan Malicki, Director of the Ossolinski National Library in Wroclaw (the Republic of Poland) Adolf Juzwenko, Secretary of Polish-Ukrainian Partnership Forum under MFA of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland Daria Wojcieszek-Jabłońska, Professor of Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology of the University of Warsaw Lech Mróz, Representative of the Ossolinski National Library in Wroclaw Wiktoria Malicka, Director General of Vasyl Stefanyk Lviv National Scientific Library of Ukraine Vasyl Fershtei, Director of the Lviv Historical Museum Roman Chmelyk.
Rector Igor Tsependa said, “This day is the day of conclusions and planning. We have an opportunity to realize exciting research and education projects that will benefit the University, the city, and the whole region: the reconstruction of the International Research Center ‘Observatoriia’ on top of Pip Ivan mountain in the Carpathians – the highest located research center in Ukraine and in Central Europe; the creation of the International Center for Ukrainian and Polish Students, which is a new platform in Ukrainian-Polish cooperation. I would like to thank the professors, students and workers of the University, as well as our supporters – our Polish partners, our partners from other countries, our friends and benefactors”.
The Rector also mentioned the contribution of the University to the city winning the prestigious Prize of Europe.
The University Day is celebrated on Vasyl Stefanyk’s birthday. Flowers were brought to the monument of the outstanding Ukrainian author, and also to the monument to the student Roman Huryk, Hero of the Heavenly Hundred and Hero of Ukraine.
The Head of the Scientific Council Igor Tsependa handed Honorary Professor Certificates to Vasyl Fershtei, Director General of Vasyl Stefanyk Lviv National Scientific Library of Ukraine, and to Adolf Juzwenko, Director of the Ossolinski National Library in Wroclaw (the Republic of Poland). Both of them expressed their gratitude for the honor bestowed upon them.
The Academy was greeted by M. Nahorniak, Director of Training and Research Institute of Postgraduate Education, and Professor V. Pylypiv, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics. The initiation ceremony was conducted by Professor Igor Tsependa, Head of the University Academic Council.
Rafał Wolski, Consul General of Poland in Lviv, said, “Honoring Adolf Juzwenko and Vasyl Fershtei, you honor European heritage culture, the Word of the Book of Human and European Civilization. It is an important event in the history of your University, the Precarpathian land, and the intellectual elite of this part of Europe. Being a leader of Ukrainian-Polish academic cooperation, your University brings benefit to the region and beyond”.
Professor Igor Tsependa gave honorary diplomas to the University Professors, workers, and students.
The students and teachers of the Institute of Arts contributed to the festivities. The celebrations ended with the Precarpathian Student Cup of Laugh show and a party.