Canadian Studies at Chernivtsi University

Abstract

Based on a personal rich and fruitful experience, the author delves into retracing the causes, stages and effective outcomes of Canadian Studies establishment and integration into the academic research and the educational process of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (the then Chernivtsi State University). The author highlights the crucial role and impact of Canadian Studies (CS) on training and instructing students who major in International Studies, History and Political Science. On a wider level, Canadian Studies as an interdisciplinary field promotes and enhances the development of the research in a huge variety of academic domains. Noteworthy, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University – the architectural jewel of Ukraine – as far back as 1977 started to pursue its efforts in cultural diplomacy, in particular launching Canadian Studies project, while signing University of Saskatchewan and State University of Chernivtsi Agreement for academic and cultural exchanges of faculty, scholars and students. So far our University has established itself as a viable academic center for scientific and cultural researches in various fields and in this regard all academia aim at developing it into a traditional conference. It should be emphasized, that due to the systematic extension of the Agreement, the cooperation has been yielding successful outcomes for 50 years so far. A further important implication is both the challenges of the Ukrainian statehood establishing and Ukraine’s functioning as a state, first and foremost, brought some justifiable obstacles for developing mutually beneficial cooperation. To date, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University hosts Ramon Hnatyshyn Centre for Canadian Studies (Department of International Relations). The researcher notes that fruitful partnership has been established with many Canadian universities; in particular the University of Alberta (Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies), aiming to further the interdisciplinary and international development of Canadian Studies. Ramon Hnatyshyn Centre for Canadian Studies owns a large Library of Canadian studies, collected and donated by Canadian universities, Ukrainian NGOs and individuals. It is important to stress that the Centre for Canadian Studies is home to a considerable number of archival material copies, mainly obtained from the Library and Archives Canada (formerly the National Archives), as well as from the provincial archives of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The author proves that the successful stability in enhancing cooperation in the educational process especially with regards to the exchange mobility of students, lecturers, and post-graduates. Of particular was the experience of Canadian Professors’ delivering lecturers in Chernivtsi National University to introduce Ukrainian students to the courses on the state structure of Canada, the development of Canadian federal policy of multiculturalism, the Canadian Ukrainians’ impact on Canadian-Ukrainian interstate relations moulding. The author aims to validate both parts’ making great strides in the development of scientific research, started in the late 80s of 20th century, with a common research topic “The Impact of National and Ethnic Minorities on the Development of Western Canada”, agreed between Chernivtsi and Saskatchewan universities. Subsequently, the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (University of Alberta) considerably facilitated in collaborative research project. Over the last decades, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University academically developed and encouraged for further advance cohort of brilliant scientists in the interdisciplinary field of Canadian Studies, and held a number of international conferences in both Canada and Ukraine. Two biannual Canadian conferences were hosted by Ramon Hnatyshyn Centre for Canadian Studies in Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University – in 2010 and 2019 – and were attended by scholars from Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and other universities of Canada and Ukraine. The conferences were held under the auspices of the Embassy of Canada to Ukraine. The invaluable experience of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University was emulated up by Volyn, Lviv and other Ukrainian universities.