On June 24, a conference of the labour collective and a meeting of the university’s Academic Council were held at Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University.
The rector, Valentyna Yakubiv, and the chairman of the Supervisory Board, Dmytro Romanyuk, congratulated the staff on the completion of the academic year.
Before the start of the events, the participants honoured the memory of the Heroes of Ukraine, who gave their lives for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of our state, with a minute of silence.
Traditionally, the celebrations began with the recognition of scientific and pedagogical workers and university employees for significant professional achievements, conscientious work, high results in educational, scientific and organisational activities, as well as a significant contribution to the development of the university.
During the Staff Conference, several important issues related to the university’s activities were discussed.
In particular, the election of the new Academic Council of the University was important. At the first meeting of the newly elected Academic Council, Ihor Tsependa was elected Chairman by secret ballot. The Dean of the Faculty of Tourism, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Volodymyr Velykychy, and the Professor of the Department, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Ivan Hasyuk, were elected as Deputy Chairmen of the Academic Council. Viktoria Stynska, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences and Professor of the Bohdan Stuparyk Department of Pedagogy and Educational Management, was elected Academic Secretary of the Academic Council.
One of the key issues on the agenda was a discussion of the results of the university’s educational activities in the 2025–2026 academic year and the departments’ tasks to improve the quality of education. The corresponding report was delivered by the Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work, Vitaliy Shkromyda.
After hearing and discussing the report of the Vice-Rector, the Academic Council noted that during the reporting period, the university ensured the stable functioning of the educational process, continued the development of educational programs, actively implemented modern digital services, implemented measures to internationalise education, and improved the internal system for ensuring the quality of educational activities.
At the same time, the analysis of the results of the work showed the presence of certain challenges related to the uneven dynamics of the contingent of students in individual educational programs, the presence of small academic groups, the need to strengthen work to preserve the contingent of students, improve mechanisms for monitoring the quality of education and staff renewal of individual structural units. Based on the discussion, priority areas of work were identified to improve the quality of the educational process further and strengthen the university’s competitiveness.
The Conference participants also approved the composition of the Academic Council of Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University for a term of five years, comprising 71 members.
During the meeting, the Chairman of the University’s Academic Council, Ihor Tsependa, presented the strategic vision for the institution’s development until 2035 — “The Triad of University Growth: Investing Resources in People so that People Create Institutions That Will Survive Generations.”
Presenting the new strategy, Igor Tsependa emphasised that the university must respond to the challenges of the time, including demographic decline, increased competition for students, rapid digitalisation and development of artificial intelligence, war and post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, the growing role of universities as centres of regional development, as well as global competition for talent and knowledge.
“Our task is not to react to change, but to shape the future,” he emphasised.
The new strategy is based on the university’s key values: people, knowledge, academic freedom, responsibility, and service to society. The strategic priority is to develop the human potential of the Carpathian region, Ukraine, and Europe through education, science, and innovation.
A development formula is presented, according to which priorities determine resources, resources ensure the development of talent, talent creates institutions, and institutions form the university’s long-term competitive advantage.
The first level of the strategic triad encompasses students and resources as the foundation for the university’s development. These include government procurement, contract training, grant activities, research projects, international technical assistance, and partnerships with business, communities, and alumni.
The second level focuses on talent and knowledge, the university’s main capital. It includes talented students, young scholars, research professors, academic schools, and international academic partners.
The third level comprises institutions of the future. Among the strategic development projects are the International Science Center “Observatory”, which is designed to become a center of science, research and scientific diplomacy; the International Center for Meetings of Student Youth in Mykulychyn as a space for the formation of youth leadership and international dialogue; as well as the Science Park “Carpathian University”, which is to become a center of innovation, startups and technology transfer.
According to Igor Tsependa, these institutions are the materialised result of the talent of many generations of the university community and the foundation for the university’s future development.
Special attention was paid to the formation of the Carpathian innovation ecosystem, which will combine students, talent, scientific institutions, and innovation infrastructure, contributing to the development of science, startups, international partnerships, and the entire region.
Summing up the presentation, Igor Tsependa outlined the university’s strategic vision until 2035:
“Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University is a leading research university in the Carpathian region and one of the centres of scientific, educational and social transformation of Ukraine.”
