Today the Kharkiv Press Club hosted a press conference of representatives of the Rectorate of the Kharkiv National Technical University of Agriculture. P. Vasylenko, dedicated to the peculiarities of this year’s introductory campaign. The event was attended by the rector of KhNTUA O. Nanka, vice-rector for scientific and pedagogical work S. Zaika, Vice-Rector for scientific and pedagogical work, and International Relations Yu. Vitkovskyy, and also the executive secretary of the admission commission of KhNTUA S. Skofenko.
The press conference was broadcast on social networks, so it could be watched not only by Kharkiv journalists but also by correspondents of the district and all-Ukrainian publications, who sent their questions to university representatives. Of course, they were interested not only in the peculiarities of this year’s admission campaign (it was described in detail by the executive secretary of the KNTUA admissions committee S. Skofenko) but also in the situation surrounding the government’s decision to establish the State Biotechnology University. universities, including the Kharkiv Petro Vasylenko National Technical University of Agriculture.
In this regard, the rector of KhNTUA O. Nanka stated that the management and staff of the university do not object to the reform of universities and the consolidation of higher education institutions. This must be done. But such reform must take place transparently and democratically, taking into account the views of educators and researchers working at universities. In this case, most of them learned about the reform of their universities from news releases. Even the rectors of 4 free economic zones did not know that such an order was being prepared and that it would be submitted to a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. And the issue of establishing the State Biotechnology University was not discussed with anyone at all and for the educational community, students, and the general public such a decision came as a complete surprise, – said the rector.
Representatives of the Kharkiv Petro Vasylenko National Technical University of Agriculture are caused by the fact that the process of reforming universities was initiated on the eve of the admission campaign, which has actually already begun. Many future entrants working with KhNTUA, in particular through the university educational center and preparatory courses, are set to enter the Kharkiv Petro Vasylenko National Technical University of Agriculture, which has a high reputation among other higher education institutions in the Slobozhansky region. According to the rating indicators shown by the rector of KhNTUA during the press conference, at the beginning of this year, he took 7th place among all higher education institutions of the Kharkiv region. And what does the State Biotechnology University have? And where is he at all?
Answering these and other questions, the administration said that the university will continue to enroll students in all educational and professional programs and now the university management is doing everything possible to ensure that the interests of students and future entrants and staff are taken into account. On this occasion, on behalf of the staff of the university, an appeal has already been sent to the President of Ukraine, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine. The university management also conducts active consultations with representatives of other universities, including foreigners with whom business relations are established.
By the way, as noted during the press conference by the Vice-Rector for International Relations Yu.P. Vitkovsky, many foreign students study at the Kharkiv National Technical University of Agriculture, and contracts for their training were signed with KhNTUA. Therefore, many questions arise as to how these features and interests of foreign students will be taken into account in the reform process…
In short, currently, the government’s decision to establish the State Biotechnology University and reform 4 Kharkiv universities raises more questions, between answers. And it seems that these answers are not known even in the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Therefore, the leadership of KhNTUA, as one of the leading institutions of higher education in the Kharkiv region, has undertaken a mission for a civilized settlement of this issue and the search for constructive solutions. Judging by the confidence and positive mood shown by the university management, such solutions will be found. And, of course, they will meet the state interests of Ukraine and the interests of the university community.
The full video from the press conference of the representatives of the KhNTUA administration can be viewed on the Kharkiv Press Club’s Facebook page.
Media Communications Department.
