Vadym Popko, a professor in the Department of Comparative and European Law at the Educational and Research Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, has been appointed vice rector of the university.
He announced this on Facebook, according to Ukrainian News.
"Dear friends and colleagues, starting today, I am beginning my work as Vice Rector for Academic and Pedagogical Affairs (on issues of international cooperation) at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv," he wrote.
Popko also expressed his gratitude to the Department of Comparative and European Law at the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations of KNU, where he will continue to work: "Thank you to my home Department of Comparative and European Law at the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv!! Together, we will surely prevail. Glory to Ukraine!"
In his new position, he will be responsible for developing the university’s international partnerships and establishing academic ties with foreign educational and scientific institutions.
Commenting on his appointment, Vadym Popko noted: "Our goal is to go beyond traditional cooperation agreements. I’m not interested in memorandums for the sake of memorandums. I want KNU to have genuine, active partnerships with universities in Europe and around the world, with real mobility for students and faculty, joint research, and mutual recognition of qualifications."
He also noted that in the near future he will focus on reviewing the existing contractual framework.
"We will analyze which agreements actually work and which do not, where we are missing opportunities, or if there are any barriers. We cannot build qualitatively new relationships without understanding the overall situation," the new vice rector noted.
Vadym Popko emphasized that the ambitious goals facing the university in the field of international cooperation can only be achieved through joint efforts.
According to him, he is counting on coordinated teamwork: “No strategy works on its own—it is implemented by people. Therefore, coordinated teamwork under the leadership of Valerii Kopiika is of fundamental importance to me, where everyone understands the common goal and takes responsibility for it. This is the foundation for building sustainable international partnerships. The university must speak with foreign colleagues with one voice, rather than on behalf of individual departments or units. Only then can long-term results be achieved.”
Regarding international grants and fundraising, Vadym Popko noted that Ukrainian higher education institutions are currently underrepresented in European grant programs. Therefore, he said, it would be worthwhile to create a platform to assist faculty and students in these matters.
"A university is a living organism and cannot exist in a vacuum. It must function on the basis of mutually beneficial partnerships with other universities, the state, business, and the international community," stated Vadym Popko.
According to him, all these processes, as well as what takes place within the framework of international cooperation, should yield concrete results for students.
“More grants, more internships, more opportunities to build a career without leaving Ukraine, or to return here with new knowledge and experience,” Popko noted.
He added that although Ukraine is going through extremely difficult times, it must rethink its place in the European and global academic community.
"I am convinced that we have enough organization and knowledge to become an equal partner. And what we will do together with the team will turn into long-term academic alliances that will remain after our victory and serve the goals and tasks of post-war reconstruction," Popko concluded.
As a reminder, the Ministry of Education dismissed the previous rector of KNU, Volodymyr Bugrov, due to the expiration of his contract, which occurred amid allegations of corruption and student protests over a personal scandal involving him.
New elections are scheduled for May 27, 2026, and until then, the duties of the university rector will be performed by Valery Kopiika, Director of the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations at KNU.
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