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10 May 2007 17:00

Representatives of Ukraine 3000 Fund Meet with Sumy National Agricultural University Students

May 10, 2007, representatives of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund, leaded by Head of the Fund’s Supervisory Board Kateryna Yushchenko, visited the Sumy National Agricultural University, where they met with professors and students of the Sumy oblast. Among other participants of the event were Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Health Protection Tetiana Bakhteyeva, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine Jeremy Hartley, Director of the Triumph of Heart charitable organization Stephan-Arpad Madjar, and Head of the Sumy Oblast State Administration Pavel Kachur and other representatives of the Sumy Oblast State Administration

In course of the meeting, representatives of the Ukraine 3000 Fund told the Sumy students about the results of the Human Rebirth, Revival, and Development Second Humanitarian Forum held at the Artek ICC April 24-27, 2007. In part, they said that 320 participants of the Forum from 7 countries had had a chance to share their pedagogic experience and work on the draft Human Upbringing and Development Manifesto. Representatives of the Fund called on the Sumy oblast students to take an active part in the civil processes shaping the ways for the future development of our country.

In their turn, Sumy oblast students and pedagogues shared their ideas regarding the students’ problems, youth and students’ self-government, as well as their view of the education of the future and the Manifesto’s clauses.

Mrs. Kateryna Yushchenkj thanked the students for their sound ideas and view of the development of Ukraine, in part, the Ukrainian students’ community. She mentioned that the year 2007 was proclaimed by the Ukraine 3000 Fund the Year of Education, and described educational programs carried out by the Fund. In part, she spoke about the Human Rebirth, Revival, and Development Second Humanitarian Forum and the Ukraine’s Innovative Intellect contest. Besides, Mrs. Yushchenko urged the students and members of youth organizations to take more active part in the state development and search of the ways for solving its problems.

Mrs. Yushchenko commented on some of the speeches and answered the students’ questions. Speaking about the Ukraine 3000 Fund’s activities, Mrs. Kateryna assured the audience that the Fund was and would be doing everything possible to create most favorable conditions for development of the young people in Ukraine.

Mrs. Yushchenko passed over to Head of the Sumy Oblast State Administration Pavel Kachur a letter of thanks for assisting Sumy young people in their participation in the Ukraine’s Innovative Intellect national contest, one of the Fund’s biggest projects. In total, 88 works by Sumy-based young people were submitted to the contest.

In their turn, Sumy students passed over to Mrs. Kateryna a set of children’s books and a rushnyk embroidered hand towel by Krolevtsy artisans.

Mrs. Yushchenko was given a tour of the university and talked with its rector Volodymyr Ladyka and members of the management and faculty. Mrs. Kateryna presented the rector with the Ukraine and Ukrainians book.

The Sumy National Agricultural University was founded in April 1977 as a branch of the Kharkiv Dokuchayev Agricultural Institute. In 1997 it received  the highest, Fourth Qualify, and a university status. In 2001, by an order of the President of Ukraine, it received a national staus. At present it is the only Sumy oblast higher education institution awarded this status.

The university trains experts in 15 specialties at its seven departments and the Economics and Management Institute. The Sumy National Agricultural University has 6 colleges: Putivl, Hlukhiv, Romny, Okhtyrka, Malovystorop, and Veretynivka. Besides, postgraduate students in 22 specialties also study at the university. The students’ body of the Sumy National Agricultural University numbers almost 12,500 people. Its faculty includes 69 Ph.D.s and professors along with 296 candidates of sciences and associate professors.

The Sumy National Agricultural University constantly develops its international ties. It has established contacts with Germany and Great Britain for professors’ training and students’ exchange. The university cooperates with many countries, namely, with Germany, Austria, Great Britain, Denmark, Poland, France, the US, and Australia. On-the-job trainings at best farms abroad allows the students to get field experience, complete their thesis projects in the form of business plans, and broaden their horizons.

Head of the Fund’s Supervisory Board Kateryna Yushchenko and representatives of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund are on a one-day working trip to Sumy. Earlier they have visited the Sumy Suprun Boarding School for Orphaned Children and Children, Deprived of Parents’ Care, and Sumy Oblast Children’s Clinical Hospital, with a visit to the Sumy Oblast Local History Museum also being on the schedule.