Recent meeting of the Academic Board, which was held on February 22, dealt with 2016 University budget fulfillment, 2017 budget project, enlightenment work, results of research and development in 2016 and their commercialization. Resolutions on each issue were made.
Honoring and awarding academic titles
Traditionally, the Academic Board meeting started with pleasant news. Professor Yuriy Bobalo, Rector of the University, gave Ministry of Youth and Sports gratitudes to Bohdan Polishchuk, Head of Polytechnic Students and PhD Students Union, and to Nataliya Pavlyshyn, deputy chief editor of the student weekly newspaper «Audytoriya», for «special personal contribution to the implementation of state youth policy, active public work, popularizing youth movement in Ukraine, dedication to the cause and on the occasion of Lviv Polytechnic bicentenary». Rector gave Ostap Ivashkiv, researcher of the Department of Chemical Technology of Oil and Gas Processing of the ICCT, a PhD diploma. A certificate confirming the academic title of Professor was given to Svitlana Linda, Head of the Department of Design and Architecture Fundamentals of the IA.
Budget issues
Rector reported on fulfilling the budget of Lviv Polytechnic general and special funds in 2016 (see Polytechnic website). Anatoliy Zahorodniy, Head of the Academic Board budget commission, presented 2017 budget project. He said that it was not easy to form the budget for this year (minimal salary rise, new procedure for scholarships payment, inflation level prognosis during the year, etc). That is why everyone has to think about bringing money to the University treasury. The first report was approved by those present at the meeting. The second one was approved in general. Academic Board members gave Rector the right to correct 2017 University budget indices depending on the limits of the general fund and the economic situation in the country. In general, they maintained that everyone has to save electricity, save material and financial resources, and those, responsible for bringing money into the budget, have to look for investments and sponsorship to develop the infrastructure of the University. They also have to make sure that University expenses do not exceed its profits, etc.
Enlightenment work
Associate Professor Iryna Klyuchkovska, Director of the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations, reporting on the enlightenment work in Lviv Polytechnic, said that this work calls for separate consideration and making the right decisions. Under the circumstances of the war with the Moscow aggressor, the objective of Polytechnic is to make our young people more active and direct them into the positive direction: forming an active public stance, involving young people in the state building processes, as it is done in Europe. It is pursued by teaching Humanities in the official language of the country, a wide range of possibilities for extracurricular work, participation in the University enlightenment events, IIEC enlightenment events, etc. It is important to co-ordinate the efforts of public organizations, IIEC with active participation of the academic institutes deans for educational work, academic mentors, voluntary work.
Another speaker, Professor Khrystyna Burshtynska, Head of the University «Prosvita», spoke about the events organized by the IIEC, Iryna Farion’s culture project «From the book to the aim», spiritual life of Lviv Polytechnic, celebrations dedicated to Taras Shevchenko, work with orphanages, culture trips, financial support of the wounded ATO soldiers, etc.
Academic Board members agreed to support voluntary and enlightenment work of Polytechnic students and lecturers, «Prosvita» People’s House, «Prosvita» Society and «Young Prosvita» Society. They asked «Prosvita» People’s House, public organizations and student self-government to organize and hold events dedicated to celebrating 100th anniversary of proclaiming the Independence of Ukraine in 2018, 65th anniversary of UPA (Ukrainian Rebel Army) in 2017, etc. They also supported the IIEC project «Exhibition – 50th anniversary of the Ukrainian World Congress», which includes holding exhibitions and lectures in the universities of Eastern and Northern Ukraine.
Key factor in the academics’ rating
Professor Nataliya Chuhray, Vice-Rector for Scientific Research, reported on the results of research and development work in 2016 and their commercialization. She attracted attention to the results of research and development work and also to the issue of personnel for research and development work in the University. The speaker informed that 2248 people were engaged in research and development work in 2016. There are 344 Doctors of Sciences and 1245 Candidates of Sciences among them. Budget and contract topics were developed by the University full-time and part-time employees. Their average age is gradually decreasing due to young scientists.
Nataliya Chuhray analyzed the level of research and development work completion. She mentioned increasing financing of research and development work. She also analyzed the quality of the staff, efficiency of the research work of the institutes, distribution of special funds. The speaker also mentioned the scientific and technical projects competition, which aims at commercializing research and development work, students’ participation in research, fundamental and applied research, results of research and development work in 2016.
To achieve State prizes
Academic Board members recommended Oleh Karyi and Roman Kochan to be awarded academic titles of Professor and addressed the Certification Commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine Board with such request. They recommended a computerized educational methodological complex «Electrical Engineering and Electronics» to be awarded a State prize of Ukraine in the field of education in 2017. They аlso supported the Institute of Magnetism of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in recommending a cycle of works «Functional magnetic materials for nanoelectronics and biotechnologies: physical bases» to be awarded a State prize of Ukraine in the field of science and technology in 2017 and engaging Serhiy Ubizskiy, professor of the Department of Semiconductor Electronic, to the team of authors of this cycle of works.
Members of the Academic Board were also in favor of the suggestion to create an academic board for defending dissertations pursuing the academic degree of Doctor (Candidate) of Technical Sciences for the specialities of «Information Technologies» and «Artificial Intelligence systems and means». They specified themes for Doctor and Candidate dissertations, approved changes and amendments to the Admissions Regulations for 2017 and students, who are candidates for the academic scholarship of the President of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
