Today, the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian (Carpathian) National University solemnly celebrated the 85th anniversary of its founding and the 154th anniversary of the birth of its patron, the outstanding Ukrainian writer Vasyl Stefanyk.
The events began with the Divine Liturgy with the intention for Ukraine, for peace, for everyone who fights, studies, creates and preserves spirituality in difficult times. A joint prayer united students, teachers, university employees, as well as honored guests.
The next significant event was the unveiling of commemorative plaques to former university rectors, who with their lives and professional activities influenced the formation and development of the university. The plaques were unveiled by the acting rector of the university, Professor Igor Tsependa, together with the teaching staff.
The following figures were honored:
- Oleksandr Andriyovych Ustenko — rector of the Ivano-Frankivsk Pedagogical Institute named after Vasyl Stefanyk (1967–1980), a well-known scientist-economist, academician of a number of industry academies;
- Vitaliy Ivanovich Kononenko — rector from 1986 to 2005, linguist, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, honorary rector of the university;
- Bohdan Kostyantynovich Ostafiychuk — physicist and materials scientist, corresponding member of the NAS of Ukraine, rector from 2005 to 2012.
Ihor Tsependa, speaking to the audience, emphasized that these figures are not only former leaders, but also creators of the university’s identity, who laid the foundations of its scientific and educational authority.
The solemn program continued in the university assembly hall. The participants of the event honored the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred and the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for Ukraine with a minute of silence.
On the occasion of the opening of the ceremonial academy, all those present were greeted by the acting rector of the university , Ihor Tsependa:
« Dear university community! Dear guests, colleagues, students and graduates!
Preparing for the speech on the occasion of the anniversary of our university, I traditionally started with numbers and achievements: the growth of the teaching staff , victories in domestic and international rankings, the growth in the number of students – we are already over 17,000 !But a few minutes ago , you and I laid a symbolic time capsule and planted a tree of life. And this event changed my concept of the speech. In the capsule are letters from our students to their peers who will study here in 15 years. We thought for a long time in what form to preserve these messages: paper, QR code, flash drive – unreliable media. Who knows, in a decade and a half there will be technology capable of reading them .
But that’s not the main thing. The main thing is the idea.
These letters are addressed to people. They were written by students for the students of the future. And this brings us back to a simple truth: at the center of everything is the person.
These letters are not just messages to the future. They are our testimony of faith in the power of youth, in the continuity of traditions, in the solid foundation that we are laying today.
Over the past decade , our university has gone through a difficult but successful path. Without a strategy, this would have been impossible. But no strategist and no strategy work if people don’t believe in them .
On the eve of the anniversary, I had many interviews . One journalist asked: ” What is your greatest achievement during the years of your tenure?” I thought about it. And I understood: to convince colleagues of their own strength, of what their intellectual potential can turn a good regional higher education institution into a university that is among the ten best in Ukraine. This is the greatest achievement.
To believe in a person. To reveal a person.
To reveal a person is to help them find themselves, to realize themselves, to feel their value in the great cause of the development of the university and the state.Recently, the security guard at the entrance changed . I drove up to the university, and he didn’t know me yet . I asked: ” Who are you? For what purpose are you going to the university?” And I asked myself these questions: who am I here? For what purpose do we all go to our university every day ?
There is only one answer : to create an environment in which knowledge, science, culture, and spirituality are born . And all this is thanks to people.
Today I want to bow to our 62 students and graduates who gave their lives for the independence of Ukraine!
Today I want to pay tribute to our graduates, friends, and partners who have been with us for 85 years : from a teacher in a mountain village to a statesman . They have created and continue to create our university.
Special thanks to our Polish friends, some of whom are present in this hall today . To Mr. Zygmunt Berdychowski, who has been supporting our best students for almost ten years . Thanks to him, over $ 100,000 in scholarship funds was transferred not so that Ukrainian students could go abroad , but so that they could study and live in Ukraine.
Thank you to our partners from the largest technological university in Central Europe – the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy in Krakow, represented by Honorary Professor Dariusz Sali . Their support for our dream of the Observatory, joint projects in space technology – it’s not just about science . It’s about trust in people.
Thanks to their support, we became associate members of the European Association of Space Universities. But what I am most grateful for is that at the moment of truth — during the war — they were the first to call with a simple question: how can we help you — and they helped.
This is also about a person.In the hall are my colleagues- rectors. We built partnerships in times when it was difficult. Not competition, but cooperation became our response to challenges. Special respect to the rector Alexander Spivakovsky, who, together with his team, did not allow the creation of a Russian university in the occupied territory. He did not just preserve it – he is rebuilding and creating a new university based on the latest technologies.
And again, it’s all done by people. Those who stood up to the invader. Those who confirmed their loyalty to Ukraine.
Dear friends!
Today, on the anniversary day , I want to emphasize once again : a university is not walls and not just ratings. It is people. People who believe. Who act. Who create.May faith, dignity , and love for Ukraine always remain at the heart of our university .
Happy holiday to you! Happy anniversary to our great university family!
A special event of the celebration was the presentation of the Vasyl Stefanyk Regional Prize, the highest cultural award of the Ivano-Frankivsk region.
The awards were presented by the Deputy Head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration, Kristina Torgan, and the First Deputy Head of the Regional Council, Vasyl Hlady.
The Vasyl Stefanyk Prize in Literature was awarded to:
- In the “Poetry” nomination – to Ivan Andrushko – a poet, teacher, long-time teacher of Ukrainian language and literature, and an active journalist for the correctness and culture of the native language in school and everyday life.
- In the “Prose” nomination – to Ivanna Stefyuk – a Ukrainian writer, literary critic, ethnographer, methodologist, candidate of philological sciences, member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine.
- In the nomination “Documentary and Scientific-Critical Literature (Aesthetics, Literary Studies, Art History, Ukrainian Studies, Art Journalism, Criticism, Memoirs)” – to Roman Kyselyuk – local historian, poet, short story writer, member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine and the National Union of Local Historians of Ukraine.
- In the “Novelistics” nomination – to Mykhailo Budzhak – Ukrainian writer, journalist, local historian, and folklorist.
- In the nomination “Works or works that popularize the work of Vasyl Stefanyk, including those written by writers living outside the region” to Oksana Tebeshevska – deputy of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Council, Honored Teacher of Ukraine, well-known public figure, writer, craftswoman.
After that, the awarding of representatives of the university community, who strengthen the authority of the university with their work, began.
The Ivano-Frankivsk OVA diplomas were awarded by :
- Igor Goyan, Professor of the Department of Social Psychology;
- Bohdan Rachy, Professor of the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science;
- Viktor Husak, Associate Professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology;
- Olga Derkachova, professor of the Department of Ukrainian Literature;
- Diana Shelenko, Professor of the Department of Entrepreneurship, Trade and Applied Economics.
Lesya Danylyuk, associate professor of the Department of Labor, Environmental and Agrarian Law of the Educational and Scientific Law Institute, was awarded the OVA’s Certificate of Gratitude .
Regional Council diplomas were awarded to :
- Olga Grigoriv, chief accountant;
- Tetyana Kornienko, Head of the Document Management and Office Management Department.
The Mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ruslan Marcinkiv, presented the Mayor’s Certificate:
- Halyna Voloshchuk, Associate Professor of the Department of Philology at the Kolomyia Institute.
The Mayor’s thanks were awarded to:
- Kateryna Fomin, Associate Professor of the Department of English Philology;
- Marianne Zhumbey, Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages and Regional Studies, Faculty of Tourism;
- Maria Aravitska, professor of the Department of Therapy, Rehabilitation and Morphology.
- Roman Dmytryshyn, Professor of the Department of Mathematical Analysis and Functional Analysis;
- Mariana Sygydyn, Head of the International Relations Department.
The event continued with welcoming remarks from the rectors of the city’s leading universities: Igor Chudyk (IFNTUNG), Roman Yatsyshyn (IFNMU), Oleksandr Spivakovskyi (KhDU) and the vice-rector of the University of Kyiv City State University, Lyubomyr Ilyin. Honorary professor of the university, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Vasyl Kostytskyi, delivered a speech. 
We also welcomed our honored guests from the academic community of the AGH University of Technology in Krakow, Honorary Professor of our university, Dariusz Sła, and the representative of the Chairman of the St. Lawrence Henryk Bener Charitable Foundation – the coordinator of the foundation, Vasyl Petruk.
The artistic atmosphere of the event was created by the dance ensemble “Dyvocvit” with the choreographic composition “Colors of the Carpathians” under the direction of Olga Kvetsko.
One of the central parts of the celebrations was the dedication ceremony of the honorary doctor and honorary professor of the university.
- The honorary title of doctor was awarded to the Chairman of the Program Council of the Foundation of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Zygmunt Berdychovsky.
- Professor Ivan Balanyuk, head of the Department of Accounting and Taxation, became an honorary professor of the university.
The Vasyl Stefanyk Academic Award was awarded to:
- Doctor of Philology, Professor Roman Pikhmanets;
- poet, public figure Bohdan Tomenchuk.
The contribution of the previous members of the University’s Supervisory Board was recognized. In particular, the following were awarded a medal and diploma “For Merit to the University”:
Igor Prokopiv, a long-time chairman of the University’s Supervisory Board, a well-known Ukrainian statesman, entrepreneur, and one of the ideologists of strengthening Ukraine’s gas transportation system. With his managerial support, the University’s strategic projects were formed, in particular, the International Center for Meeting Student Youth of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland in Mykulychyn.
Vasyl Vyshyvanyuk – Honorary Consul of Hungary in Ivano-Frankivsk, a well-known Ukrainian entrepreneur and philanthropist. Among the numerous joint projects “Book of Goodness”, whose participants – children and student youth – traveled to many countries of the world, bringing words of peace to the world community. With his participation, numerous charitable aid campaigns for the university, only this month the university received computer and household appliances for student dormitories worth more than 4 million UAH
Rostyslav Derzhypilsky — laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine, People’s Artist of Ukraine, director of the Ivano-Frankivsk National Academic Ivan Franko Theater, during the last decade as a professor at our university formed his own theater class, whose graduates today form the basis of the troupe of our famous theater. Among numerous theater projects — for the sixth year in a row, the art project “Theatrical Drinking” is taking place at the International Scientific Center “Observatory” on Pip Ivan Mountain to mark Independence Day
Andriy Lisnyak, a well-known Ukrainian financier, director of the Ivano-Frankivsk branch of the State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine. With the financial support of the bank, numerous international conferences and university events are held. Among them is the famous project “Ukrainian-Polish Meetings in Yaremche”, which brings together authoritative Ukrainian and Polish experts and diplomats, and this year will be held for the eighteenth time.
Volodymyr Chernetskyi — Head of the State Emergency Service Department in Ivano-Frankivsk region in 2013-2024. With his participation, a partnership model was formed in the development of the International Scientific Center “Observatory” on Mount Pip Ivan, where today the highest mountain rescue squad in Europe operates 24/7.
Volodymyr Shkvarilyuk – Ukrainian politician and economist, People’s Deputy of Ukraine (VII-VIII) convocation. It was with his assistance that the university launched a large-scale energy saving project of educational buildings and dormitories, as well as the implementation of the state investment project “International Center for Meetings of Student Youth of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland” with an estimated cost of 240 million UAH.
The winners of all-Ukrainian and international competitions, the bandura quartet “Gerdan” of the Institute of Arts, presented their performances.
The awards of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, presented by Academician Yevstahiy Kryzhanivskyi, were received by:
Volodymyr Kotsiubynskyi — Head of the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Physics and Technology “For Scientific Achievements”
Volodymyra Boychuk — Professor of the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Physics and Technology “For the Promotion of the Development of Science”
Taras Vasylyshyn — Professor of the Department of Mathematical and Functional Analysis of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics “Talent, Inspiration, Work”
And also Halyna Semchyshyn – Professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences,
Andriy Zagorodniuk — Head of the Department of Mathematical and Functional Analysis, Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics
The awards of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine were presented by Corresponding Member Ihor Tsependa.
The following were awarded diplomas:
- Inna Chervinska is a professor at the Department of Primary Education and Educational Innovations of the Faculty of Pedagogy.
- Oksana Tsyunyak is a professor at the Department of Primary Education and Educational Innovations of the Faculty of Pedagogy.
- Oksana Kondur is the Dean of the Faculty of Education.
For a significant contribution to the development of the university’s sports life, the Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in Ivano-Frankivsk region, Myroslav Karabin, awarded:
- Ivan Kuryliuk — head coach of the Vasyl Fedoryshyn Precarpathian Wrestling Academy of the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University.
- Yuriy Protsyuk – head coach of the volleyball team and instructor of the Nauka sports club.
In accordance with the order of the rector, the following were awarded honorary diplomas and cash prizes:
- Nadiya Babiy is a professor at the Department of Design and Art Theory of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Arts.
- Ivan Kostiv is a lecturer at the Department of Civil Law of the Educational and Scientific Law Institute.
- Roman Dzumedzei is the director of the scientific library.
- Myroslava Hundiak is a category I methodologist of the educational and methodological department.
- Kateryna Fuchenko is the leading accountant of the university’s accounting department.
The award for the best young scientist in the field of “Social Sciences” was received by Bohdan Paska, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of History of Ukraine and Methods of Teaching History.
The Best Young Scientist in the field of “Humanities” was awarded to the Acting Head of the Department of Slavic Languages, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor Natalia Shcherbiy.
The Best Young Scientist in the field of “Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Technical Sciences” was awarded to Olga Strilbytska, a senior research associate at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology of the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
As part of the competition for the university’s logo and slogan, the winners whose ideas best reflected the spirit and values of the KNUVS were honored.
Valuable prizes — computer equipment for graphic design — were received by students of our Institute of Arts:
1st place in the final — Alina Kornienko, 4th year student, majoring in “Environmental Design”.
2nd place — Olga Kovaliv, 2nd year student, majoring in Graphic Design.
3rd place — Anastasia Lozynska, 2nd year student, majoring in Secondary Education (Music).
The following received the Rector’s thanks for active participation in student self-government :
- Sofia Derevyanko, Anton Savchuk, Bohdan Andrukhiv, Maksym Kovalyuk, Khrystyna Mykytyn, Tetyana Hirna, Nadiya Verezhak, Khrystyna Voytkiv, Olga Poznyak, Veronika Bushkova.
The following were awarded diplomas:
- Sofia Dubik, Marta Dovbnya, Diana Stasyshyn, Angelina Vovk, Yuriy Krutsko, Emilia Ilkiv, Vitaliy Velhan, Inessa Yurkiv, Veronika Ozarko, Ilya Kocherzhuk, Anastasia Ilnytska, Oleksiy Tutov, Oleksandr Tsehelsky, Tetyana Kirik.
The festivities were concluded with an artistic retro page, which represented the musical and choreographic art of the Ivano-Frankivsk Pedagogical Institute named after Vasyl Stefanyk from different decades. The atmosphere of creative uplift and nostalgia was masterfully created by the legendary presenters:
- Liliya Borysevich — Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine, Associate Professor of the Department of Philosophy, Sociology and Religious Studies, Faculty of Psychology, Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University;
- Mykola Soya is an Honored Worker of Education of Ukraine, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor of the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University.
Their inspiring words, as well as the performances of creative groups, created a bright final note of the celebration, combining the past and present of university culture.
PHOTO: https://fex.net/uk/s/cbfvv6x
