Between the European and Eurasian Unions: determinants, aspects and consequences of Ukraine's Post-Soviet transformation

Venue: Kyiv, Ukraine
Period: Sept. 9 - 22, 2013
Application deadline: May 25, 2013

COURSE ORGANIZATION:
The course is oriented towards advanced under-graduate students (2nd year and above), although graduate, post-graduate, and doctoral-level students are also encouraged to apply. The course focuses on political, economic and social issues, and is particularly suitable for students in the social sciences, humanities, and law, but open to all faculties. After completion of the course, students will be issued NaUKMA transcripts. The course combines in-class sessions (lectures and seminars, interactive presentations with discussion highly encouraged), a conference on Ukraine’s international relations, guest visits, joint discussions with local students, and tours to interesting sites in or around Kyiv.

COURSE AIMS AND CONTENTS:
Since its independence 20 years ago, Ukraine developed increasingly close co-operation with the West and the EU, but also never lost its ties to Russia. Whilst important events seemed to change the path towards one or the other direction – e.g. the Orange Revolution in 2004 – Kyiv’s orientation is still to both sides. It tries to sign a political association and free trade agreement with Brussels while, at the same time, entering a post-Soviet free trade zone and considering Moscow's project of a Eurasian Union. How can one explain these balancing acts? Which were the critical transformations and events that determined the way in which Ukraine developed? What is specific for the Ukrainian culture and state, and where can we find typical traits of a post-Soviet society?

The summer school will introduce students to the analysis of these phenomena from different perspectives as the teaching will involve English-speaking political scientists, historians, economists, cultural scientists, and sociologists – mainly, but not only from National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy".

Topics treated that in one way or another will, among others, include:

- Post-Soviet Ukraine: Socio-Economic and Political Transformations
- Ukraine between Democracy and Authoritarianism
- The Origins of the Orange Revolution, and What Remains of It
- Ukraine’s Relationship to the European Union & Russia

In case of full attendance of, and active participation in, these lectures/seminars, students may obtain 2.5 ECTS points.

The participants will attend about two classes per work day, and can have further meetings and trips during the afternoons and at the weekend. They will meet and work with lecturers and students from National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy". The Summer school is organized by the NaUKMA International Office.
Two classes of survival Ukrainian are included into the program and covered by the general school fee.

HOURS:
Around 60 in-class hours (lectures, presentations, discussions) plus about 30 hours for course visits, meetings, group projects, project presentations etc.

Facultative Ukrainian-Language Course Work:

Additionally in parallel to the program, the students will be offered the opportunity to take part in a non-obligatory intensive course of Ukrainian. The course values 1,5 ECTS, with one or two sessions per work day, i.e. 14 x 2 = 28 hours. One course will be offered for those with no previous knowledge of a Slavic language, and one course for those with previous knowledge of a Slavic language (Russian, Polish, Slovak, Bulgarian, Serbian,...). Additional fees for these language courses will be charged (170-245 Euro depending on the number of the students registered). Language classes will not overlap with the program classes.

Course Instructor(s):
As the school is designed to be a mixture of different types of activities. The main school lecturer will be Dr. Mychailo Wynnyckyj (Director of the NaUKMA Doctoral School, Head of the NaUKMA Master’s Program in Sociology, lecturer at Kyiv-Mohyla Business School). Other lecturers invited will be mainly professors and experts of the NaUKMA, but we also put a special focus on external speakers.
For details please refer to the preliminary program to be published in due time.

CONFERENCE WITHIN THE SUMMER SCHOOL:
This year’s school will, for the first time, include a large, international conference under the title “What Can Tempt Ukraine to Get back on the Democratization Path? Kyiv between the EU's Eastern Partnership and Russia's Eurasian Union" on 12-13 September 2013.
The conference will be held in English at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and Institute of International Relations of Shevchenko University, and bring together leading Western, esp. German, and Ukrainian scholars engaged in the study of Ukraine’s domestic transformation and international relations.

Arrival in Kyiv:
Students are expected to arrive in Kyiv on Monday on Monday, September 9. Pick-up service from Boryspil International Airport, Kyiv International Airport or Kyiv Railway Station can be arranged by the school organizers upon request for additional payment.

Departure is Sunday, September 22. Transportation to the airports or railway station can be arranged by the school organizers upon request for additional payment.

Place:
National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” (NaUKMA) is located in the historic Podil neighborhood of Kyiv. The campus is located on 3 city blocks stretching from the Kontraktova Square to the Dnipro river.
The campus of NaUKMA is composed of a number of buildings, but most of the in-class sessions of the course will be held at the International Office classroom (8/5 Voloska vul., NaUKMA Building 5, Auditorium 5-313).

Accommodation:
School organizers will suggest the students these types of accommodation:
1. Private apartment
Apartments are usually located in walking (up to 15 minutes) distance from the University and from each other. The apartments have typically 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a toilet. All apartments are furnished, and include kitchen supplies, towels, utilities, and a local telephone (outgoing international calls are not allowed). It is recommended for two school participants to share one apartment. Apartments may cost (if to be shared by two participants!) – around 250-300 UAH per night per person, depending on the quality of the apartment.
2. Youth Hostel
Summer school students are advised to consider accommodation at the Dream House Youth Hostel. Hostel was opened in April 2012 and it claims to become one of the most modern hostels in Kyiv. It is located on famous Andriyvskyy Uzviz street and it takes about 5 minutes to get to NaUKMA from the hostel. This accommodation option is highly recommended!
Please note that the summer school students are responsible for their own reservations at the hostel, though the school organizers, upon getting permissions, can provide contact details of the selected school participants for the possibility to arranged shared rooms / apartments.
If preferred, you can arrange accommodation in Kyiv by yourself. We would recommend rent apartments either in the Podil district or close to it, in order to avoid using public transportation during the rush hours.

Meals:
Meals (but welcome and farewell event) will not be provided, but summer school students will be able to use the NaUKMA students canteen (25-30 UAH for lunch), the nearest Trapezna or Puzata Khata cafeterias (up to 50 UAH for lunches) and many other options available in the University neighborhood. A list of restaurants / cafes in Kyiv can be found on http://www.restaurant.ua/kiev/restoran/

Miscellaneous:
Applicants are asked to inform themselves extensively about living and traveling for foreigners in Ukraine. While Kyiv is not more dangerous than other cities in the region, we would like to alert you to occasional petty crime in public transportation, the presence of HIV/AIDS in Ukraine, and the necessity to boil tap water that you want to use for drinking or preparing meals. In the case of a medical emergency, Kyiv has high-class hospitals, but you should make sure you have sufficient health insurance that will cover any possible expenses. There are other things to observe. You can find in the relevant information in the major travel guides, or/and at your Kyiv embassy’s website.

German students may want to check the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) specialized stipend programme for the summer school attendance (1025 Euro per student).
See https://www.daad.de/ausland/studieren/stipendium/de/18756-go-east-sommerschulen-01/.

Please, note that those German students who wish to receive DAAD support have to apply separately and in parallel to the DAAD for this scholarship, before 25 May 2013. Note also that the DAAD has, unfortunately, only a limited amount of scholarships available for German students. Students who are able to cover their expenses and fees with other than DAAD funding or by themselves should indicate so in their application/s to the school, and DAAD.

Those interested in participation should submit a competed application form ( http://dfc.ukma.kiev.ua/doc_new/2013/application_summer_course_NaUKMA_2013.doc) and other required documents (listed in the application form) by 25 May 2013 to the following e-mail address: larch@ukma.kiev.ua.
Students will be notified of participant selection results by 10 June, and should confirm their participation by 17 June 2013.
Course fee payments (partial) are due by 01 July 2013 (payment details will be provided upon receipt of confirmation of participation in the course).

Please, note that those interested in the DAAD stipend should apply for it separately, in parallel, directly to the DAAD, until the same deadline of 25 May 2013.

See https://www.daad.de/ausland/studieren/stipendium/de/18756-go-east-sommerschulen-01/

All questions about the course and the application procedure should be addressed to: Larysa Chovnyuk, larch@ukma.kiev.ua, tel. +38 0 44 425 77 70.
 

Head of the Department for Foreign Cooperation Larysa Chovnyuk National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy"
Department for Foreign Cooperation

address: 2 Skovorody vul., Kyiv 04070, Ukraine
Tel: + 38 044 425 77 70
Fax: +38 044 425 50 16
email: larch@ukma.kiev.ua