Jean Monnet Module “Promoting Interdisciplinary Europeanisation Studies in Ukraine”

Despite many problems within the Ukrainian system of higher education EU studies gradually expand in Ukraine due to support of EU cultural and education programmes such as Jean Monnet Programme. Most teaching and research in EU studies in Ukraine is currently done at 2 Jean Monnet Centres of Excellence, 11 Jean Monnet Chairs and  27 Jean Monnet Modules. Jean Monnet units serve as recognized hubs of teaching and research in European studies in Ukraine. The number of higher education institutions (HEIs) offering courses in EU studies in Ukraine is growing. According to research conducted by the Ukrainian European Studies Association (UESA) in 2012 there are 8 specialisations in EU studies (in political science, international relations; public administration; economics, and foreign economic activity) among 823 HEIs in Ukraine. In the meantime 168 courses in European studies are being taught at 22 Ukrainian HEIs (detailed information is available at  http://jmce.ukma.kiev.ua/uaes).

However most of specializations and courses in European studies in Ukraine are narrowly focused on one subject (economics, political science, law, or history) and lack interdisciplinary perspective. There is no specialized doctoral programme in EU studies in Ukraine yet. As a consequence, Ukrainian doctoral students who want to pursue research in EU studies deliberately prefer avoiding interdisciplinary elements of their research and focus on “recognized” areas of social science. There are very few peer-reviewed academic journals in EU studies in Ukraine. This situation is characteristic not only to Ukraine but can be seen in other countries of the post-Soviet area. The signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in 2014 implies comprehensive Europeanisation of Ukrainian political, economic and legal systems in the short term perspective. Hitherto very little academic research has been conducted in this area in Ukraine.

This project is called to address these problems and to fill in a gap in promoting EU interdisciplinary and Europeanisation studies in Ukraine. The project builds on achievements of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, Jean Monnet Chair and the Graduate School at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.