PETRO JACYK EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
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PETRO JACYK EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION |
| Contents: Publishing and educational projects |
UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS Peter Jacyk Centre for Ukrainian Historical Research at the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, University of Alberta Established in 1989 on the basis of a $3 million endowment, the Centre promotes research and publications in the field of Ukrainian history. Its first major project is the English-language publication of M. Hrushevsky's 11-volume History of Ukraine-Rus', a fundamental historical work which presents a comprehensive and well-documented synthesis of Ukrainian history from earliest times to the mid 17th century. Commenting on the book's importance, Christian Science Monitor wrote: "there is nothing [in this field] in English or in any language, for that matter, comparable in authority and solidity with [Hrushevsky's] work," and a reviewer of this project on behalf of the National Endowment for the Humanities declared: "the translation of Hrushevsky's master works would fill a great gap in the [...] scholarship not only on Ukrainian history, but also Russian, Polish and Jewish history." The publication in 1997 of volume 1 of the History was acclaimed as a very important event not only in the development of Ukrainian historiography, but also in enhancing Ukraine's international status. The world-renowned Byzantinist, Professor Ihor Sevcenko, noted that the volume "is on the level of production expected internationally of works of its kind," which assures it a fitting reception in world scholarly circles. Apart from preparing the English-language edition, the Centre also co-sponsored the Ukrainian-language reprint of Hrushevsky's History published in Ukraine. The Centre sponsors two publications series: Ukrainian translations of Western works on Ukrainian history and an English-language historical monograph series. It publishes archival and documentary materials, supports archival projects in Ukraine, Russia, and Poland, organizes international conferences, panels, and seminars, and awards fellowships and research grants. Petro Jacyk Endowment Fund at Harvard University Petro Jacyk's support has had a considerable effect on the activity of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, and in particular, on the process of validating the permanent status of the three Ukrainian chairs at Harvard. Since the time it was established in 1973, the HURI has produced over twenty PhD graduates who currently occupy important academic positions in universities worldwide. Apart from permanent chairs in Ukrainian language, literature, and history, the HURI regularly organizes seminars, symposia and conferences in Ukrainian studies, as well as the Ukrainian Studies Summer Program. It also runs a multifaceted publishing program. The Foundation sponsored two permanent programs at Harvard. The Petro Jacyk Bibliographer is responsible the maintenance and development of the Institute's library which, together with the Harvard Library, boasts one of the richest collections of Ukrainian publications in the West. This program also produces bibliographies, such as the Internet-based bibliography of current publications on Ukraine {...link to: http://www.sabre.org/huri/library/bibliography/bibliog.html}, and provides general and in-depth reference in Ukrainian studies to Institute faculty, students, and staff, as well as the general public. Established in 1997, the Petro Jacyk Distinguished Fellowship program is a unique program designed for exceptionally gifted Ukrainian scholars, scientists, artists, and politicians working in a wide variety of fields. Select individuals have the chance to spend one year at Harvard, conduct research, deliver lectures, and establish contacts with leading American specialists in their fields. In 1991, in Foundation also joined the Project on Economic Reform in Ukraine (PERU) by creating five scholarships for American economists travelling to Ukraine as a part of a team of Western analysts and advisors. Petro Jacyk Program for the Study of Ukraine University of Toronto Established in 2001, with the support of Petro Jacyk and The Petro Jacyk Educational Foundation, The Petro Jacyk Program for the Study of Ukraine focuses on contemporary Ukraine as well as its history and culture. The Petro Jacyk Program is housed within the Centre for Russian and Eastern European Studies at the University of Toronto, one of North America's leading institutions for research on the countries of Central and Eastern Europe as well as the New Independent Countries. The Program actively encourages scholars in Ukrainian Studies at the University of Toronto and Ukrainianists at other North American institutions to develop joint projects, and facilitates the study of Ukraine by organizing workshops, conferences, lectures and seminars. The Program brings visiting scholars from Ukraine and invites Ukraines' statesmen and cultural figures to speak at its guest lecture series. The major themes covered by the Program focus on "Challenges of Independent Ukraine" and include: (a) Building an Effective Government; (b) Foreign Policy and International Relations; and (c) Education, Culture and National Identity. The Program offers the following opportunities: Petro Jacyk Visiting Scholars Program The Program invites applications from scholars in Ukraine and Ukrainianists outside of Canada. The successful candidates spend four to six weeks at the University of Toronto conducting research and interacting with Canadian scholars. Petro Jacyk Graduate Scholarships in Ukrainian Studies The Program provides fellowships to graduate students studying at the University of Toronto, including students who participate in the exchange program between the University of Toronto and Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Ukraine. Petro Jacyk Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute of Columbia University In 1993, the Foundation's US$500,000 grant allowed the Institute to establish a comprehensive Ukrainian studies program, which is particularly significant due to New York's unique location and international status. The Program's primary goal is to teach specialized knowledge of Ukraine to graduate students preparing for professional careers in government, diplomacy, business, and journalism, who "hold the key to public understanding of Ukraine and to Western policy toward Ukraine" (Prof. A. Motyl). The Institute introduced several Ukrainian studies courses, and contributed to the establishment of a permanent teaching position in the Ukrainian language and literature. It also organized a series of conferences: Peoples, Nations, Identities: The Russian-Ukrainian Encounter and devoted two issues of The Harriman Review to the topics of Russian-Ukrainian relations and Ukrainian National Security. Mr. Jacyk's and the Institute's combined efforts were highly praised by President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine during his visit to the Institute in 1995. The Institute Director, Prof. Mark von Hagen, stated that "the strengthening of the Ukrainian program component has become a topmost priority." The Institute plans to introduce courses in Ukrainian politics and economy, establish several student fellowships and launch a publishing program in Ukrainian studies. Its future objective is to develop the Petro Jacyk Ukrainian Studies Program into a centre for Ukrainian studies, which could later be transformed into a chair of Ukrainian studies. In 1996, Petro Jacyk was elected member of the Harriman Institute National Advisory Committee which formulates an overall strategic plan for this important educational and scholarly institution. Petro Jacyk Ukrainian Studies Unit at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University of London (UK) In 1991, the Foundation provided seed money for the establishment of the Lectureship in Ukrainian Studies, which, after three years of financial support, was transformed into a program funded by the University of London. Apart from introducing a teaching program in Ukrainian history and politics, the Lectureship organizes seminars and conferences in Ukrainian studies. The Petro Jacyk Unit also includes a Ukrainian language program which, among others, is preparing a dictionary for Ukrainian language beginners. In 1995, the Lectureship received the prestigious British Telecom Award for its contribution to the "development of a British presence in Eastern Europe." Ukrainian studies at the University of North London (UK) The Foundation's 1993 grant allowed the University of North London to expand its Ukrainian studies postgraduate and research programs to the undergraduate level by offering courses in Ukrainian language, politics, international relations, and economics as a part of the University's Contemporary European Studies program. Institute for Historical Research at Lviv University The Institute for Historical Research at Lviv University was established in 1992 as a Western-style counterpart to the traditional historical institutes of the Soviet era. The Institute's primary area of study is the history of 19th and 20th-century Ukraine. In 1997, the Foundation initiated support of the Institute's research and publications, which provide the factual basis for the proposed update to the fundamental analysis of Ukraine's history initiated by M. Hrushevsky's History of Ukraine-Rus'. These publications include: History of Ukraine: 19th-20th Centuries, The Guide to the History of Ukraine, Ukraine 1991-1996: The Progress of Independence, and Hrushevsky and the Views of Contemporary Historiography.
tel: (905) 238-0467, fax: (905) 625-8445 e-mail: pjef@istar.ca since April 27th 1999 |