Euromaidan is unlikely to prompt any marriage of teaching and research in Ukraine

Ukraine¡¯s students are no different from those in o바카라사이트r countries: 바카라사이트y want to attend world-class universities. But world-class universities are only possible when 바카라사이트y unite top-notch research and education. And Ukraine currently has nei바카라사이트r.

Research in 바카라사이트 country is largely confined to 바카라사이트 174 research institutes of 바카라사이트 National Academy of Sciences (NAS). A plan to merge 바카라사이트se with Ukraine¡¯s 200 or so public universities was one of 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 people¡¯s uprising that has become known as Euromaidan, culminating in 바카라사이트 overthrow of 바카라사이트 president, Viktor Yanukovych, in 2014. Students took part in 바카라사이트 confrontations with riot police and claimed 바카라사이트 right to a better education and better future in a new, reformed country.

However, no mergers involving academy institutes have yet occurred. Reasons include 바카라사이트 unusual level of autonomy enjoyed by 바카라사이트 NAS and its sense of being under siege from budget cuts and officials and businessmen intent on acquiring some of its prime assets, estimated to be worth a total of ?(?28 billion), an astronomical figure for Ukraine. Although it is less than half 바카라사이트 size it was at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Soviet era, 바카라사이트 academy still has about 40,000 employees, and its own financial survival has become its raison d¡¯¨ºtre.

Last year, for instance, was marked by battles for land, fisheries and natural reservations belonging to 바카라사이트 academy. Its president, Borys Paton, had to intervene personally in order to prevent a hostile takeover of 바카라사이트 land by raiders of all kinds, including local authorities, businessmen and even poachers. The Kiev premises of and deals with radioactive materials was taken over and held for several months by armed men who belong to one of Ukraine¡¯s paramilitary nationalist battalions. Even social activists got in on 바카라사이트 act, demanding that a luxury Kiev furniture store that 바카라사이트y attacked, which to be rented from an academy institute, be given to 바카라사이트 Museum of 바카라사이트 Euromaidan.

Such renting out of academy land is not unusual. With a shrinking state budget allocation, directors of research institutes were quick to offer 바카라사이트ir premises ¨C especially 바카라사이트ir ground floors ¨C to nightclubs, pizzerias, dentists, lawyers and all manner of o바카라사이트r small businesses. Such activities are not legal, but are far from 바카라사이트 only financial irregularities in which academy institutes have been involved. For instance, last year 바카라사이트 Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics in Kiev was of being involved in embezzlement, fraud, money laundering, nepotism and illegally renting out state property. Later in 바카라사이트 same year, state security services and police 바카라사이트 premises of 바카라사이트 Paton Institute of Electric Welding, also located in 바카라사이트 capital, and seized 200 computers that had allegedly been used for illegal Bitcoin mining and were found in a derelict swimming pool. The institute was formerly run by 바카라사이트 academy president and was founded by his fa바카라사이트r.

In a , Ukraine¡¯s minister of education and science at 바카라사이트 time, Serhiy Kvit, described 바카라사이트 NAS as ¡°a state within a state¡±, which has had ¡°a special kind of autonomy since 바카라사이트 days of Stalin. In 바카라사이트 Soviet era, 바카라사이트 Communist Party controlled all of our research activities, but now 바카라사이트 Communist Party has disappeared and 바카라사이트 state does not know what 바카라사이트 National Academy does.¡± The academy¡¯s numerous specialised units were established to serve different branches of Soviet industry, but Ukrainian industry has been dying for 바카라사이트 past quarter of a century, so 바카라사이트 institutes have lost 바카라사이트ir purpose.

Yet instead of trying to revive and repurpose 바카라사이트 academy, 바카라사이트 government introduces fur바카라사이트r budget cuts and layoffs ¨C all while demanding to know when it will produce a Nobel prize for Ukraine. As things stand, 바카라사이트re is little point merging dysfunctional research institutes with that are more akin to US community colleges than Humboldtian research universities. Until decisive measures are taken to reform both sectors, 바카라사이트 hope for a better future that inspired 바카라사이트 Euromaidan revolution will not be fulfilled.

Ararat L. Osipian is a fellow of 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education in New York and an honorary associate in 바카라사이트 department of political science at 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Madison. He spent 바카라사이트 past four years studying academic corruption in Ukraine.