On March 13, 2023, an online meeting was held between the Rector of Drohobych State Pedagogical University Prof. Valentyna Bodak and the Rector of the Private Pedagogical Institute of the Linz Diocese (Austria) Prof. Franz Keplinger. The meeting was also attended by the Vice-Rector for International Cooperation Mag. Berta Leeb and the head of the Center for International Educational Cooperation, Mag. Gerda Reiter representing the Austrian side and Vice-Rector for International Relations and Information Activities Assoc Prof. Ihor Hrynyk, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Ukrainian and Foreign Philology, Assoc. Prof.Vasyl Lopushanskyi, director of the Austrian Library, coordinator of the Erasmus+ program, Assoc.Prof. Yaroslav Lopushanskyi on behalf of Drohobych University.
The partnership of both educational institutions began back in October 2019 on the initiative and thanks to the efforts of the director of the Austrian Library in Drohobych, Assoc. Yaroslav Lopushanskyi, when the first memorandum on cooperation in the training of pedagogical personnel was signed for a period of three years. Throughout this period, the first major steps were taken to initiate student mobility, the cultural forum “VII Days of Austria in Drohobych” was conceptually planned, working meetings were held etc. During the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years, the Austrian Pedagogical Institute accepted 10 Drohobych University students for semester studies.
Taking into account the significant achievements, primarily in the field of student mobility, both parties expressed their desire to extend the terms of the contract for the next five years – until October 2027 and to submit an application for participation in the Erasmus+ program of EU member states from the beginning of the next 2023/24 academic year.
During the meeting, the new contract was signed by both rectors, followed by discussion of prospects and plans for further cooperation, in particular in the scientific field, at the level of academic mobility of professors and teaching teams and joint scientific, cultural and educational projects. Rector Franz Keplinger and his colleagues emphasized their interest in partner relations between the Private Pedagogical Institute of the Linz Diocese and the Drogobych State Pedagogical University named after Ivan Franko speaking enthusiastically about the high level of professional and language training of our students and assured us of their efforts to deepen cooperation in the field of internationalization of higher education, scientific contacts and academic mobility. Rector of Drohobych University, Prof. Valentyna Bodak sincerely thanked the Austrian partners for supporting Ukraine in the difficult conditions of the russian-Ukrainian war, for helping to build friendly relations between Drohobych and Linz, and expressed high hopes for a successful and mutually beneficial partnership after our Victory.
