Arseniy Yatsenyuk advocates introduction of distant learning courses from the world's universities

The Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk supports the involvement of Ukrainian Universities into distant learning programs offered by world universities. The Head of Government said on Saturday, September 6, at a working meeting with the heads of higher educational institutions dedicated to the implementation of the Law of Ukraine "On higher education".

He reminded that the four universities of the Ivy League (Ivy League is an association of the oldest universities in the USA) launched an extensive educational program through the Internet: "Within the general education system we need to use this important resource to afford the universities, now at the level of wishing students to introduce an educational course, offered by the Ivy League for distant learning".

According to the PM, it will enable the students to gain new knowledge: "There [in western universities – ed.] people think different, it turned out this way. And to ensure us to be stronger and smarter, we just need to soak up knowledge as a sponge".

Arseniy Yatsenyuk appealed to the audience with an offer to consider an issue of attracting professionals from abroad to the higher educational system of Ukraine: "If we invite here just a dozen of their teachers, we can educate dozen thousands of students. As Head of the Government I am ready to find money, whether in the budget or not, to invite here several dozens key western professors in the fields we need."

He also noted that the Law "On higher education" allows to recognize the diplomas of world universities without additional certification.

During the meeting the heads of the higher educational institutions raised an issue of possible financial maintenance of higher educational institutions via public banking institutions. Arseniy Yatsenyuk noted that transition to such a system is possible, according to the law, in the following year, "in order to provide you with an ability to use funds independently, those of special funds, money of the State budget you receive under state order”.