August 27, 2024
Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University

On August 27, 2024, with the participation of His Excellency Sergiy Korsunsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Japan, Honorary Professor at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, an official ceremony of signing Memorandum of Understanding between Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University and Kobe Gakuin University (Japan) took place.

During the ceremony, Grinchenko University was represented by Acting Rector Oleksandr Turuntsev; Head of Academic Council, Vice-Rector for Research Nataliia Vinnikova; Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Languages Ivan Semenist; Deputy Dean for Research at the Faculty of Oriental Languages Kostiantyn Komisarov; Head of the Department of Japanese Language and Translation Andrii Bukrienko; Head of the Department of Oriental Culture and Literature Dmytro Moskaliov; Research Fellow at Scientific- Research Laboratory for Internationalization of Higher Education Iryna Mankovska.
The ceremony was attended by Professor Nakamura Megumi, President of Kobe Gakuin University; Professor Okabe Yoshihiko, Director of the Center for International Exchange, President of Japanese Association of Ukrainian Studies; Professor Takaiama Osamu, Deputy Director of the Center for International National Exchange; and Goral Nadiia, Visiting Professor at Kobe Gakuin University.
At the beginning of the ceremony, His Excellency Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky noted that today's event, namely the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between Kobe Gakuin University and Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, is particularly heart-warming. “It is a great pleasure for me to participate in the signing ceremony, as I am an honorary professor at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University and a visiting professor at Kobe Gakuin University. This year, Kobe Gakuin opened the first Ukrainian Research Center in Japan. After a long break, Ukraine will finally have an honorary consulate in Japan, headed by Professor Okabe Yoshihiko, and we will officially open it in October this year. I hope that the cooperation between these institutions will quickly reach the level of joint programs, double diplomas, and later not only Ukrainian students will be able to come to Kobe to hone their Japanese language skills, but also Japanese students will go to Kyiv to study Ukrainian,” said His Excellency Sergiy Korsunsky.
In his welcoming speech, Acting Rector of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University Oleksandr Turuntsev expressed his gratitude to His Excellency Sergiy Korsunsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Japan, on behalf of all Grinchenko community, for the opportunity to actively develop Japanese studies and relations with leading higher education institutions in Japan. Oleksandr Turuntsev greeted the representatives of Kobe Gakuin University and expressed his gratitude to Professor Nakamura Megumi, President of Kobe Gakuin University, and Professor Okabe Yoshihiko for their willingness to cooperate with Grinchenko University. “Today, with the participation of the Embassy of Ukraine in Japan and personally His Excellency Sergiy Korsunsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Japan, we are opening an important page in the history of relations between our institutions - the official establishment of friendly relations between our universities,” said Oleksandr Turuntsev.
Oleksandr Turuntsev expressed confidence that opening of the first Ukrainian Studies Center in Japan at Kobe Gakuin University will facilitate even greater cooperation between our universities, as well as help in conducting joint research and participating in publishing joint scientific publications.
Professor Nakamura Megumi, President of Kobe Gakuin University, emphasized that Kobe Gakuin University is the only university in Japan that offers Ukrainian Studies courses on a regular basis, and shared with the audience his plans for the development of Ukrainian Studies at Kobe Gakuin University. Professor Nakamura Megumi noted that he was impressed by the number of students studying Japanese at Grinchenko University and expressed confidence that in the future students and researchers of Grinchenko University will be able to study and undergo internships at Kobe Gakuin University to better understand the culture and traditions of Japan.
We express our sincere gratitude to the Embassy of Ukraine in Japan and personally to His Excellency Sergiy Korsunsky for supporting Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University in its efforts to develop and deepen Ukrainian-Japanese relations!