14 December, Kyiv. Multilateral cooperation in innovative education brings highly beneficial results for Ukrainian youth, stated United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Japan embassy representatives during today’s press-conference, organized to present an innovative programme of distant learning Computer Science developed for the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.
This course of distance learning was developed in the framework of UNDP project Transfer of IT Technology to Ukraine which started in 2004 with assistance of the Government of Japan and the Japanese International Development Agency.
Opening the event, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine H.E. Mr. Francis M. O’DONNELL stated “The government of Ukraine has prioritized distance learning as a strategic direction for further advancement of the country`s education system. Not least, our support to this system modernization in Ukraine demonstrates that even in the high-tech world of IT innovation, the multilateral character of the UN, and its institutions such as UNDP, can be a vector for technology transfer by fostering partnerships on a multi/bi-lateral level with three member countries, Japan, Poland, and Ukraine.”
“Besides practical courses developed for Kyiv and Lviv politechnic institutions, we’ve launched policy work to institutionalize distance education in Ukraine by `green` and `white` books preparation. We do hope this will work for better of young Ukrainians”, he continued.
The Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine, H.E. Mr. Mutsuo MABUCHI, expressed his satisfaction with the project results and said, “This project is the first example of trilateral cooperation of Japan, Poland and Ukraine. And it could be surely stated that the success of this project proved good perspectives of such collaboration. Thus, the embassy of Japan will continue its efforts to ensure that the experience and results of Japan and Poland cooperation are widely presented in Ukraine as well. And we hope that Ukraine will continue sharing the positive results of this cooperation in the neighboring countries”
Besides, such a multi/bi-lateral cooperation fully corresponds to the new direction of the Japan foreign policy as for establishing an “arch of freedom and prosperity” in the East-European region and Ukraine, in particular. «We are confident that the cooperation triangle Japan-Poland-Ukraine will become a strong part of this arch and moreover, we hope that Ukraine in future will strengthen it by creating a cooperation triangle with, for example, Caucasian countries”, he added.
From his side, the Rector of the National University “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” Mr. Mykhailo ZGUROVSKY thanks to all parties involved in development and realization of this important project and congratulated with its successful implementation. He also supported the idea for further development of distance learning centre in Kyiv Politechnic University.
During the press-conference the journalists had a unique chance to see how this new distance learning programme functions: international video web-conference was organized between the Ukrainian participants and Japan Ambassador to Poland, management of UNDP in Poland and experts of Poland-Japan Information Technologies Institute in Warsaw.
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UNDP project "Transfer of IT technology to Ukraine" is aimed to answer the rapidly growing demand for qualified technology specialists in Ukraine by developing high-quality distance learning programs in computer science. This will be achieved by transferring to Ukraine the Japanese IT technology, and innovative expertise and successful experience acquired by the Polish-Japanese Institute of Information Technology (PJIIT).Trilateral cooperation between Japan, Poland and Ukraine is the basis for implementation of this innovative activity for the region. More information at: www.undp.org.ua
For more information, please contact Project Coordinator Ms. Anna YEROHINA anna.yerokhina@undp.org or UN Communications Officer Ms. Veronika VASHCHENKO veronika.vashchenko@un.org.ua, http://www.undp.org.ua
