OREANDA-NEWS. On January 13, 2009 Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Ivan Vakarchuk addressed rectors of higher educational establishments (HEE) with an initiative to trigger strengthening of the official language in higher educational establishments with national program of dynamical cross exchange with academic staff and students between HEE with various language-dominating regions of Ukraine.

Such an exchange, according to the Minister, should facilitate to overcoming “a chain of language detachment” and language barriers: “There exist a plenty of traditional forms for such an exchange: probations, scientific seminars and conferences, joint scientific researches. To my mind, exchange with reciprocal week or two-week visits of noted professors in different areas of physico-mathematical, natural and humanitarian sciences would supplement usual forms of academic exchange. Lectures and seminars of famous traveling professors would significantly stimulate inter-university cooperation,” Ivan Vakarchuk stressed.

The address contains outlines of “a communication map” of joint actions to ensure transition to teaching Ukrainian in all educational institutions through 2012. The Minister Ivan Vakarchuk urged leaders of educational institutions to express their vision of the suggested initiative.