Today, on July 3, 2019 director of the Ukrainian State Center for International Education Dr. Olena Shapovalova visited the First Forum of Graduates of Ukrainian Universities from Lebanon. The Forum was held in Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, specially supported by the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine in Lebanon Mr. Ihor Ostash. The participants were welcomed by the deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Mr. Maksym Strikha. The Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Lebanon Mr. Ali Daher underscored the importance of educational cooperation for tomorrow’s challenges: “If you want to build a road to the moon, build the school first” – said the Ambassador.

For now, there are 1070 students from Lebanon studying in Ukraine, 18 of them are getting a PhD degree. Ukraine welcomed the first student from Lebanon in 1906 – it was a famous Lebanese poet Mihail Nuayma , who studied in Poltava for 5 years. Lebanese graduates from Ukrainian universities become truly successful at – for instance, Mr. Bilal Abdalla, the deputy of Parliament of Lebanon studied in Kharkiv.

Today, rector of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Mr. Leonid Huberskyy and rector of the National University of Lebanon Mr. Fouad Ayoub have signed a cooperation agreement. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is giving 5 scholarships to students from Lebanon to study in Ukraine for 2019-2020 academic year. Dr. Olena Shapovalova declared that #studyinukraine is doing its best to get more Lebanese students to come to Ukraine in the future.

#studyinukraine is grateful to the head of the Club of Lebanese Graduates Zoukan Jaramani for the organization of this event and emphasizes the importance of working with graduates as a part of global effective educational practice.