Mykhailo Poplavsky is leaving the post of rector of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts after the expiration of his contract. This was announced by the Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi, as reported by UNN.
Electivity of positions is a value for which Ukrainian society has fought at various periods of its history. And this value cannot be selective. It equally applies to all spheres where electivity is provided by law. In particular, in the system of higher education, where the renewal of leadership and the real electivity of leaders are fundamental for our team. Recently, the term of the contract of Mykhailo Poplavsky, president of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, expired.
He added that Poplavsky had managed the institution for over 30 years.
When one person heads a university for more than three decades, it goes beyond healthy managerial turnover. The position of rector is a fixed-term and elected responsibility to the academic community. And even when the legal possibility of managing the institution remains, questions arise about ethics, as well as managerial culture and the interests of the institution itself. Unfortunately, we had a practice that allowed, as a result of various legal maneuvers, to retain the position of rector or significant influence on the university despite legislative restrictions. In April 2023, Mykhailo Poplavsky himself publicly stated that it was important for a new leader to come to the university. I believe that now is the time to confirm these words.
The Minister emphasized that the University of Culture should form a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of culture, especially Ukrainian culture, in all its manifestations, and cultivate high moral and ethical standards in people who will work with such topics as values, meanings, and identity. Instead, over the years, the name of the head has repeatedly appeared in public materials regarding accusations of harassment.
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