Department of international relations
Training of students in the specialty of «International Relations» was initiated at Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University in September 1994 at the History Faculty. The Department of International Relations was established by the Order of the Rector (№30-02 of July 15, 1996) in connection with the transfer of the Department of International Relations from the History Faculty to the Institute of Social Science (since January 1, 2018 – the Faculty of International Relations, Political Science and Sociology). Another reason – a high demand on specialists in the international relation area, in particular with the knowledge of English, Arabic, Turkish, Chinese, Greek, and Japanese languages. Within the Institute of Social Science, the Department of International Relations has started working since September 1, 1996. The Department trains students in specialty 291 «International Relations, Public Communications and Regional Studies» (branch of knowledge 29 «International Relations»).
The Head of the Department
- November 1996 – April 1999 – Doctor of Historical Science, Professor, Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine Semen I. Appatov (24.01.1930 – 26.03.2003).
- May 1999 – April 2015 – Doctor of Political Science, Professor, Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine Igor M. Koval.
- April 2015 – to present – Doctor of Political Science, Professor Olga I. Brusylovska.
Staff of the Department
- The Head of the Department: Olga Brusylovska, Dr (Political Science), Professor
- Igor Koval, Dr (Political Science), Professor
- Volodymyr Dubovyk, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Viktor Glebov, PhD (Historical Science), Associate Professor
- Sergii Glebov, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Karyna Kuleshova, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Iryna Maksymenko, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Iuliia Maistrenko, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Elvira Miniakhmetova, PhD (Philological Science), Associate Professor
- Mikhail Pokas, PhD (Historical Science), Associate Professor
- Olga Romanova, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Volodymyr Ryzhykh, PhD (Philology), Associate Professor
- Polina Sinovets, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Oksana Snigovska, PhD (Pedagogical Science), Associate Professor
- Kateryna Vakarchuk, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Yana Volkova, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Oleksiy Voytovych, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Alla Zakharchenko, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor
- Iryna Zubarenko, PhD (Historical Science), Associate Professor
- Ganna Grabina, PhD (Political Science), Senior Lecturer
- Denys Kuzmin, Senior Lecturer
- Andrii Malakhiti, Senior Lecturer
- Danyl Migdalskyi, Senior Lecturer
- Dmitriy Poble, Senior Lecturer
- Anna Shagli, Senior Lecturer
- Yuliia Tarasiuk, Senior Lecturer
- Olga Velyka, Senior Lecturer
- Kateryna Vidimska, Senior Lecturer
- Vira Nasikivska, Lecturer
- Anastasiia Vozhylovska, Lecturer
- Kateryna Komiaha, Lecturer
BACHELOR PROGRAM
State Exam Program 291 International Relations
State Exam Questions 291 International Relations
- Specialty «International Relations, Public Communications and Regional Studies»
- Educational Level: «Basic higher education» with a normative term of study 4 years.
- Language: Ukrainian.
The goal of the program: training highly qualified and competitive specialists on the basis of basic and fundamental knowledge and skills of an innovative subject-professional nature, which are able to apply them to solve professional problems in the field of international relations, public communications and regional studies, foreign policy activities of states, international interaction between states, international organizations and non-state actors in public and private institutions.
Educational qualification: Bachelor of International Relations, Public Communications and Regional Studies
Employability: the specialist is able to perform the specified professional work according to DK 003: 2010: Expert on socio-political issues. Consultant on socio-political issues. Public Relations and Press Specialist. Junior Research Fellow (philosophy, history, political science). Research Fellow-Consultant (Philosophy, History, Political Science). Political observer.
Further education: the opportunity to continue education at the second (master's) level.
Compulsory disciplines: History of Ukraine. Ukrainian language. English. Philosophy. Introduction to the specialty "International Relations". Problems of world politics. Political geography. Actual problems of the development of the Ibero-American world. Theory of State and Law. Diplomatic protocol and etiquette. Consular service. History of International Relations. Countries of Europe and America after World War II. Foreign policy of Ukraine. Foreign policy and diplomacy of the countries of Asia and Africa. Foreign policy of the countries of Latin America. Foreign policy of the countries of Eastern Europe. Foreign policy of the countries of Western Europe. US foreign policy. Regional security problems in the Near and Middle East. International law. The theory of international relations. Political doctrines of the XX - XXI centuries.
Disciplines of free choice of applicants for higher education: Arabic, Turkish, Chinese, Modern Greek or Japanese. Political science. Religious studies. Psychology. History of Ukrainian culture. Sociology. Labour protection. International organizations. International economic relations. Political anthropology. History of the countries of Europe and America, 1640-1918. History of the countries of Europe and America, 1918-1939. History of the countries of Asia and Africa, part 1. History of the countries of Asia and Africa, part 2. Contemporary foreign political science. Migration policy of the EU countries. Informational components of IR. Economy. Rhetoric. Foreign policy of the Mediterranean countries. Sociology of International Relations. Political forecasting. Theory and history of European integration. International economic relations. Ethnopolitology. Foreign policy systemology of the Black Sea Region. Political communications. Transnational corporations.
MASTER PROGRAM
- Specialty «International Relations, Public Communications and Regional Studies»
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Educational Level: «General (academic) higher education in the subject field» with a normative term of study 1 year 4 months.
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Language: Ukrainian or English.
The goal of the educational and professional training Master Program in specialty 291 "International relations, public communications and regional studies" is to train highly qualified and competitive specialists who are able to solve complex problems in the field of international relations, public communications and regional studies in the implementation of professional activities or in the process training, involves research and / or innovation in the face of uncertainty requirements.
Prerequisites: a bachelor's / specialist's degree.
Educational qualification: Master in International Relations, Public Communications and Regional Studies
Employability: the specialist is able to perform the specified professional work according to DK 003: 2010: Expert on socio-political issues. Lecturer at an institution of higher education, assistant. Translator. Public Relations and Press Specialist. Junior Research Fellow (philosophy, history, political science). Research Fellow-Consultant (Philosophy, History, Political Science). Political observer.
Further education: The Master can continue to receive education at the educational and scientific level of the Doctor of Philosophy, acquire additional qualifications in the adult education system.
Compulsory disciplines: Academic English. Basics of career guidance and methodology for writing a scientific project in the field. Higher education pedagogy and psychology. Theory and Practice of Translation of Diplomatic Correspondence and International Documents (English). Linguistic and regional studies (Arabic, Chinese, Modern Greek, Turkish or Japanese; Ukrainian or Russian for foreign students who have not previously studied oriental languages). The theory of international conflict. Systemic transformations of the post-communist countries of Europe and Asia. Ukraine in the international security system. Islamic factor in global politics. EU in the international security system of the XXI century.
Disciplines of free choice of applicants for higher education: Foreign language in diplomatic practice and international communication (Chinese) / Foreign language in diplomatic practice and international communication (Japanese) / Foreign language in diplomatic practice and international communication (New Greek) / Foreign language in diplomatic practice and international communication (Turkish) / Foreign language in diplomatic practice and international communication (Arabic) (Ukrainian or Russian for foreign students who have not previously studied oriental languages). Regionalism in the Baltic-Black Sea area. Foreign and security policy in the BBSR. Ukraine in the Baltic-Black Sea regionalism. Critical Geopolitics. EU and BBSR. The theory of states interaction. Migration processes in the EU. Sociological methods in IR research. Latin American countries in world politics. Problems of the world economy and international economic relations. Political limology. Russia in global and regional politics. International investment activities. Political and social technologies. The nuclear factor in global politics. Political mythology. Intellectual property.
PHILOSOPHY DOCTOR (PhD) PROGRAM
(joint program with the Department of Political Science, Faculty of International Relations, Political Science and Sociology, Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University)
- Specialty 052 «Political Science»
- Educational Level: «General (academic) higher education in the subject field «Social and Behavioural Sciences» with a normative term of study 4 years.
- Language: Ukrainian.
Aim of the Program: Training of highly skilled and competitive professionals who are well-educated in the realm of modern theoretical concepts of various branches of Political Science; have good command of synthesis and analysis methods, fundamental skills of research work, modern information technologies and methodology of scientific and pedagogical activities.
Career Opportunities: Assistant to the highest civil servant of the central government authority. Lecturer at universities and higher educational institutions. Public Relations and Press Specialist. Assistant-Consultant to the People's Deputy of Ukraine. Junior Research Fellow (philosophy, history, political science). Research Fellow-Consultant (Philosophy, History, Political Science). An expert on socio-political issues. Political observer. Organizer of social events.
Further training opportunities: Possible further training at the level of PhD in other areas.
Compulsory disciplines: History, concepts and problems of political science. English Academic Writing. Methodology and philosophy of scientific research. Modern achievements of political science. Project management, program management and intellectual property protection. Research methods, analysis and presentation of research results. Professional ethics of a teacher and scientist.
Disciplines of free choice of applicants for higher education: Fundamentals of political globalism. Foreign policy of the countries of Eastern Europe after the Second World War. Civilization as an environment for politogenesis. World politics and international relations of the XX - XXI centuries. Presidency in Ukraine. US foreign policy. Ukrainian parliamentarism. Systemic transformations of the post-communist countries of Europe and Asia. Higher education pedagogy.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS
at Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University
Thanks to S. Appatov, Odesa National University has become one of the leaders in the development of the Political Science in Ukraine. He established scientific school, the creed of which is to study foreign scientific thought. Appatov’s students headed the Institute of Social Science (I. Koval) and the Department of International Relations (V. Glebov). O. Brusylovska, O. Voytovych, S. Glebov, V. Dubovyk, D. Kuzmin, and M. Pokas belong to the second generation of researchers, who works fruitfully in the international relations sphere. Former students of the department, experts in Oriental languages, concentrated on the analysis of regional foreign policy directions of the Arab states, Turkey, Japan, China, and Greece are the third generation. The peculiarity of the department is that it brings together professionals of historical-political section and teachers of Oriental languages, who sometimes have special courses in their Political Science specialty at the same time.
The teaching of Hebrew, Arabic, Modern Greek, and Turkish languages has begun since 1996. Students expressed particular interest to the Turkish language. The importance of Turkey as a neighbour and strategic partner of Ukraine, its rich culture promoted the growth of interest. The hard work of teachers shaped the students’ interest in modern Greece as an Orthodox state and economic partner of Ukraine, in its culture and national traditions. In 1996 at the Institute of Mathematics, Economics and Mechanics the Centre for the Study of Japanese language, economy and culture «HIKAGE» was established on a volunteer basis. In 1998, the Centre has become a subdivision of Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University. In 2000, Japanese language optional course was launched at the Institute of Social Science. In 2000 V. and O. Migdalski published the «Basic Grammar of Japanese Language», which is the first in Ukraine. Finally, in 2003, the Department of International Relations began teaching Japanese. In autumn 2012, students got the opportunity to study Chinese. The considerable number of students, who decided to study it, shows their significant interest in modern China as one of the new great powers in the international relations system and economic power of the new era; in rich culture and traditions of the great civilization.
At the present time, the teaching of Oriental languages is provided by means of textbooks and manuals published by teacher of the Department of International Relations. The great contribution is made by E. Miniakhmetova, V. and D. Migdalski, V. Ryzhykh. Teachers of the department published dozens of research articles on vide array of issues of philology and oriental studies. Main publications: the manual in 4 volumes «Turkish language», the manual in 2 volumes «The Verbal System of the Arabic Literary Language», the manual series «Modern Japanese Language», the teaching manual on Japanese language in 4 volumes. The textbooks published by the Chinese organization «HANBAN» provide the teaching of Chinese language. Every year students have the opportunity to improve their knowledge by means of the internships in Greece, Egypt, Jordan, China, Lebanon, Turkey and Japan.
Research work in the international relations field is also conducted at 2 students’ permanent research groups, established by S. Appatov.
In the period since 1996 mentioned below successfully terminated postgraduate studies and defended their theses: O. Brusylovska, V. Dubovyk (1996), O. Voytovych, G. Saveliev (1997), L. Saigakova (1998), N. Gorbatiuk, D. Gorun (1999), O. Lapshyn (2000), S. Glebov, M. Pokas (2002), V. Griebtsov (2003), M. Diomina, I. Zubarenko, P. Sinovets (2004), V. Makuh, D. Sierov (2005), N. Melnyk, Z. Marshaniya, O. Romanova, O. Yanina (2008), O. Kamenska-Petkova (2010), M. Voitenko, Z. Igoshina, H. Shelest (2011), D. Dvornichenko, A. Zadorozhnia, I. Yakovleva (2012), Y. Gaber, I. Maksymenko (2014), K. Kuleshova, O. Cheban, Y. Bagatskiy, I. Maistrenko (2016), O. Rusova (2017), Y. Volkova, Y. Kozlovska (2018), O. Kurando (2019); E. Buza, V. Gergieva, E. Levitskaya-Doba, T. Melnik, A. Tsekhovalova (2021). Since 2021, the IR Department began graduating Doctors of Philosophy (PhD) in specialty 052 "Political Science": A. Geba, D. Nikolaeva, K. Pashayeva (2021).
Today, more than 50 graduates from the Department of International Relations work in the system of the MFA of Ukraine, in various international organizations and business companies in 26 countries. The Department of International Relations is staffed mainly by its graduates. These are the consequences of successful process of education of foreign policy experts.
Researches and International Cooperation of the Department of International Relations
The Department maintains permanent contacts with more than 20 foreign universities in Europe, the USA, Canada, Israel, Japan, Turkey, China, and Arab states. The staff of the Department and the Centre for International Studies of ONU takes part in various events in order to publish research papers, hold conferences and round tables. The Centre for International Studies is involved in search for relevant grants and conducting research projects. The Centre maintains ties with number of partner organizations. It also has a library, which contains rich collection of information sources in different languages, ranging from monographs and periodicals to textbooks and conferences materials.
Representatives of the Department and the Centre for International Studies belong to various Ukrainian and international professional associations and organizations. They participated in numerous exchange programs, such as Fulbright Exchange Program (S. Appatov, S. Glebov, V. Dubovyk, I. Koval, P. Sinovets), Regional Scholar Exchange Program (V. Glebov, V. Dubovyk, A. Zakharchenko), Contemporary Issues Program (S. Glebov, V. Dubovyk), Community Connections Program (O. Voytovych), CEU Summer University (O. Brusylovska, V. Dubovyk, A. Zakharchenko), US Summer and Winter Institutes on National Security (A. Zakharchenko, P. Sinovets), ReSET (O. Brusylovska, A. Zakharchenko, M. Pokas) etc.
In 2002-2004, the Centre for International Studies held 3 workshops on development of European studies. Summer schools on actual problems of world politics are held on permanent basis. Since 2003, the Department of International Relations jointly with other departments of the Institute of Social Science held 5 international conferences «Odesa Readings in Social Sciences». Since 2010 the department has held international scientific conferences «Appatov Readings» dedicated to the problems of international relations. The Centre of Actual Research and Teaching (CART) in the European studies field was established in the framework of megaproject «Higher Education: Leadership for the Progress» by the International Foundation «Renaissance» in 2001-2002. In 2008-2012, a large-scale project «BRIDGE – Strengthening Mutual Understanding and Cooperation between the EU and Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine» (under the auspices of the European Commission) was implemented. The staff of the department conducted the project «The European Security and NIS: a New Education for a New Europe» within the framework of Regional Seminar of Higher Education (ReSET). The project was launched in 2005 with the support of the Higher Education Support Program (HESP) of the Open Society Institute (OSI). Lecturers of the Department and the staff of the Centre for International Studies pay much attention to the Euro-Atlantic process and to the NATO role in the modern international relations. In particular, in 2006, the Academy «Security in the Mediterranean-Black Sea-Caspian Region: EU and NATO» was held. On May 22-24, 2008 the Spring Academy «NATO Transformation and Modern Security Challenges» was held. Under the relevant agreements, lecturers of the Department of International Relations directly worked on the topic «Preparation and Realization of Organizational-Analytical and Scientific-Methodological Actions for the Implementation of NATO-Ukraine Target Plan in Odesa and Odesa Region» (2007-2008). Within the framework of the project, the sociological survey on the attitude of different social groups of Odesa to the Euro-Atlantic integration was conducted. Various information and educational events, such as conferences, hearings in the City Council, publication of analytical materials, were carried out. The Department of International Relations was the author and the direct executor of the project under the program of Jean Monnet «Europe in Odesa and Odesa in Europe» (2007-2008). The main achievements are informational, scientific and educational events within the framework of the European days in Odesa. During 2008-2011, the lecturers of the Department, in partnership with the «Centre for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine» and the consortium «Europe without Barriers», were participants of the project on monitoring the practice of Schengen visas issue to the citizens of Ukraine. In 2010-2011, the Department of International Relations with the support of the International Foundation «Renaissance» implemented the project «Development of Cooperation between the Centre for International Studies of Odesa National University and PIIR: Portugal and Path of Ukraine to the EU». The joint Ukrainian-Portuguese research with the Portuguese Institute of International Relations on the Problems of Europeanization and Promotion of Idea of Ukrainian integration into the EU was carried out under this project. In 2008-2013 the Department worked on “Public monitoring of EU member states visa issuance policies and practices in Ukraine” in the framework of all-Ukrainian civic consortium “Europe without Barriers” funded by International Renaissance Foundation (IRF). In 2010-2013 there was ReSET “The EU as an Emerging European Security Actor: exploring theoretical paradigms”, funded by Higher Education Support Program (HESP), Open Society Institute (OSI). In 2012-2015 there was TEMPUS-SMGR, Fostering Sustainable and Autonomous Higher Education Systems in the Eastern Neighbouring Area; and at the same time the project European Neighbourhood Policy Law and Good Governance (2012-2015).
Today the following international projects are being implemented: "Cooperation in the field of education on nuclear non-proliferation" of Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University and the Swedish Department of Radiation Safety (since 2009); Wilson Center International History Project, funded by the Carnegie Corporation, on nuclear non-proliferation under the History and Public Policy Program (since 2016); Horizon -2020 Project 734645 « Knowledge Exchange and Academic Cultures. Europe and the BSR (KEAC - BSR)»; Project G 5442 "Resilient Civilians in Population - Centric Warfare (ResilientCivilians)"; Erasmus + Jean Monnet Project ENACTED; the project of the Center for Peace Research "Exchange Network in the Study of Peace in Eurasia" (University of Tromso, Norwegian Arctic University, since 2017); International project Erasmus + Jean Monnet «Neighborhood Enlargement and Regionalism in Europe / NearEU» (since 2020); Erasmus + project "Rethinking Regional Studies: Baltic-Black Sea Connection" (since 2017). Partners of the project are University of Lund, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, University of Vytautas Magnus (Kaunas), Adam Mickiewicz University (Poznan), I. I. Mechnikov Odesa National University, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Mariupol State University. The overall goal of the project is to modernize regional research in Ukraine through the introduction of an English-language Master's Program in research in the Baltic and Black Sea regions. A two-year master's program in the study of the Baltic and Black Sea regions, which is implemented in English at Lviv National University, and individual modules at other Ukrainian partner universities will help to gain interdisciplinary learning experience combined with innovative teaching practices. The program is aimed at both Ukrainian and foreign students whose research interests or practical activities are closely linked to the Baltic and Black Sea regions. The implementation of such a Master's Program and modules promotes further cooperation between higher education institutions of Ukraine and universities of the Baltic region, comprehensive research throughout the region, its historical and current political, economic and cultural development, national and international cooperation in the region and between them, prospects of the region in the context of European integration and regional cooperation. The project also provides for the training of Ukrainian teaching staff in modern teaching methods and contributes to the modernization of the learning environment. During the years of the project, 36 English-language master's students, 9 teachers, and 1 administrative employee were involved at the IR Department. Over the years, the Department of International Relations has hosted several events under this project, which provided an opportunity not only to develop new courses in the new English-language Master's Program in international relations and successfully test them, but also to improve the qualification of teachers and international students (trainings and open lectures of European project participants in ONU). Project participants acquired or developed their skills (transversal / behavioral skills, ability to learn / conduct research, language skills) through participation in its activities. This was facilitated by direct meetings with foreign participants, joint conferences and publications. Thus, in 2019 a seminar "How to write standardized and unified syllabi, how to write a research paper" was held; training "Academic Writing and Plagiarism"; training "Modern didactics; playing, assessing, examining, online teaching; course development (suggestions); internships' organization, entrepreneurship and university; how to find new literature, databases and software». In 2020, "Meeting and e-course development" were held; «Winter school in Kääriku» (V. Dubovyk, MA students M. Volkov, M. Donets, K. Khomyaga); training "Analytical skills for academic writing" (19 participants from ONU received certificates). The selection of training participants took into account gender balance, age, experience. Within the framework of the project, a publication of a completely international standard was made, which is in the SCOPUS database “Baltic - Black Sea Regionalisms. Patchworks and Networks at Europe's Eastern Margins» (Bogdanova Olga, Makarychev Andrey (Eds.). Springer, 2019). Several joint scientific conferences were also organized. An additional effect of the project was that Prof. O. Brusylovska was invited to read the course "Politics and Changes in Central Eastern Europe" at Adam Mickiewicz University (Poznan), and a young specialist G. Grabina underwent an internship at the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence of the AMU (Poznan) and prepared an article published in the AMU professional journal.
Since 2003, the FIRPS teachers have been publishing the scientific journal “Visnyk ONU. Sociology and Political Science. Since 2019, the journal has changed its name to "International and Political Studies" (InterPolIs). The journal is included in the List of scientific professional publications of Ukraine: political sciences (specialties - 052, 291) according to the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine "On approval of decisions of the attestation board of the Ministry" of July 2, 2020 (category B).
ODESA CENTER FOR NONPROLIFERATION
OdCNP was established with the support of Swedish Radiation Safety Authority in 2015.
Background
Nonproliferation Studies at the Department of International Relations of the Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University was launched in 1997. In June-July 1997, Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations, PhD in Historical Sciences Viktor Glebov participated in an intensive Nonproliferation Seminar in Washington, DC, USA. The Seminar acquainted participants with the United States approaches to the formulation and implementation of arms control and nonproliferation policy. It also provided the participants with the necessary knowledge and skills for teaching the university-level courses on issues related to nonproliferation.
In 1999, Mr. Glebov held internship at James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey, USA.
In 2004, PhD student of the Department of International Relations Polina Sinovets defended thesis on “Nuclear Deterrence in the Policies of the USA and Russia in the Post-Bipolar Period”. In 2006, PhD in Political Sciences P. Sinovets received a grant to study internship at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation, Monterey, USA.
Since 2006 special course “Military and Political Aspects of International Security and Nonproliferation” are taught for the students of the Department of International Relations, ONU. Academic discipline that was developed by Associate Professor P. Sinovets dedicated to the comprehensive analysis of the role of the military and political factors, especially weapons of mass destruction, in the development of the global security environment.
Under her supervision in 2007 a monthly students’ scientific seminar on global security and nonproliferation started its work. With the assistance of the Institute of Social Sciences of Odesa National University the all-Ukrainian students’ conference on “Nuclear Factor in the Context of Current Global Security Challenges” was held in 2008.
In 2014, Oleksandr Cheban, a graduate student of the Department of International Relations, defended his thesis on the nuclear choice of Iran, analyzing theoretical and international political aspects of this choice.
The problems of nuclear deterrence, security and nonproliferation are represented in numerous publications in the leading scientific domestic and foreign journals and online resources such as the Journal of Export Control, Security Index, Strategic Panorama, Strategic Priorities, NATO Research Paper, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, PONARS Eurasia Policy Perspectives etc. There are monographs by Polina Sinovets “Double Faced Yanus or Nuclear Deterrence Theory in the XXI century” published in Russian in 2008 and “Deterrence and the Nuclear Superpowers after the Cold War” published in English in 2010.
Vision and Mission
The Center is established as the result of the systematic educational and training cooperation between Odesa Mechnikov National University (ONU) and Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM). In 2006 SSM start financing first fellowships in Nonproliferation of the Odesa teachers and Ph.D. students in the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey, USA.
In 2009 the first International Summer School for students, young teachers and experts was conducted.
Since SSM and the Odesa National University implemented six Summer Schools on non-proliferation issues with the participation of students from Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Georgia and Moldova, which provided high quality up-to-date training in a wide range of specially selected methods for professional training the new generation of nonproliferation experts.
The mission of OdCNP is to provide a platform for education, training, research and outreach of the new generation experts on nuclear security, nuclear and WMD nonproliferation experts in Ukraine.
Odesa Center for Nonproliferation is going to become an academic and teaching basis for students and experts from Central Eastern Europe and Black Sea region as well.
The objective of OdCNP is to catalyze the development of nonproliferation expertise in Ukraine, as well as Central and Eastern Europe and Black Sea region by means of national and international dialogue, education, training and research.
The main focuses of the Center’s activities are:
- Education and training of students and young specialists;
- Academic research, including projects;
- Outreach and awareness in the field of nonproliferation, aimed at such audience as journalists, high school students, and general public;
- A platform for dialogue and joint projects with experts from universities and research centers from Ukraine, Europe and the United States, as well as from nuclear and missile industries and governmental bodies.
Advisory Board of Odesa Center for Nonproliferation
The Director is supported with the programmatic guidance from the Advisory Board.
The Advisory Board shall include but is not limited to the Igor Koval, Professor, Rector of the Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University (Chair of the Board);
Sergiy Galaka, Professor at International Relations Institute of Kyiv Taras Shevchenko National University;
Grigory Perepelitsa, Professor, Director of the Institute of Foreign Policy of Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Lars van Dassen, Head of International Co-operation and Development of Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM);
Sarmite Andersson, Project Manager at Secretariat for International Cooperation and Development of Swedish Radiation Safety Authority;
Elena Sokova, the ex-Executive Director of Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation and the Deputy Director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey;
Nikolai Sokov, Senior Fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and one or more representatives from academic, international organizations, or other organizations in Ukraine, Central and Eastern Europe and Black Sea states.
The Center for International Studies
The Center for International Studies is a research, education and outreach organization which activates in the field of international relations, foreign policy and security studies, European and Euro-Atlantic integration, American studies, and regional sciences.
It was establised in June 1992 as an integral part of then Odesa I.I. Mechnikov State University. It does serve as a division for conducting research in the fields of international relations, foreign policy, security studies, American and European studies, Black Sea regional security. The Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries was at the roots of the Center. The formation of the School of International Relations in 1994 and of the Department of International Relations in 1996 have further strengthened Center’s academic potential. The Center, the School and the Department contribute to the work of each other as they are carrying their activities out in realms of both research and teaching.
The Center was founded by Professor and Academician, Distinguished Scholar of Ukraine Semyen Appatov (1930 – 2003). His work started in 1960-s and served as a basis for both teaching and research in the spheres of theory, history and historiography of international relations and foreign policy. Special attention was given to the study of U.S. foreign policy and foreign policy thought. The study of Ukraine’s standing at the international arena, its national security, main principles of foreign policy and its major directions and conceptual foundations – these have become an essential part of the Center’s studies since 1991. The other significant thematic dimensions of research have followed. S. Appatov directed the Center from 1992 to 1999. Since 1999 to present the Center’s director has been Volodymyr Dubovyk.
The Center stands behind the publications of monographs and articles, convening conferences and workshops. It is involved in a search of the relevant grants and executing the research projects. The Center maintains relationship with a number of professional partner organizations. It also hosts the library, which is comprised of a solid collection of sources in many languages, ranging from monographs and periodicals to textbooks and conference proceedings. It does have a largest variety of English language scholarly periodicals in the fields of international relations and foreign policy in Ukraine.