SPANISH STUDENTS AT THE TARAS SHEVCHENKO NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF KYIV: THE LATE 20th AND EARLY 21st CENTURIES

Abstract

The issue of academic mobility based on analysis of documents and biographies of Spanish students at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century as an important component of educational process of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv has been studied. The purpose of the study was to investigate why Spanish students found themselves in the University, circumstances of their apprenticeship and stay there, as well as specifics of their everyday life in Kyiv. It has been found out that despite the seclusion of the Soviet society, students from capitalist countries, in particular Spain, were studying at the University of Kyiv. Background of such phenomenon is analyzed and assumptions are made as to why this became possible, as well as the ways how Spanish students could enter the University are described. In particular, based on available documents in the University’s archive, it has been brought to light, that all Spanish citizens who studied at the University of Kyiv, were guided by both ideological and material needs, expressed their wish to come to the USSR for study and carried it out with a help of the Union of Soviet Friendship Societies and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. The most popular specialties that Spanish students aspired to acquire were identified, such as Russian philology, philosophy, economics, and law. With a disruption of former communication models in the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, new ones based on students exchange have been established according to cooperation agreements signed between universities. As of the beginning of the 21stcentury there is information about internship of Spanish students and postgraduate students for a certain time, however unfortunately there is no possibility to study their personal files. The University of Kyiv is confirmed to have long traditions of academic mobility, which history assumes further development prospects.