Higher School as the Activating Factor of Inter-cultural Collaboration: European Context

• Author: Iaroslav Kichuk
• Pages: 451-453

Globalization - a Controversial Phenomenon of the Contemporary World

451

Higher School as the Activating Factor of Inter-Cultural Collaboration:

European Context

Iaroslav Kichuk1

Abstract: The article deals with the international cooperation within the framework of the Euroregion

“Lower Danube” and the place of Budjak in this network. The author believes that its potential is

insufficiently appreciated. A special place belongs to Izmail State University for Humanities as the

educational and cultural centre of the region. The au thor presents its main educational and international

activities, as well as the perspectives of the development of the project “DAC People” on the base of

Izmail University, that gives the real opportunity to deep the practical cooperation in the socio-cultural

framework of the Euroregion “Lower Danube”.

Keywords: Euroregion “Lower Danube”; international activities; socio-cultural framework

At the present time the European Union pays more attention to cross-border cooperation between the

border regions of the EU and neighboring states. The creation of Euro-regions is one of the key

mechanisms for the implementation of European Union regional policy on the local places.

Euroregion “Lower Danube” is an international European organization, which was founded August

14, 1998 in the city of Galaţi by the heads of bordering regions of Romania (Galati, Tulcea, Bra ila

cities), Ukraine (Odessa region), and the Republic of Moldova (Vulcaneşti, Cahul, Cantemir cities).

Creation of the Euroregion “Lower Danube” was intended to solve the following problems: to achieve

a synergy in the economic development; to determine environmental challenges; to create the

conditions for improving social protection, as well as the level and quality of life; to integrate the

transport infrastructure of the border regions; to form a common cultural space in the Danube region.

In the framework of the Euroregion “Lower Danube” some huge projects were realized: “The Danube

Lakes in Ukraine. Sustainable restoration and conservation of natural ecosystems” (2000-2003);

“Business infrastructure of Odessa region as a part of Euro-region “Lower Danube” (2002-2004);

“Preventing emergencies and flood protection in the Euroregion “Lower Danube” (2006-2007);

“Cross-border cooperation improvement in the Euro-region “Lower Danube” (2007-2009);

“Ukrainian-Moldavian border cooperation program” started in the end of 2015. At the opening of the

exhibition “Lower Danube” in the Odessa Museum of Regional History in May 2014 Dumitru Keriki,

economic adviser of the Consulate General of Romania in Odessa noticed that the cooperation in the

region “Lower Danube” could be considered as one of the most successful. He believes that it is

natural as our countries are connected by common traditions, what is particularly evident in the

bordering areas (Kinka).

1 P rofessor, P hD, Rector, Izmail State University for Humanities, Ukraine, Address: 12, Repin St., C. Ismail, Odesa reg.,

68600, Ukraine, Corresponding author: kichuk@list.ru.