Cambridge becomes a permanent home for Ukrainian Studies

A major gift from prominent Ukrainian businessman Dmitry Firtash to the University of Cambridge has permanently endowed Western Europe's premier programme in the study of the culture and language of Ukraine. Cambridge Ukrainian Studies, an initiative of the Department of Slavonic Studies, was launched at Cambridge with the support of Mr Firtash in 2008. It has worked to deepen public understanding of Ukraine and to advance fresh, innovative approaches to research on the country, which is a critical crossroads between 'East' and 'West' with a rich historical, linguistic, and cultural inheritance. The initiative has been met with strong student and public interest in Great Britain and beyond. Mr Firtash's generous benefaction now makes possible the permanent establishment of two key academic posts central to the Cambridge Ukrainian Studies initiative: a Lecturer in Ukrainian Studies and a Lector in Ukrainian Language. It also provides the resources for a pioneering undergraduate programme and for public events throughout the academic year. 'This gift ensures that Cambridge will be a vibrant home for the study of Ukraine for many generations to come,' said Professor Simon Franklin, Head of the School of Arts and Humanities.