Chernivtsi University in Ukraine Records a Record Number of Participants in USV Romanian Language Courses

USV Romanian Language Lectureship Resumes Activities in Chernivtsi

The Romanian Language Lectureship of the „Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava (USV), hosted by the Yuriy Fedkovych National University of Chernivtsi (UNYF), Ukraine, resumed its activities in on-site format on 21 September 2026.

The new 2026–2027 academic year marks an important development for the programme, with a record number of 140 participants enrolled in Romanian language courses. Compared with the previous academic year, when 118 participants were registered, the number of participants has increased by 22, representing an increase of approximately 19%.

The increase confirms the continued interest of the academic community in Chernivtsi in studying Romanian and highlights the role of the Lectureship in developing academic and cultural relations between Suceava and Chernivtsi.

Growing Interest in Studying the Romanian Language

The increase in enrolments indicates a growing interest in Romanian as a foreign language among the university community in Chernivtsi.

The Lectureship’s courses are aimed at a diverse audience consisting of students, teaching staff and administrative staff of the Yuriy Fedkovych National University. Participants come from various academic fields, broadening the interdisciplinary nature of the programme and allowing the study of Romanian to be integrated into diverse educational and professional paths.

The fact that the programme attracts an increasing number of participants each year reflects both the interest in acquiring new language skills and the openness of the academic community to educational and cultural cooperation with Romania.

Courses Organised According to Language Proficiency Levels

The study programme is structured according to language proficiency levels A1/A2, B1/B2 and C1/C2, in accordance with the standards established by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

The organisation of courses by proficiency level allows the programme to be adapted to the participants’ experience and needs. Thus, those at the beginning of their learning journey can attend introductory courses, while participants who already have knowledge of Romanian can take part in activities aimed at deepening and consolidating their existing language skills.

The structure of the programme also ensures continuity in the learning process from one level to the next, giving participants the opportunity to progressively develop their communication skills in Romanian.

Participants from a Wide Range of Academic Fields

The 140 participants enrolled for the 2026–2027 academic year come from numerous faculties, institutes and structures of the Yuriy Fedkovych National University.

Approximately 76% of the participants are students, while 20% are teaching staff and approximately 4% are administrative staff of the university.

The professional and academic diversity of the participants is one of the programme’s important characteristics. The fields represented include Philology, Foreign Languages, Economics, History, Political Science and International Relations, Musicology, Law, Education and Psychology, Geography, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Informatics, Physical Culture, Sports and Rehabilitation, Architecture, Construction and Decorative Arts.

Through this diversity, the Lectureship provides a framework in which Romanian can become a valuable complementary skill for participants’ future academic and professional activities.

Participation of University Institutes and Structures

The programme also includes participants from other structures of the Yuriy Fedkovych National University, including the Educational and Scientific Institute of Biology, Chemistry and Bioresources, as well as the Scientific Library of Chernivtsi University.

The vast majority of participants are not native Romanian speakers, highlighting the programme’s role in teaching Romanian as a foreign language and the interest in acquiring additional language skills.

At the same time, studying Romanian provides broader access to elements of Romanian culture and facilitates communication and academic interaction between university communities in Romania and Ukraine.

Assessment of Language Skills at the End of the Academic Year

At the end of the 2026–2027 academic year, interested participants will have the opportunity to assess the language skills they have acquired throughout the programme.

The assessment will be conducted by a joint committee consisting of teaching staff from the Faculty of Letters and Communication Sciences of the „Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava and the Department of Romanian and Classical Philology of the Yuriy Fedkovych National University of Chernivtsi.

The involvement of teaching staff from both universities contributes to maintaining a common academic component of the programme and to assessing the skills acquired by participants within a bilateral institutional framework.

Academic Cooperation between Suceava and Chernivtsi

The activities of the Lectureship are part of an established academic and cultural partnership between the „Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava and the Yuriy Fedkovych National University of Chernivtsi.

Cooperation between the two institutions extends beyond Romanian language courses and includes academic collaboration between teaching staff from the two universities. This cooperation has resulted in the organisation of joint scientific and cultural events, contributing to the development of cross-border academic dialogue.

The International Relations Office of the Yuriy Fedkovych National University also plays an important role in supporting the activities of the Lectureship by promoting the courses among the academic community in Chernivtsi and helping attract new participants.

A Programme with Increasing Visibility within the Academic Community

The growth in the number of participants confirms the consolidation of the USV Romanian Language Lectureship as an instrument of educational and cultural cooperation between Romania and Ukraine.

The increase from 118 to 140 participants within a single academic year indicates a significant expansion of interest in studying Romanian within the academic community of Chernivtsi.

Through its proficiency-level-based educational offer, the diversity of its participants and direct cooperation between teaching staff from Suceava and Chernivtsi, the Lectureship contributes to the development of language skills and to strengthening academic and cultural relations between the two universities and between the communities on both sides of the border.