Toronto, ON — The Ukrainian-Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko (Shevchenko Foundation) and Mitacs, a national not-for-profit research and training organization, announced a new partnership that will allow Ukrainian undergraduate students to participate in research internships at Canadian universities for the first time.
The agreement was signed at the Bahen Centre for Information Technology at the University of Toronto by Shevchenko Foundation president Andrew Hladyshevsky and Mitacs CEO and scientific director Alejandro Adem.
From June to September each year, top-ranked Ukraine students will participate in a 12-week research internship under the supervision of Canadian university faculty. Students will be provided with research experience and professional skills training. Interns interested in returning to Canada for graduate studies will be eligible for a Mitacs Globalink Graduate Fellowship.
The Shevchenko Foundation is proud to enter into this partnership at a critical time for the Ukrainian people, primarily for its young people who aspire to build a democratic, reformed, European country. It will enable some of Ukraine’s brightest young minds to learn from the best in Canada and further develop the skills that affect progress and change. The program’s selection process is rigorous, and the successful applicants, representing Ukraine’s best, will in turn make valuable contributions to the projects.
The program will further strengthen the historic relationship between Canada and Ukraine and build on significant joint initiatives including the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, which came into place earlier this year.
Quotes:
Andrew Hladyshevsky, President, Shevchenko Foundation
“As president of the Shevchenko Foundation, we are pleased to sign this agreement with Mitacs because it will allow university students from Ukraine to participate in prestigious post-secondary research projects. The new program dovetails with our recent ‘Shevchenko Foundation Youth Initiative’ to further strengthen our record of providing scholarships to students of Ukrainian–Canadian ancestry for attendance at post-secondary institutions in Canada. We have also enhanced funding for Canadians studying in Ukraine by providing subsidies for enrolment at post-secondary institutions. With a focus on strengthening their linguistic, historical, and cultural knowledge of Ukraine, students can enrich Canada upon their return home.
“Further, our recent agreement with the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union (SUSK), which represents university student clubs across Canada, will establish a permanent endowment to assist in promoting programs. This will provide learning and mentoring opportunities to produce the next generation of leaders — not only within the Ukrainian-Canadian community, but in the broader Canadian society. Today’s ceremony underscores and advances the vision of the Foundation’s Youth Initiative.”
Alejandro Adem, CEO and Scientific Director, Mitacs
“By formalizing this partnership between Canada and Ukraine, we are encouraging the exchange of research knowledge and innovation between our two countries. The agreement with the Shevchenko Foundation will provide new opportunities for Canadian faculty and universities to benefit from students’ international perspectives, while demonstrating a range of Canadian research opportunities.”
About The Partners:
- The Shevchenko Foundation is a national, chartered philanthropic institution dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and development of the Ukrainian cultural heritage for the enrichment of Canada.
- Mitacs is a national, not-for-profit organization that has designed and delivered research and training programs in Canada for 17 years. Working with 60 universities, thousands of companies, and both federal and provincial governments, Mitacs builds partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada.
Links:
###
Photo: Alejandro Adem, CEO and Scientific Director, Mitacs, and Andrew Hladyshevsky, President, Shevchenko Foundation.
