The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine appointed an acting head of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts instead of Mykhailo Poplavskiy. The decision was made after the expiration of the contract with the long-term head of the institution. The minister of education and science of Ukraine, Oksen Lisovyi, informed about the staff changes.
According to him, legally and factually, Mykhailo Poplavskiy has headed the university for over 30 years. Lisovyi reminded that in 2023, Poplavskiy himself publicly spoke about the need for a new leader, and now is the time to confirm these words with actions.
The minister also noted that the prolonged tenure of one person at the head of the university goes beyond healthy managerial changes. In his assessment, the style and public tone of leadership have for years shaped a distorted understanding of the role of a cultural institution and Ukrainian culture as a whole.
Loss of Poplavskiy's position at KNUKiM: Ministry decision
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine emphasized that the culture university should be an example of ethical standards and not a constant source of controversy. That is why an interim manager has been appointed, who is not tied to the previous management.
The main tasks of the new acting head include:
-
organizing open and competitive elections for the president of the university;
-
ensuring the objectivity and transparency of the electoral process;
-
eliminating any external influence on the results.
Appointment of a new head of KNUKiM and further steps
As is known, Mykhailo Poplavskiy has headed the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts since 1995 when he first became rector. In 2021, he was re-elected as president of the university. Now real elections for a new head of the institution with the participation of the academic community are to take place.
Earlier, the amount of Mykhailo Poplavskiy's pension was announced.