Motivations and facilitating factors for bilateral academic collaboration

Cooperation of Ukrainian and Polish universities is not a rare phenomenon. As our survey showed, different initiatives of varying scope and potential, with more or less intensity are run by a number of universities, and the history of cooperation has counted, in some cases, a dozen or so years. It is high time to summarize the effects and study motivation of Polish and Ukrainian universities, or Polish and Ukrainian academics.

Motivators and facilitators for the international cooperation is the answer to the question

“WHY do the sides/institutions/individuals collaborate?” “WHAT MOTIVATION do the partners have in the development of the academic partnerships with each other and undertaking of joint research activities?” “Are there any unique and particular conditions in the collaboration between Ukrainian and Polish scientists?”

General overview of the factors, facilitating Polish and Ukrainian academic collaboration is presented in the Figure 1.

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Figure 1 Factors, facilitating collaboration of Polish and Ukrainian academic partners

Source: survey and individual interviews conducted with the respondents from the Polish and Ukrainian universities

Motivating factors can be grouped into 2 main categories:

- general motivations, in a global context: internationalization and the universalization of science and higher education. General issues within the development of the European higher education and research area.

- particular motivators, local Polish-Ukrainian context: the major factors are connected with the Polish-Ukrainian historical and cultural ties (spiritual and cultural aspects, historical past, the common characteristics of the higher education systems in communist times), current Polish lobby in the EU for Ukraine, openness and readiness of the Polish partners to support Ukraine's academic activities, long-lasting and systemic cooperation.

75 Table 1 Major factors motivating Polish and Ukrainian collaboration

Motivation from the Polish side Motivation from the Ukrainian side Ukraine is a reservoir of interesting

research problems and scientific capabilities

cooperation is the possibility of scientific communication

the possibility of internationalization of research, participation in prestigious scientific events, promote networking, publishing in highly ranked journals

the exchange of scientific ideas, experience and the ability to teach and learn

making interesting, weighty, crucial researches

discovering a new field for the study, analysis of best practices in various areas of social and economic activities

improving teaching practices and the introduction of new forms of education of students, improving the quality of education and research, and the competitiveness of individuals and universities

the sense of community in cultural, historical and geopolitical aspects

high technological and laboratory conditions, modern research infrastructure for conducting research projects, that is not available in Ukraine

sense of responsibility and the need, or even to support Ukraine and Ukrainian scientists, support the pro-European attitudes

positive perception of Poles as close nation, Slavic relatives

Source: survey and individual interviews conducted with the respondents from the Polish and Ukrainian universities

Respondents prove that scientific development is motivated by the following:

What is important? Good relations between people, supporters of friendship between the two countries, common goals, no language barrier, the desire to do something useful in life, optimism and a sense of humor, as well as little financial

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support - it will be sufficient for the effective cooperation between the Polish and Ukraine

The human factor, professional scientific interest – are the prerequisites of international cooperation. International collaboration enriches all of us and we have something that we want to show and what we want to teach

Sometimes we think we are very different, and sometimes - quite the contrary.

But one thing I know for sure: we have something to exchange with each other As Polish respondents emphasized, working together, regardless of the undertaken topics, they lead mutual understanding to break stereotypes and building partnerships. Perhaps their results are not only in a scientific field, but also be a valuable contribution to the development of Polish-Ukrainian relations and to support Ukraine in its development, which is also promoted by foreign colleagues.

Productive development of international cooperation between Poland and Ukraine is the best result of mental-historical conditions and manifestation of global trends, including trends in the internationalization of education, science and research, the integration of national systems of education and research into the European Research Area. But at the center of all bilateral cooperation projects there is a human, an individual, a scientist, and it is his desire and motivation to develop is going to be the main factor which encourages scientists to search for partners with similar interests in order to develop scientific and international co-operation with them.

The human factor, professional scientific interest – these are factors that international cooperation depends on. International collaboration enriches all of us and we have something that we want to show and what we want to teach.

In the XXIst century professional dialogue and communication have become more open and free, it is an integral part of the scientific realm. Modern information society is characterized by high development dynamics. This applies to specific areas of research.

However, without exception, all respondents emphasized that the development of science is possible only with effective professional communication and exchange of experiences, views and ideas with colleagues.

It is important to not only communicate [...] ideas emerging with a cup of coffee require detailed analysis. With a common discussion, to develop joint scientific reports, we are looking for solutions to problems.

Dynamic development of science requires new approaches to the organization of work and conducting research. Changes are happening in the system of relations in the fields of science, including the relationships between people. Polish-Ukrainian cooperation is

77 conducted today within a process of scientific communication that promotes integration into the global scientific community.

The Will and willingness to cooperate is also dictated by a sense of the cultural community of the two countries and the so-called "Slavic soul." Ukrainians are perceived as a nation open, welcoming, friendly and eager to help. Such attitudes inspire mutual sympathy, trust and interest in cooperation. Many respondents pointed out that cooperation with Ukraine looks like completely different, than any other Polish and Western Europe, which are characterized by a greater personal distance and focus only on the scientific contacts.

This is what we have identified as "Slavic soul." Poles communicate with Ukrainians easier than with someone from the West. This is another way of functioning. Quite quicker we manage to establish such contacts of different character with colleagues from the East than in the West.

Ukrainians are Slavs, therefore, we have the same roots, so we are closely interconnected by our background.