Mychailo Wynnyckyj was awarded a PhD in Economic Sociology in 2003 from the University of Cambridge (U.K.). Prior to that, in 1997, Mychailo received an MPhil degree in Sociology and Politics of Modern Society (also from Cambridge), and worked for 7 years (1992-1999) as Vice-President for Sales & Marketing at Lava Computer MFG Inc. in Toronto Canada. During his tenure at the company, Lava’s sales increased significantly, and its markets expanded to include North America, Western Europe, South-east Asia, and Australia. Today, Mychailo is Director of the Doctoral School at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy where, in addition to teaching in the Department of Sociology, and at Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, he oversees a project aimed at reforming the traditional Ukrainian “aspirantura” system into a European-styled Doctorate. Since moving to Ukraine in 2003, Mychailo has also been active in consulting several Ukrainian companies on organizational and management issues – particularly as related to sales management. Mychailo’s consulting clients include the following Ukrainian companies: Avtek, Asbis, Kakhovka Welding Plant, Euroindex, Rosava, Plasmatec, and others. Mychailo’s typical day begins and ends with his four children (!), who seem to develop much faster than even he would hope. In what minimal spare time he has, Mychailo tries to find opportunities to indulge in his two passions: downhill skiing, and flying (he received his private pilot’s license in 1999).

Olena Betlii has been an Associate Professor at History Department since 2006 and a Director of the Center for Polish and European Studies at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla academy” since 2008. She was an Assistant Professor at the European and Euroatlantic Policy Department and a Secretary of the Academic Board at the Diplomatic academy of Ukraine in 2006/2007. Dr. Betlii Olena has conducted her research in Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, and in the USA and presented its results at the international conferences, congress or workshops in Kyiv, Warsaw, Krakow, Pardubice, Szeged, Berlin, Stockholm, Lund, Dublin, New York and Urbana-Champaign. She is the author of 18 articles, published in Ukraine, Poland and Czech Republic. Her major research interests include: urban studies, discursive creation of historical and mental regions in Europe; regional identity of Ukraine; international history and European integration history.

Serhiy Ivanyuk, currently Associate Professor of Kiev-Mohyla Academy, Department of Literature and Foreign Language, is the author on multiple publications on the Ukrainian literature, he contributed to the Ukrainian Literature of the XX century (Kyiv, 1992-1993) and Ukrainian Literature: Enciclopedia (In 5 vol., Kyiv, 1991-1993). In 1991-2000 he was Dean of Kyiv-Mohyla University Faculty of Humanities, and then – Rector of the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”. Among Prof. Ivanyuk’s research interests is literature for children and youth, he is editor-in-chief of the Odnoklasnyk (Classmate) youth magazine, author of the novels for teenagers.

Graduated from NaUKMA with MA in Philology (History, Theory of Literature and Comparative Literature). Worked as editor, translator and book reviewer with different editorials and publishers (Veselka, KP Publications, Fact and others). Fields of interest: modern and contemporary Ukrainian literature, phenomenology of the alien, mass psychology, mythology and ideology, folklore and ethnic studies, cross-cultural communication, literary translation, Ukrainian speaking and writing stylistics. Teaches Ukrainian as Foreign Language since 2007.