The Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) Academic Council has elected a new Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. The council voted in favor of Iryna Starovoyt—an associate professor in the Department of Cultural Studies, researcher, poet, and literary critic—who becomes the fourth dean in the faculty’s history.

At the end of June, Professor Andriy Yasinovsky will conclude his ten-year tenure as Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. Under the university’s charter, ten years is the maximum term a person may serve in this role.

Following a competitive selection process, the Academic Council elected Professor Starovoyt to a five-year term. This transition procedure is designed to ensure leadership continuity and operational stability within the faculty. In keeping with tradition, Professor Yasinovsky symbolically passed the “dean’s umbrella” to Ms. Starovoyt, representing the unity and preservation of the faculty’s traditions.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Professor Yasinovsky for his dedicated service, years of fruitful leadership, and commitment to the faculty’s development. Under his guidance, the faculty has gained international recognition and fostered a global network of partners, while preparing hundreds of students to represent UCU.

Iryna Starovoyt and Andriy Yasynovsky

“Without inspired work, sacrificial contribution, and a community spirit—which provided the strength to overcome challenges, especially during the pandemic and the subsequent years of war—we would not have achieved what we are now proud of,” said Professor Yasinovsky. “I am convinced that as the humanitarian ‘ship’ continues its course over the next five to ten years, it remains in delicate yet capable hands. I wish us all a fair wind.”

We wish Professor Yasinovsky success in his future projects, continued professional growth, and good health!

UCU’s Faculty of Humanities team

Professor Starovoyt will assume her duties on July 1. As she prepares to lead the faculty, we wish her and her team success in meeting the challenges ahead.

“We do not have to be ready and perfect immediately; we can take risks and grow toward perfection, as the modern spirit of the war for independence and the hardening of trials require of us,” said Dean Starovoyt. “We will unite, engage, and build partnerships. This is our potential and the key to the future. Conscious asymmetry and innovation help Ukraine survive this war and develop in peace. My slogan as the new Dean is ‘Humanities of Public Interest.’”

The UCU Faculty of Humanities currently oversees diverse author courses, research projects, publishing series, and socially oriented initiatives. Recent milestones include the establishment of the Center for Digital Humanities and the launch of an interdisciplinary master’s program—”The Future of Heritage: History, Culture, Literature”—offered in partnership with the University of Nottingham. In July, the faculty will co-host the inaugural “Ukraine in the World” conference in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies.

“We must return to the sources and implement ambitious institutional projects for the digitization, annotation, and translation of scattered Ukrainian collections, archival funds, and thematic libraries,” added Dean Starovoyt. “We must also focus on modernizing infrastructure and fostering methodological synergy across all of Ukrainian Studies—not just within individual topics—and engage with doctoral students from international programs.”

Congratulations to Dean Iryna Starovoyt! We wish you inspiration and success in your endeavors for the benefit of our university community!

Biography: Iryna Starovoyt

Iryna Starovoyt is an associate professor in the Department of Cultural Studies at the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU). She is a scholar of philology, a cultural researcher, literary critic, poet, and translator.

In 2001, she defended her doctoral thesis, titled “Ukrainian Postmodernism in Critical and Artistic Discourses of the Late 20th Century.”

Literary Career and Recognition Ms. Starovoyt debuted in 1997 with her poetry collection, No Longer Transparent. From 1996 to 1999, she served as the author and host of the book review program Volumes on Lviv Regional Television. A member of the Association of Ukrainian Writers and the former literary group Nechuvani, she was the first-prize laureate of the Smoloskyp publishing house in 1999. Her poetry has appeared in numerous anthologies in Ukraine and abroad, translated into Polish, Lithuanian, English, Armenian, and Romanian, and frequently set to music. She has represented Ukraine at various pan-European cultural events, including the European Forum of Cultures in Luxembourg (2005), the European Congress of Women Writers in Budapest (2008), and the World Symposium in Honor of Björnstjerne Björnson in Oslo and Lillehammer (2010).

In 2017, her bilingual collection, A Field of Foundlings, was published in the United States. Translated by Grace Mahoney, the volume launched the Lost Horse Press series of contemporary Ukrainian poetry in English translation.

Academic and Professional Contributions At UCU, Ms. Starovoyt teaches courses such as “Critical and Creative Thinking” and “History of Ideas and Cultural Practices.” She also conducts research seminars, delivers lectures, and participates in public forums regarding contemporary issues across Ukraine and European intellectual centers. In 2022, she was honored with the “UCU Professor of the Year” award. Learn more about this recognition here.

For her work in addressing conflicts of cultural memory, she was awarded the “Keys to the City.” Her professional leadership includes:

  • Member of the Supervisory Board of the Human Rights Educational Center.
  • Jury member for the NCEU Grant Competition.
  • Chair of the UNESCO City of Literature International Literary Award (since 2018).
  • Expert for the “Translate Ukraine” program at the Ukrainian Book Institute.
  • Member of the Executive Board of PEN Ukraine.