Summer Schools at UCU

Every summer from late May to early August, UCU welcomes some 400 students from all over the world to its wide variety of courses, mostly within the liberal arts and social sciences. The UCU Summer Schools are an Academic Center for learning in an International context and a forum for fostering intercultural understanding and spiritual growth. The summer programs cover a variety of fields, including both modern and classical languages, as well as themes closely related to UCU’s mission, theology, art, and leadership.

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Summer Language Immersion Programs at UCU

Summer thematic programs at UCU

Summer Language Immersion Programs at UCU

School of Ukrainian Language and Culture

The Ukrainian Catholic University prepares Annual Summer Language & Culture Program, a unique combination of Ukrainian language classes and a rich cultural immersion program. Summer Ukrainian Language and Culture Program is the largest and most prestigious Ukrainian as a foreign language program in Ukraine, welcoming almost one hundred students from over twenty countries each summer. Each day students have tutoring with native speakers who may also, if needed, accompany them during their evening activities and excursions. This is part of a full-time Ukrainian immersion program for the Ukrainian language-learners.

Though studying Ukrainian is the main goal for our students, we also want them to relax and enjoy themselves! Our program is the perfect balance of learning and fun. You are able to improve your language skills while immersing yourself in the true European lifestyle. There are a variety of opportunities offered– weekly excursions to local cultural highlights, games, talent contests, parties, barbecues, concerts, etc. The program is comprehensive and exciting. There is always something to do and students are encouraged to participate.

English Summer School

The annual English Summer School (ESS) is an intensive English immersion course which provides opportunities for spiritual growth, serious work and fun. The ESS is an important project jointly sponsored by the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) and the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation. Its primary objectives are to enable students to immerse themselves in an English-speaking community in order to become fluent English speakers and to create a prayerful, retreat-like environment in keeping with Eastern Christian traditions.

German Summer School (Deutschsprachige Sommerschule)

Die DSS existiert seit dem Jahr 2002. Die UKU strebt an, ein Sommerprogramm zu schaffen, in dem den Studenten der Erwerb der deutschen Sprache und ein Kennenlernen der deutschen Kultur, sowie gleichzeitig ein intensives liturgisches Leben in der byzantinischen Tradition ermöglicht werden. Außerdem ist ein wichtiger Teil dieser Schule der gegenseitige kulturelle und geistige Austausch von deutschsprachigen Freiwilligen aus Westeuropa und ukrainischen Studenten durch aktive Kommunikation, offene Diskussionen, gemeinsame Gebete.

French Summer School (Une Université D’été de Français)

L’Université Catholique d’Ukraine organise une université d’été de français – à temps plein en résidentiel en direction des étudiants, professeurs, membres du personnel et invités de l’Université. Les objectifs de cette formation sont :

– un perfectionnement en langue française,

– la proposition de méthodes d’enseignement du Français Langue Etrangère telles qu’elles sont pratiquées dans les universités et établissements d’enseignement du français en direction de non-francophones,

– un échange en matière de civilisations et de cultures ukrainienne et française, ainsi que sur la francophonie et la construction européenne,

– l’établissement de liens entre les universités et associations ukrainiennes et françaises dans un cadre européen.

Italian Summer School (Scuola Estina di Italiano)

L’Università Cattolica Ucraina organizza un corso intensivo di lingua e cultura italiana della durata di 2 settimane.

Summer thematic programs at UCU

Lviv Computer Science Summer School

Lviv Computer Science Summer School is an educational initiative from the Computer Science Program of the Ukrainian Catholic University. The Summer School participants – undergraduates, PhD students, young professionals – studies state-of-the-art methods and tools of computer science. The goal of the Summer School is to give the practice-oriented knowledge in the field of Data Science. The school’s program incorporates three following stages. During the first stage, participants attend introductory courses that would make them familiar with the main theme of the school. During the second stage, the students are involved in several elective practice-oriented courses. The third stage is substantially dedicated to working on the projects. The scientists from well-known European universities and the leading specialists of the Ukrainian and world’s companies teach at the summer school.

Icon Painting and Christian Art Summer School

The Icon-Painting Summer School at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv (Ukraine) offers you a unique opportunity of immersion into the world of the ancient Christian art of icon-painting, united with the experience of the spiritual riches of the Eastern Christian liturgy, and cultural exploration of the historical and artistic treasures of Ukraine. It discovers the true “secrets” behind traditional, medieval Ukrainian iconography; teaches how to use authentic medieval techniques and style of iconography in your own painting; experiences the richness of the Byzantine liturgy in the community of the Ukrainian Catholic University; helps to visit numerous sacred sites and monuments of the Ukrainian Church.

Leadership Summer School

Leadership Summer School (LSS) is a twelve-day study program aimed at creating a team of young leaders through seminars, discussions, and group activities. The LSS Program provides conferences on the importance of establishing values in society, Ukrainian identity, preparing youth for modern challenges, the development of communities and youth movements, efficient teamwork, communication and organizational skills, and the art of public speech. It also includes meetings with experts in the field of social service.

Summer school for study of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky’s social thought

The annual summer school for study of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky’s social thought is organized by the Institute of Religion and Society of UCU. The goal of the program is for participants to become further acquainted with Metropolitan Sheptytsky’s spiritual heritage and the activities. During the summer school time there are thematic sessions and discussions with lecturers, and later, discussions in small groups with a moderator. The organizers want to show the relevance of the social teaching of the Church and Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky’s social thought. Students in humanities studies, secular and political figures, as well as all others who seek to deepen their knowledge of Christian social doctrine, regardless of religious confession, are invited to participate in the school. Age of participants is 18-40 years.

Summer School of Sacred Music: Cantor-Choir Director Training Program

The goal of the Program is to foster the renewal of liturgical singing in the Ukrainian Church by training qualified cantors and choir directors. This annual school invites individuals who are already serving as cantors or choir directors in their communities, as well as those who have musical skills but have never applied them to church music. The Cantor-Choir Director Training Program was created in 2008 by the Ukrainian Catholic University’s Institute of Liturgical Studies. The Summer Program takes place at the historic and beautiful Studite Monastery in Univ, forty-five minutes east of Lviv. Students are housed in the Monastery’s retreat center.

The program enables the students to become both a choir director and cantor, that is, a liturgical minister with all of the necessary skills and knowledge to lead both a choir as well as the entire assembly in the liturgical responses. The program also provides students with the ability to see the ministry of church singing within its proper theological and spiritual context. The goal, then, is to restore the ministry of cantor/choir director to one of leadership within the Christian community.

Summer Philosophy School

The annual Summer Philosophy School is organized by the Department of Philosophy together with International Institute of Ethics and Contemporary Issues of Ukrainian Catholic University. It attracts intelligent, energetic, and highly motivated and morally sensitive young people (predominantly graduate students) from all over Ukraine and abroad. The main themes which are explored in depth with the participants are the issues of compassion, forgiveness, solidarity, courage, responsible citizenship, virtues, sacrifice, moral principles and values in the Ukrainian and the global context:

Moral Foundation of Responsible Citizenship: Action, Fear, and Courage
Compassion, Forgiveness, Solidarity: Universal Virtues in the Globalized Era
Forgiveness, Solidarity, Civic Responsibility: the Ukrainian Context
Society of equal opportunities and different worldviews: in the search of balance

The School participants have seminars and discussions with the summer school faculty, who come from Poland, Czech, USA, Lebanon, and Ukraine.