Education and Research Institute of Philosophy, Cultural Studies, and Political Science
History
The Education and Research Institute of Philosophy, Cultural Studies, and Political Science was established in July 2025 as a result of optimizing the structure of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, particularly the activities of the School of Philosophy, which was founded at the university in 2001.
Structure of the Institute
The Institute consists of four departments: the Department of Theoretical and Practical Philosophy named after Professor J. B. Schad, the Department of Theory of Culture and Philosophy of Science, the Department of Ukrainian Studies, and the Department of Political Science.
Academic Activities
The Institute provides training for higher education applicants at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels in three specialities: Philosophy (full-time and part-time study), Cultural Studies (full-time and part-time study), and Political Science (Bachelor’s – full-time and part-time; Master’s – full-time).
The Institute also offers training at the third (educational and scientific) level of higher education (PhD/doctoral studies) in Philosophy and Political Science.
The professional level of the teaching staff across all departments ensures not only the training of highly qualified specialists in the relevant fields, but also high-quality teaching of social sciences and humanities disciplines for students of all schools and institutes of the University.
Graduates of the Institute work as lecturers in philosophy, cultural studies, and political science disciplines at higher education institutions of I–IV accreditation levels, as well as in gymnasiums, lyceums, and colleges. They are also employed as public officials, consultants, and experts in non-governmental organizations.
Research Activities
The Institute maintains an active and productive research environment. Each year, the academic staff publish 10 specialized journals and more than 200 research articles, and organize and hold around 10 conferences. The Student Scientific Society operates actively, within which thematic meetings of philosophical, cultural, and political science sections are regularly held.
A long-standing tradition is the International Scientific Conference of Students and Postgraduates “Kharkiv Student Philosophical Readings.” The best students have the opportunity to participate in international scientific conferences, competitions, and academic Olympiads, as well as to publish the results of their research in professional academic journals.
The Institute pays considerable attention to working with prospective applicants. Each year, it hosts a research competition for members of the Junior Academy of Sciences (sections “Philosophy” and “Religious Studies”). Another established tradition is the All-Ukrainian philosophical, historical, and local history conference for school students “Know Yourself, Your Family, Your Nation.”
The Education and Research Institute of Philosophy, Cultural Studies, and Political Science cooperates with numerous institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, universities, and non-governmental organizations both in Ukraine and abroad.
Director
Ivan Vasylovych Karpenko
Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor
Email:
i.v.karpenko@karazin.ua
Dean’s Office
Phone: +380 (68) 790-16-63
Email: philosophy@karazin.ua
Address: 6 Svobody Square, North Building, Room 249, Kharkiv, 61022, Ukraine