American University Kyiv Launches Inaugural Year

The American University Kyiv (AUK) opened for its inaugural year yesterday in collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU). More than 150 students are enrolled on to five new degree programs, including a Bachelor of Science in business administration, a bachelor and master of science in global management, and a bachelor and master of science in software engineering.

AUK is the first university in Ukraine founded fully on U.S. higher education standards, giving its students access to ASU’s curriculum, exchange programs and dual degrees from both AUK and ASU.

Due to the war in Ukraine, the fall 2022 semester is being offered online using the Canvas Learning Management System – a cloud-based platform for online learning and teaching. It is top rated within higher education institutions in the U.S., allowing students the opportunity to pursue their education from anywhere in the world. Online access is especially beneficial for those students who have had to move abroad as a result of the war. AUK plans to launch in-person teaching at its flagship Kyiv RiverPort campus once it has deemed the situation entirely safe.

“We are happy that AUK has finally begun preparing future professional leaders who will rebuild Ukraine and turn it into an undeniable regional leader,” said Dr. Rick Shangraw, AUK’s founding president. “We look forward to starting our in-person classes. However, given the current situation in Ukraine, we believe [that online] is the safest and most effective way to begin providing a quality education for our students.”

According to Dr. Roman Sheremeta, AUK’s founding rector: “We were highly impressed with the caliber of AUK’s applicants, as well as their commitment to learn, innovate, and make a positive impact in Ukraine.”

All AUK students are highly proficient in the English language, while 20 percent of bachelor students passed National Multidisciplinary Testing (NMT) with over 190 points.  The admission process requires applicants to meet all Ukrainian state requirements and demonstrate high-leadership potential, as well as a commitment to the program.

According to AUK, all admitted students during the fall of 2022 received guaranteed wartime scholarships, which covered 75 percent of their undergraduate costs for two academic years and 60 percent of their graduate costs for one academic year.