Vyacheslav Bryukhovetsky, first president of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, has died

Founder and first president of Mohyla dies

Vyacheslav Bryukhovetsky died on 12 November at the age of 79. He was a renowned literary scholar, educator and journalist, one of the founders of the People's Movement of Ukraine, and a member of the "1 December" initiative group. He also held the position of first and honorary president of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

Bryukhovetsky's death was announced on the university's official Facebook page.

Contribution to independence and education

The institution emphasised that Vyacheslav Stepanovych belonged to the category of people who not only dreamed of an independent state but actively created it, demonstrating civic courage and a will to victory.

«В’ячеслав Степанович належав до тих людей, які не просто мріяли про незалежну Україну, а й творили її своєю громадянською мужністю та волею до перемоги. У 1991 році, коли Україна лише здобувала незалежність, він узявся за втілення ідеї, що багатьом здавалася нездійсненною: відродити Києво-Могилянську академію. Завдяки його невтомній праці, геніальній інтуїції та візії майбутнього української вищої освіти Могилянка стала одним із найуспішніших проєктів і символів незалежної України» (Vyacheslav Stepanovych belonged to those people who not only dreamed of an independent Ukraine but also created it with their civic courage and will to victory. In 1991, when Ukraine was only gaining independence, he took on the implementation of an idea that seemed unattainable to many: to revive the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Thanks to his tireless work, genius intuition and vision of the future of Ukrainian higher education, Mohyla became one of the most successful projects and symbols of independent Ukraine)

Biographical details and education

Vyacheslav Bryukhovetsky was born on 14 July 1947 in the city of Dzaudzhikau in North Ossetia. He began his educational career at the Faculty of Journalism of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. He later continued his studies in the postgraduate programme at the Oleksandr Kornychuk Kyiv State Institute of Culture.

Reaction of the academic community

University representatives stressed that the loss of Vyacheslav Bryukhovetsky is irreparable for the Mohyla community and all of Ukraine. At the same time, it was noted that his legacy continues to live on.

«Втрата В’ячеслава Брюховецького непоправна для могилянської спільноти й усієї України. Але справа його життя живе. Вона живе у відродженому ним університеті, у людях, яких він об’єднав і надихнув, у цінностях, які він відстоював, а також у майбутньому, заради якого він працював» (The loss of Vyacheslav Bryukhovetsky is irreparable for the Mohyla community and all of Ukraine. But the cause of his life lives on. It lives in the university he revived, in the people he united and inspired, in the values he upheld, and also in the future for which he worked)