On November 14, 2024, a cognitive open lesson by the senior lecturer of the Department of Ethnology and Archaeology, Ihor Tarasovych Kochkin, “Archaeology is not just a science, it is a mission” was held for high school students of two secondary education institutions in Ivano-Frankivsk – the Vyacheslav Chornovil Lyceum and the Lyceum No. 21. More than 50 participants attended the lesson. The organizer of the event was Bohdan Paska, who is responsible for conducting career guidance work at the faculty and a leading specialist at the Institute of History, Ethnology and Archaeology of the Carpathians.
Dean Ihor Hurak spoke to potential applicants to the Faculty of History, Political Science and International Relations, who spoke about the long history and traditions of the faculty, as well as the prospects for study and employment after receiving diplomas in the faculty’s specialties. Individual teachers introduced students to the advantages of studying in specific specialties: Prof. Raykivskyi I.Ya., Assoc. Prof. Korolko A.Z. and Paska B.V. spoke about the specialty “Secondary Education (History and Civic Education)”, Assoc. Prof. Debenko V.Z. – about the specialty “History and Archaeology”, Assoc. Prof. Havrylyshyn P.M. – about the specialty “International Relations, Public Communications and Regional Studies”, Assoc. Prof. Berezovska-Chmil O.B. – about the specialties “Political Science” and “Political Science. National Security”, Assoc. Prof. Sernyak I.I. – about the specialties “International Economic Relations” and “International Business Management”.
During the lesson, Ihor Kochkin spoke about the features of archaeology as a science, about his experience of conducting archaeological excavations, the main archaeological cultures discovered in Ukraine. The students were introduced to the specifics of the work of archaeologists and methods of researching the ancient past through the prism of analyzing found artifacts and treasures. The teacher also conducted an interesting and informative excursion for high school students to the Museum of Archaeology of the Carpathian Region, during which the guests of the faculty could be acquainted with various artifacts discovered by students during archaeological practice.