Since its foundation, Polish language and literature have been taught at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. 1842, the Department of Slavic Philology was established, where Polish studies were also taught. At various times, M. Sosnovska and A. Shamrai provided normative courses in the Polish language and literature at the University. They educated and trained future renowned scholars and lecturers of Polish studies, including H. Verves, Yu. Bulakhovska, V. Viedina, S. Levinska, V. Krementulo, and others. In the 1970s and 1980s, a new generation of scholars entered Ukrainian Polish studies: Academician of NASU, Professor R. Radyshevskyi, Professor T. Chernysh, and Associate Professor M. Smolina. A significant milestone in the history of Polish studies at the University was the introduction of the annual enrollment of students in the specialization “Polish Language and Literature” starting in 1994.
In 2000, the first Department of Polonistics in Ukraine was established at the Faculty of Philology of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. The department was headed by the corresponding member of NASU, Professor R. Radyshevskyi, and the academic staff included professors from the Department of Slavic Philology specializing in Polish studies.
Today, the Department of Polonistics department serves as the graduating unit, offering two educational programs: “Polish Language and Literature, English and Lithuanian Languages” at the first academic level (bachelor’s degree) and “Slavic Studies of Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans: Theoretical and Applied Studies: Polish and Ukrainian Languages and Literatures” at the second educational level (master’s degree).
During the 25 years of the Department of Polonistics, it has been headed by an Academician of the NASU, Prof. R. Radyshevskyi, and the lecturers are currently: DSc, Prof. M. Bratska, PhDs, Associate Professors N. Demyanenko, T. Khaider, PhD, Assistant Professor B. Honcharenko. In 2020, a lecturer of the Lithuanian language, Doctor of Sciences, Professor I. Korolyov, joined the department. In 2024, a lecturer of Lithuanian language and translator, PhD, Assistant Professor A. Taranenko, joined the department.
At various times, the department also had the following staff: professors, doctors of sciences (T. Chernysh); associate professors, PhDs (M. Kalamazh, L. Nepop-Aidachych, H. Sviatovets, N. Sydiachenko, S. Yakovenko); assistants, PhDs (S. Baidatska, T. Dovzhok, V. Zakharov, T. Chuzha, S. Yamborko); assistants (M. Kosytska, O. Patseievska); foreign lecturers (A. Bratski, E. Kovalievski, A. Dunai, K. Dzierzhavin).
For over 25 years, the Department of Polonistics has been conducting scientific work, which includes training highly qualified scientific staff (PhDs and Doctors of Philology), organizing conferences, and publishing collections of scientific papers. Since 1999, the annual collection “Kyiv Studies” has been regularly published (40 volumes have been published).
The department has organized 15 international scientific conferences, including: “The European Dimension of Ukrainian Polish Studies” (2006), “Polish-Ukrainian Bulletin: The European Tradition of Cultural Dialogue” (2010), “Tradition – modernity at the Border: Literature, Education, History” (2015), “Ivan Franko and Polish Culture” (2016), “Ukrainian and Polish Political Emigration of the 20th Century: Traditions – Personalities – Ideas – Rhetoric” (2018), “Scientific Cooperation between Ukrainian and Polish Humanists: History – Ideas – Projects” (2019).
The department initiated a series of translated bilingual texts (in Polish and Ukrainian), which included the following collections: “Poems” by J. Słowacki (1999), “Poems” by J. Iwaszkiewicz (2000), “The Chimes of the Polish Lute” (2002), “Polish Romantics of the ‘Ukrainian School’: Antoni Malczewski, Seweryn Goszczyński, Józef-Bogdan Zaleski” (2008), “Selected Works” by T. Padura (2012), “Works in Two Volumes. Volume 1. Selected Poems in Ukrainian” by L. Węgliński (2011), “Poems. Lyrics. Satire” by V. Vysotsky (2012), “Moscow – Poland. Diary” by A. Kozhenevskyi (2015), “Spring Dreams: Selected Poems” by B. Leśmian (2019), and “Nine Muses: Selected Poems” by L. f (in 2 books, 2019).
The scientific works of the department’s faculty cover various areas of Polish studies, such as literary history, theory and comparative studies, cultural studies, ethnolinguistics, phraseology, etc.
On May 19, 2003, the Polish Center was opened at the department to organise educational events, support and conduct research in the Polish language, literature, history, and culture, and promote the Polish language and cultural heritage in Ukraine. Within the Center’s activities framework, open lectures were held by leading Polish scholars – Prof. D. Ulitska, Prof. R. Nych, Prof. W. Valetskyi, Prof. A. Fiut, Prof. M.-P. Markovskyi, Prof. J. Lavskyi, Adm. S. Zaionts, Prof. S. Uliash, Prof. M. Skvar, Prof. J. Poraiskyi-Pomsta, Academician. U. Makovska, prof. M. Troshynskyi, prof. D. Sosnovska, Academician. A. Novatskyi and others. The Polish Center has a library with more than 10,000 books.
With the assistance of the Rector of the University, the Vice-Rector for International Relations, and the Director of the Institute of Philology, the Department of Polonistics has concluded several international cooperation agreements with the Universities of Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Lublin, Rzeszow, Silesia, the University of Bialystok, the Polonium Acay in Czestochowa, and others throughout its 20-year existence. The department also collaborates with Polish foundations such as “Freedom and Democracy” and “Aid to Poles in the East” in organizing educational and cultural events in Polish studies