General Info

Oriental Studies were identified as one of the priority research areas by the first Charter of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences that was established on November 27, 1918. Ukrainian Research Institute of Oriental Studies was founded in 1930. This first Ukrainian academic center of Oriental Studies was, however, short-lived as in 1931-1933 many orientalists became victims of political repressions.

The proclamation of the Ukrainian independence in 1991 marked the beginning of the revival for the Oriental Studies. On October 22, 1991 Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine adopted a resolution on the establishment of A. Krymsky Institute of Oriental Studies. Prominent Ukrainian Orientalist Ahatanhel Krymsky was one of the founders of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (UAS). During the first ten years since the establishment of the Academy A. Krymsky also served as its permanent secretary.

Today, the Institute of Oriental Studies conducts research on languages, literature, history, philosophy, religion, culture and socio-political development of countries and regions of the Near, Middle and Far East, as well as history and culture of peoples of Asian descent on the territory of modern Ukraine.