Lytvyniuk
Liudmyla

dean of the Design faculty,
PhD, graphic designer,
associated professor

At the beginning of the 1960s, numerous design organizations were implanted 'from above' in the USSR. Thus, in 1962, according to the decision of the state, Kharkiv Art Institute was reorganized into Kharkiv Art and Industrial Institute, with new design speicalizations opened on the paltform of the Industrial Art faculty. Evolving of the design speicalization in the institute that previously had been training only artists, was complicated, even dramatic sometimes. In 1965, V. Bilyk, an innovative person, was appointed as the Deputy Rector and Head of the Art Engineering department. His innovations has shaped up the frame base for what will become norm in the methods of design education. But back then, in late 1960s, he faced total misunderstanding of his educational methods from the academic society – "the Bilyk's group case" was started. It was a true explosion in the atmosphere of the tough opposition: Bilyk was accused in formalism and fired. This precedent was logical, displaying the struggle between old and new tendencies in the artistic-industrial school of that time. In the same years, one of the outstanding representatives of Ukrainian and Soviet avant-garde worked at the department – V. Ermylov. His bright, yet short career at Kharkiv Art and Industrial Institute in 1960s is marked with a plaque. Specializations at that period were called "Art Engineering" and "Industrial graphics and package."

Speicalization and department of the art engineering was established 'from scratch.' All its lecturers had an architectural background. Gradually the pedagogic staff transformed, as engineers, technologists, ergonomists and the Kharkiv Art and Industrial institute's graduates were accepted to it. In 1975 the department was reorganized into two: "Art engineering" and "Engineer and technique disciplines."

Specialization of "Industrial graphics and package" was established during the same reorganization in 1963 from "Graphic arts" department. Training of the artists was paused for a short time and was partly renewed in 1975 as a section of the political placard, and in 1983 was fully reestablished as "Easel graphics" department.

In the April of 1989 the faculty of "Industrial art" was renamed into "Design;" it had three departments: Industrial design (Art Engineering in the past), Graphic design (Industrial graphics and package in the past), Graphics (Easel graphics in the past).

In 2000 a section of the computer design was opened on the base of the design department. In 20005, it became an independent department, called "Design of interactive medias of visual communication." This was, since 2000, after numerous reorganizations, the faculty of design trains Bachelors, Specialists and Masters in the following three specializations: "Industrial design," "Graphic design," "Multimedia design."

Since the beginning of its existence, the faculty was headed by: Professor Solodovnyk (1967), senior lecturer V. Sitnykov (1975), associated professor E. Ragulyn (1981), Professor V. Lesnyak (1986), associated professor V. Yelkov (1991), associated professor T. Kostenko (2003), Professor O. Sobolev (2011), associated professor N. Sbitneva (2014). The structure of the faculty includes 6 departments: three graduating departments – design, graphic design, multimedia design; and three service departments – engineering and technical desciplines, social and humanitarian disciplines and department of physical education.

The departments have 13 training laboratories, methodical cabinet, informational centers, 3 computer classes (34 working places each) that have the equipment required for the educational process according to the specializations, a gym, etc. 62 stuff lecturers work on the faculty, including 2 Doctors of Science, 8 Professors, 25 PhDs, 30 associated professors, 5 Honored Art Workers of Ukraine, 1 Honored Master of Sport, 4 corresponding members of the Academy of Science of Ukraine, 1 corresponding member of the Academy of Pedagogic Science of Ukraine.

Around 420 students study at the faculty on the full-time bases. During the years of its existence, the faculty of Design has prepared of 2000 specialists, among whom over 58 obtained MA degree.