On February 27, at Lviv Polytechnic there was a solemn ceremony of awarding the Doctor Honoris Causa diploma to Taras Kytsmey, co-founder and member of the Board of Directors of the SoftServe company, which is the largest in Ukraine and one of the largest companies in this field in Eastern Europe and well-known throughout the world.
The event began with a minute of silence in honour of the fallen defenders.
Taras Kytsmey’s achievements were presented by Professor Liliia Zhuk, Vice-Rector for Education and Strategic Development
– People, who know how to see beyond, create tomorrow... Such a person is Taras Kytsmey – co-founder and member of the Board of Directors of SoftServe, which has over 30 years of experience in consulting services and work in the field of digital technologies. The company, which is the largest service company in Ukraine and one of the largest such companies in Eastern Europe, is a well-known technology company in the world¸ – emphasized Liliya Zhuk and added: – The success of the company, its development and entry into the global market have proven the effectiveness of its fundamental principles: quality and innovation of solutions, flexibility and adaptability, customer orientation, strategic thinking, effective management and team spirit. At the same time, the values that became the basis of the company’s philosophy are Humanity, Ideas, Mastery, Mutual Responsibility, and Improvement. Taras Kytsmey professes and embodies such values, demonstrating openness to new ideas, an extraordinary ability to explain complicated things in a simple way, responsibility for people and the ability to lead them, cheering for the cause, and concerning for the fate of Ukraine, especially now, in this difficult time. His example inspires and motivates...
It should be emphasized that Taras Kytsmey is a member of the Association Board of the Information Technologies of Ukraine – the largest National Association of IT ompanies, which represents the interests of more than 80,000 IT specialists. Three times – in 2011, 2016 and 2020 – Mr. Kytsmey headed the IT Ukraine Association. Since 2018, he has been working as the Board member of the European Business Association.
Together with the SoftServe company, Taras Kytsmey is a long-time friend and partner of Lviv Polytechnic. With his assistance, numerous projects have been implemented at our University, including:
development of educational programs, in particular with elements of dual education, which SoftServe employees actively participate in, teaching and providing mentoring support to students;
creation of modern laboratories; among such projects there is the opening of one of the first multimedia classrooms with modern equipment at our University in 2015;
financial support for international accreditation of educational programs.
In 2021, Taras Kytsmey entered the list of the hundred most influential Ukrainians according to Forbes magazine.
– The full-scale war for Taras Kytsmey and his team became the impetus to find operational and effective solutions not to only save the company, but also to support those who defend our country and fight against the enemy. Thus, at the end of August 2023, with the active participation of Taras Kytsmey, the SoftServe company and the Open Eyes Charitable Foundation, together with the Superhumans Rehabilitation Center, they launched an American-Ukrainian mission on limb prosthetics, as well as highly qualified training of the medical corps of Ukrainian prosthetists and rehabilitation specialists, added Liliia Zhuk.
In general, the SoftServe’s Open Eyes Charitable Foundation has been supporting Ukraine and Ukrainians since its inception in 2014, and since the full-scale Russian invasion it has focused on helping our fight for freedom. With a network of volunteers and hubs in different countries, since February 2022, the foundation has collected almost 12.5 million dollars and provided assistance with cars, various devices, protective equipment, etc.
Taking into account the great contribution of Taras Kytsmey to the development of entrepreneurship and his dedication to national interests, this year he was invited to join the President’s of Ukraine Advisory Board – the Council for Entrepreneurship Support in the Conditions of Martial Law.
Taking into account the significant contribution to the development of Lviv Polytechnic, the SoftServe company was recognized as the Lviv Polytechnic Benefactor of the Year in the Legal Entity category for two years in a row – in 2021 and 2022.
