Scholarly Institute of Ecclesiastical Law, State and Church Relations

The Scholarly Institute of Ecclesiastical Law, State and Church Relations (hereinafter referred to as Institute) is a structural scientific department of the State University “Uzhhorod National University”. The Institute was founded according to the Order № 263 / 01-03 from December 30^th 2013 of the Rector of the State University “Uzhhorod National University” and was approved by the decision of the Academic Council of the University on January 23, 2014 (protocol № 5-2013/2014).

The Institute is a scientific non-profit organization founded in the form of a structural department of the University without the right of a legal entity.

Ecclesiastical Law (State Ecclesiastical Law) – is a complex legal institution that includes legal norms established by national legislation, international and European laws that regulate the legal status of churches and religious organizations in the state and state-church relations in general. As components of legal status, Ecclesiastical Law regulates the processes of registration of religious organizations, their rights and conditions of activity, educational and charitable, publishing and cultural and educational activities. The sphere of regulation of Ecclesiastical Law includes property rights and contractual relations of religious organizations, taxation, financing, monetary relations, criminal and administrative offenses in the sphere of freedom of conscience, collisional aspects of law enforcement in the sphere of freedom of conscience.

Prof. DDr. Oleksandr Bilash, J.C.L., LL.M., Professor of the Department of Administrative, Financial and Informative Law, Vice-Dean for International Relations of the Faculty of Law in 2014-2023 at State University “Uzhhorod National University”, permanent Visiting Professor at Charles University in Prague, holds a position of Director of the Institute since its creation.

Besides organizing and conducting fundamental and applied scientific research in the field of state ecclesiastical law and state-church relations, according to the Regulations on the Scholarly Institute of Ecclesiastical Law, State and Church Relations of the State University “Uzhhorod National University”, the Institute independently:

- draws up approves and implements plans for scientific and research works, resolves the issue of their material, technical and financial support;

- organizes, conducts and participates in contests of scientific works and, based on the results of the contests, ensures the implementation of relevant research;

- holds a competitive selection for filling vacant positions of heads of structural departments of the Institute and academic staff, certifies employees of the Institute;

- disseminates information about its activities, promotes the results of scientific research through mass media;

- organizes, conducts and participates in scientific conferences, seminars, symposiums, "round tables", exhibitions, creative competitions, including international ones;

- participates in the work of unions and other associations, including international ones;

- resolves the aspects of joining unions, associations and other forms of joint activity with organizations, including foreign ones;

- uses the results of scientific research to conduct legislative and other examinations;

- carries out publishing activities: publishes the results of scientific research, collections of scientific works, publishes materials of scientific and practical conferences, seminars, "round tables", scientific reports, monographs, other scientific works reflecting the activities of the Institute and distributes them;

- provides legal services in accordance with the procedure established by current legislation; provides consultations on legal issues; conducts scientific examinations of current legislation, draft laws and other legal acts;

- develops an informational basis on aspects of state ecclesiastical law with further provision of information in accordance with the procedure established by current legislation;

- establishes international relations and concludes agreements;

- exchanges publications and other types of information with scientific institutions, higher educational institutions, information centers, libraries, and other organizations in Ukraine and abroad.