The first blind Ukrainian to be awarded the degree of Doctor of Psychology

2015-12-30
Yuliya Demianova
On behalf of the editorial board of ‘Topical Issues of Pedagogy, Psychology and Professional Education’, I extend our sincerest congratulations to Yevheniy Klopota, the head of the editorial board of the journal, on having been awarded the degree of Doctor of Psychology. His doctoral thesis ‘Psychological bases of integration into society of persons with visual impairments’ is current and relevant from the theoretical and practical viewpoint in the context of social inclusion of the disabled that is being emphasized increasingly in Ukraine and beyond. The major contribution of the thesis especially consists in allowing solution to the issues of improving social lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. People with visual impairments, as the author himself states, must be able to participate in society to the largest extent possible.Yevheniy Klopota, who lost his eyesight at the age of 6, has never let his disability slow him down and convincingly demonstrated that blindness would never prevent people from achieving success in life.
In 1994 Yevheniy finished V.G. Korolenko Regional School for Blind Children, city of Kharkiv.
In 2000 he graduated from Zaporizhzhia State University and earned Master’s degree in psychology. In 2004 he defended his PhD thesis ‘Peculiarities of formation of self-image in individuals with visual impairments’ at V.N. Karazin National University of Kharkiv.
Since 2005 he has been working on the issues of integrating people with visual impairments in society.
Yevheniy started his professional career as a psychologist-consultant at Zaporizhzhia Regional Center of Social Services for Youth (1996-1999). In 2004 he worked as a junior researcher of the Department of Practical Psychology at Zaporizhzhia National University, then as a senior lecturer of the Department of Correctional Pedagogy and Adaptive Physical Education. Since 2006 till the present time Yevheniy Klopota has been working as an associate professor of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of Educational Activities at Zaporizhzhia National University. For his outstanding accomplishments, he was awarded the honorary title of Honoured Worker of Education of Ukraine.
Yevheniy Klopota is highly respected among his students and colleagues and truly is a teacher at the highest level of achievement. And we, his colleagues and friends, are extremely proud of the immense work he has done. Let me, therefore, convey our warmest congratulations to Yevheniy Klopota on this truly important event in his life – on having been awarded the honorary title of Doctor of Psychology.