The Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv is the leading centre of training specialists in international relations and foreign policy of Ukraine. Currently, the Institute gives training to more than 2,500 students, post-graduate students and trainees. About 350 of them are foreigners from over 50 nations of the world, and over 500 students are trained to get a second extra-mural degree.

The Institute was founded in October 1944. The foundation of this department at the University was necessitated by such factors as Ukraine's emergence on the international arena and the shaping of the post-war system of international relations under the auspices of the United Nations. Initially, it was the Faculty of International Relations. Through the first decade it trained 300 specialists in international relations who made up the backbone of the Ukrainian diplomatic corps and created Ukrainian schools of thought in the field of international relations and international law. Since 1955 specialists in international relations and international law were trained at the Faculty of History and Philosophy and the Faculty of Law respectively. In 1971 the training of such specialists was continued within the Faculty of International Relations and International Law.

The Faculty of International Relations and International Law, which subsequently was transformed into the Institute, has trained over 10,000 specialists, both Ukrainian citizens and nationals of more than 90 countries of the world.

Among the Institute alumni are Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine V. Kravetz, V. Martynenko, H. Udovenko, B. Tarassyuk, V. Ohryzko, P. Poroshenko; Minister of Economy of Ukraine S. Terionkhin; Minister for Foreign Economic Ties and Trade of Ukraine S. Ossyka; Minister of Justice S. Holovaty; Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources S. Kurykin; Head of the Secutiry Service of Ukraine V. Nalyvaichenko, First Aide to the President of Ukraine O. Rozumkov; Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee V. Herashchenko; Deputy Ministers A. Buteyko, M. Honchar, O. Gorin, V. Yelchenko, K. Yeliseyev, V. Ihnashchenko, O. Kupchyshyn, V. Lipatov, M. Makarevych, O. Motsyk,, B. Sobolev, V. Fedorchuk, V. Khandoguiy, I. Kharchenko, O. Chaly, O. Shamsur; Ambassadors of Ukraine to foreign states A. Buteiko (the USA, Romania), S. Borovyk (Algeria), V. Vasiliev (Nigeria, Benin) V. Vassylenko (Belgium, Great Britain), O. Gorin (Singapore), I. Humenny (Thailand), B. Humeniuk (Cyprus), R. Demchenko (Serbia), I. Dolgov (Belgium, Luxemberg), V. Kirdoda (Algeria), V. Kyryk (Croatia), V. Korzachenko (the Netherlands), Y. Kochubey (France), L. Kozhara (Sweden), Y. Kostenko (the PRC, Mongolia, the FRG, Japan), M. Kulinich (Japan, the Philippines), O. Kupchyshshyn (France), V. Lakomov (Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam), I. Lytvyn (Indonesia, the PRC), I. Loginov (Iran), I. Maidan (Iran), O. Maidannyk (Argentina, Finland, Israel), M. Makarevych (Austria, Estonia), O. Motsyk (Turkey, Poland), Y. Mushka (Canada), V. Ohryzko (Austria), A. Oliynyk (Serbia), M. Osnach (Rowing Ambassador),V. Pashchuk (Argentina, Cuba), V. Prymachenko (Yugoslavia, Iran, Slovenia), O. Rybak (Lybia), I. Sahach (Norway), I. Touriansky (the SAR), V. Khandoguiy (Canada, Belgium); I. Kharchenko (Romania, Great Britain); O. Tsvietkov (Norway), O. Shamshur (the USA, Antigua and Barbuda), O. Shevchenko (Malasia), A. Shcherba (Spain, Andorsa), V. Yelchenko (Russia); Consuls General of Ukraine S. Borovyk (Toronto), R. Demchenko (Istanbul), V. Korzachenko (Sidney), M. Kyrychenko (Toronto), V. Novosiolov (Bonn), O. Tzvietkov (Edinburgh),Y. Yarmilko (Bonn), Heads of the Permanent Mission to the United Nations V. Kravetz, V. Martynenko, H. Udovenko, V. Yelchenko, Head of the Ukrainian Mission to NATO I. Sahach; Rectors of the Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs B. Humenyuk and M. Kulinich; officers of Ukrainian missions to the United Nations, UNESCO and other international organizations.

The Institute graduates have been elected to the Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. They are I. Alekseyev, V. Butkevych, S. Holovaty, V. Horbal, L. Orobets, K. Zhevago, O. Zadorozhniy, V. Kapustin, R. Kniazevych, L. Kozhara, K. Kukikov, V. Lebedivsky, S. Matviyenko, S. Ossyka, V. Makeyenko, L. Pashkovsky, M. Pylypchuk, P. Poroshenko, Y. Polunieev, P. Ryabikin, B. Tarassiuk, L. Tashkovsky, S. Teryokhin, V. Tropin, H. Uodovenko, and E. Shyshkina.
The Institute graduates make up the bulk of the apparatus at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, work for other Ministries, Agencies and other Ukrainian organisations active on the international arena.

Many are the graduates who have devoted themselves to teaching and research. They are Professors O. M. Andreyeva, M. M. Bilousov, O. M. Biriukov, V. S. Bruz, V. S. Budkin, I. V. Burakovsky, V. H. Butkevych, O. V. Butkevych, S. P. Halaka, B. M. Honchar, B. I. Humeniuk, A. Dovhert, V. Zabihaylo, R. O. Zablotska, V. I. Kysil, A. F. Kizchenko, H. N. Klymko, V. V. Kopiyka, O. L. Kopylenko, V. Y. Krushynsky, V. P. Mazurenko, V. A. Manzhola, O. O. Merezhko, V. V. Mytsyk, V. I. Muraviov, V. Y. Novitsky, V. V. Pashchuk, I. S. Piliayev, I. I. Puzanov, M. M. Ryzhkov, V. R. Sydenko, G. M. Tsvetkov, A. M. Shlepakov, O. I. Shnyrkov, V. M. Yurkovsky and V. M. Yakushyk et al.

The Institute takes pride in its numerous graduates who are citizens of foreign countries, whose number is over 6 thousand. Many of them are outstanding statesmen, influential politicians, CEOs of major businesses and organizations, famous scholars. They are, inter alia, President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, President of the Senate of Nigeria Adolphus Ndaneweh Wabara, Vice-President of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguen Van Hieu, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Bulgaria to Ukraine Tsvetan Nochev, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Magerram oglu Mamediarov, Minister of Defence, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia Gela Bezhuashvili, Minister for Economic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan Geidar Aidyn oglu Babayev, Prime Minister of the Autonomous Republic of Adzharia Levan Varsholomidze, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Khalaf Ali oglu Khalifov, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Syrian Arab Republic Haled Zalitu, Minister-Counselor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana Frank Alabu Kwashi Poku, Minister-Envoy of the Kingdom of Morocco to Ukraine Koriash Dris, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Ukraine Grigol Katamadze, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Ukraine, First Deputy Minister for foreign Affairs of Georgia, Secretary General of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, GUAM Valery Chechelashvili, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to Ukraine Vasyl Grivna, Chairman of the Customs Committee of the Russian Federation Valeriy Draganov, Ambassador of the Republic of Bolivia Sobala Dore Patricia, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Deno Ebusi, Ambassador of Sierra-Leone Andrew Contex, Ambassador of the Hungarian Republic Ferenz Contra, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria Aliosha Nedelchev, Advisor to the President of Bulgaria on International Issues Zlatin Trypkov, Manager of the Programme of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria in Ukraine Todor Veliev et al.