Second Ukrainian university to link up with super supportive Leicester
The University of Leicester is poised to formally link up with a second Ukrainian university as it ramps up its support for those affected by the year-long war in the Eastern European country.
Since the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, students and staff in Leicester have pulled out the stops to help their Ukrainian counterparts.
Staff and students leapt into action to fundraise or help, perhaps none more so than Chris Trafford, who travelled to the Ukrainian border to deliver supplies and support to fleeing refugees.
Other University colleagues stepped forward to host refugees in their homes.
Meanwhile, the University itself has also launched a raft of practical help – and more is to come.
Two British Academy-funded Researchers-at-Risk are in Leicester on two year fellowships – read the story of one, Inesa Kostenko.
A successful twinning with Kremenchuk Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi National University (KrNU) will be followed by a second twinning in the war-torn country.
In April, Leicester will sign a twinning agreement with Poltava Agrarian State University (PASU).
University Registrar and Secretary, Geoff Green, said: “It is important that we stand with the Ukrainian people against the Russian aggression; across the University, we are working hard to do what we can.
“The positive engagement of colleagues at KrNU and PASU and the resilience they have shown during such challenging and difficult times, is overwhelming. I would like to thank all my colleagues at Leicester for their support in these twinning partnerships – colleagues from Ukraine tell me often how these discussions provide a beacon of light during what are otherwise dark times.”
KrNU is in central Ukraine, some 160 miles behind the frontline. The city of Kremenchuk has been devastated by heavy missile and drone bombardments targeting its power generation facilities. In December, Leicester signed a memorandum of understanding with KrNU to collaborate in areas of education and research over a five year period, as part of the UUK Twinning Scheme. Support Leicester is providing includes:
- Hosting four students for a semester
- Clothing for students who have lost access to their support networks due to conflict casualties
- Online English language classes for staff and students
- Access to digital library resources
- Designing and equipping a teaching facility for students without electricity to continue their studies
- Materials and guidance for first aid training
- Training for practitioners on the psychological trauma and impact of war, particularly on young people and children
- Submitted a collaborative research funding bid in the field of aerospace engineering to UKRI.
PASU is a similar distance to KrNU from the frontline, and ahead of an official memorandum of understanding being signed in March, Leicester has put the following support in place: plan a similar signing ceremony with them in March, but that has not stopped support being put in place, including:
- Submitted a collaborative research funding bid in the field of food supply chains to UKRI
- Sending English language materials to equip its international teaching centre
- Online English language classes for staff and students
- Discussions around possible dual degree programmes at postgraduate level
- PSAU academics providing online seminar classes for Leicester School of Law students, to provide a different perspective on European law.