The University of Liverpool and Sumy State University have twinned to share resources, learning and ideas during the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
This long-term twinning partnership will provide vital support in the short term, so students can continue their studies, and researchers can carry on with their research. In the longer term, this collaboration will help Sumy State University to rebuild their campus and play an important role in the rebuilding of Ukraine.
So far, the twinning partnership between the two institutions has made a real difference to students, researchers and local communities. The sharing of ideas and resources has included:
- Providing an extensive database of online learning materials from across all three faculties for Sumy State University staff and students to access through a purpose-built platform.
- Welcoming Ukrainian students to summer school, both on-campus and virtually.
- Support for Sumy’s cloud-based IT needs.
- Providing access to space and accommodation for Sumy State University academics able to travel to Liverpool, access to Liverpool staff development courses, and joint working between academics on journals and conferences.
- Supporting Sumy State University in communicating with applicants.
- Liverpool’s Human Anatomy Resource Centre (HARC) has worked with Primal Pictures to provide all Sumy State University medical-based students access to anatomy.tv, the market-leading, 3D digital human anatomy platform.
Professor Gavin Brown, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University of Liverpool said: “The University of Liverpool is proud to be twinned with Sumy State University. Our work together on numerous initiatives is already helping to make a difference. It was great to see Sumy State students graduate from our summer school and we look forward to welcoming more on to campus this autumn, alongside those studying online. Research links are also starting to be established and both universities look forward to a long and fruitful partnership together.”
Dr. Kostyantyn I. Kyrychenko, Rector’s Assistant for International Relations and Head of the International Affairs Department at Sumy State University said: “We appreciate the very valuable and large-scale support of University of Liverpool to our students and staff (many of whom were forced to escape from their home city), contribution to our strategic policies that have to be revised in the current situation and lead us to further sustainable development. Our cooperation is very practical, we from the very beginning have outlined the list of main challenges that our University faces and directed our joint efforts at targeting them. Apart from practical outcomes our twin partnership served as an incredibly strong psychological support and added greatly to our optimism, reinforcement and consolidation of our efforts to survive, struggle and further develop.”
The #TwinForHope campaign
Universities UK has today launched a new campaign, #TwinForHope, which showcases the impact that partnerships between UK and Ukrainian universities are having.
More about the twinning initiative
Since the start of the Russian invasion, over 95 professional pre-higher and higher education institutions have been damaged. At least nine have been destroyed. University teams and Students’ Unions have arranged mass evacuations. Some students and colleagues are now protecting their country on the frontline. Others are spread far and wide desperately trying to continue their research and studies.
More than 75 mutually beneficial twinning partnerships have already been formed between UK and Ukrainian universities. Colleagues from both the twin universities stay in regular contact via online meetings to build relationships, make plans for sustaining Ukrainian education during the war, and create relationships that will make a real difference.
Conversations so far have shown that Ukrainian universities feel supported and are excited about the benefits their partnerships will bring to their students and staff who are desperately fighting to keep education going. A wide range of organisations are providing Ukrainian universities with technology, resources and financial support to help them keep on operating and rebuild their campuses in the long term.
The twinning partnerships demonstrate university collaborations at their best. They show the power of education to unite, share hope and change people’s lives.
Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive, Universities UK, said: “I’m really proud of the way that the UK university sector has stepped up to play its part in the global response to enabling Ukrainian universities to get through this war and hopefully emerge stronger.”