On 28-29 February, a kick-off meeting of the 'Promoting Academic Freedom in Ukraine' project was held at Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz.
The grant is implemented by a consortium of eight entities from Austria, Greece, Poland, Ukraine and Italy. These are Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (leader) and the European Centre for Studies and Initiatives (CESIE), Taras Shevchenko the National University of Kyiv, KMOP, International Humanitarian University of Odesa, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Sumy State University, World University Service Austria.
Within the framework of the project, AMU is represented by the employees of the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism.
On behalf of the Faculty, the inaugural meeting was attended by Prof. Anna Potyrała, Prof. Bartosz Hordecki and Prof. Jędrzej Skrzypczak.
The grant is dedicated to offsetting the harmful effects associated with the decline of talented researchers and academic educators in Ukraine after 24 February 2022. In addition, it seeks to strengthen institutional cooperation between Ukrainian and EU universities.
The partners intend to promote the academic freedom of scholars, students and Ukrainian universities, articulated in
- conducting high-quality research,
- continuation of teaching in conditions conducive to effective learning,
- broad access to attractive educational programmes,
- increasing opportunities to disseminate research results.
The programme grant envisages support for the redevelopment of the Ukrainian higher education sector. In this context, the following tasks are included
- reconstructing links and communication between academic institutions in Ukraine and their employees having emigrated to EU countries;
- strengthening the educational capacity of Ukrainian universities by identifying and reducing educational gaps created by the war;
- supporting Ukrainian academics in the implementation of research and the dissemination of its results;
- undertaking work on a strategy to rebuild the educational system in Ukraine after the war with Russia.
Activities to be undertaken in the project foresee, among others:
- Leading a study on gaps in the educational offer of Ukrainian universities involved in the grant;
- Launching a study presenting the fate and current situation of employees of selected Ukrainian universities who left Ukraine after 24 February 2022;
- Holding a summer school for doctoral students and postgraduates from Ukraine on issues related to the conceptualisation and promotion of academic freedom in Ukraine;
- Creating a strategy for the promotion of academic freedom in Ukrainian universities after the war with Russia.
The project is implemented within the framework of the Erasmus+ Cooperation partnerships in higher education programme (KA220-HED). It will end in November 2026.
Source & photo: AMU Faculty of Social Sciences and Journalism
