The ATHENA European University Alliance is advancing Collaboration with Ukrainian Universities. A recently hosted meeting with ATHENA partners in Ukraine underscored ATHENA’s commitment to fostering educational and research collaborations in light of current challenges faced by Ukrainian institutions.
The meeting is accelerating the collaborative action with Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and Lviv Polytechnic National University. The Ukrainian partners provided valuable insights into their immediate needs and long-term goals, emphasizing the importance of short-term physical mobility, project activities and virtual collaboration actions due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
Key Initiatives and Opportunities
ATHENA showcased a range of initiatives aimed at enhancing educational and research opportunities for Ukrainian universities. These include:
- Educational Programs: Joint Erasmus+ projects, virtual courses, and scholarships for both short-term mobility and full-time studies.
- Research Collaborations: Grants for researchers, employment opportunities, and joint publications.
- Special Programs and Support: ATHENA Talks, humanitarian and social support programs, and the upcoming Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Research at Risk 2024, designed to support researchers at risk across the EU.
Collaborative Prospects
The Ukrainian representatives expressed their gratitude for ATHENA’s support and identified several key areas for collaboration:
- Academic Mobility: Prioritizing short-term mobility for academic staff and students.
- Joint Projects: Engaging in joint Erasmus+ projects and other scientific activities.
- Language Courses: Introducing online language courses to enhance communication and collaboration.
- Blended Mobility Courses: Participation in initiatives like the 14th Edition of the BlendEd course, which combines short-term physical mobility with remote teamwork.
- Upcoming Online Master Courses: Opportunities for collaboration in newly launched online Master programs.
Moving Forward
The Ukrainian partners expressed a strong mutual agreement on the value of these partnerships.
For the near future plans, the representatives of the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute are planning to join the upcoming ATHENA Steering Committee meeting at the University of Orleans on July 11-12, and the final meeting of the BlendEd 2024 edition at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University on June 17-21.
These developments mark a significant step in ATHENA’s mission to create a connected and inclusive European higher education space, fostering innovation and excellence across diverse regions.
