“Future Belongs to Strong, Internationalized Universities”, MSU’s Experience Highlighted at World Congress

From July 21 to 25, the United Kingdom hosted the World Congress of the International Council for Central and East European Studies. This year's theme was "Victory through Transformation: Global Partnership and the Reconstruction of Ukraine."  

The congress brought together leaders and policymakers from Ukraine and the UK for an important discussion on how partnerships between universities contribute to resilience, reform, and the renewal of Ukrainian higher education. Deputy Minister of Education and Science Mykhailo Vynnytskyi, Presidential Adviser and Commissioner on the President’s Fund for Support of Education, Science and Sports Olha Budnyk, and Rector of Mariupol State University Mykola Trofymenko were the attendees of the international event in London. 

The first roundtable panel focused on the UK-Ukraine Twinning Initiative, which has evolved from an initial act of solidarity into a strong and lasting strategic partnership. The institutional development, internationalization, and post-war reconstruction of Ukraine were discussed, alongside the Ukrainian delegation, by Charles Cormack, founder and head of Cormack Consultancy Group, and Sally Mapstone, Rector of the University of St Andrews. 

The head of the invincible university shared MSU’s experience, whose community has been strengthening and expanding its partnership with the University of Hull for over three years. The Twinning initiative also enabled participation in a key mission to promote English language learning among Ukrainians through the English4Ukraine project. 

During the second panel meeting, participants discussed strategic aspects of internationalization, higher education reforms, and the role of universities in Ukraine’s recovery and development. Meaningful topics included the shift in educational priorities due to the full-scale war, global support for the academic and institutional resilience of Ukrainian universities, and policies for ensuring long-term international partnerships. 

The war has drastically changed the priorities of Ukrainian higher education. International engagement and integration are no longer optional, they are vital for the development and survival of universities. Collaboration with foreign partners not only helps us overcome the crisis but also shapes the vision of post-war reconstruction. The future belongs to strong, internationalized Ukrainian universities, they will undoubtedly play a crucial role in Ukraine’s Victory and recovery,

– says MSU Rector Mykola Trofymenkо.