Looking back to move forward

As one of the inaugural activities organized under the newly formed Universities for North East England collaboration, this event reaffirmed the deep commitment of the North-East university community to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and support its higher education sector during these challenging times.

The delegates were welcomed by Professor Chris Whitehead, interim PVC for Global at Newcastle University, who underscored the power of international collaboration before inspiring talks delivered by Sandra Morley from Universities UK International (UUKi) and Charles Cormack, Cormack Consultancy Group, both of whom have been instrumental in leading the UK-Ukraine R&I twinning initiative across the sector. CARA fellows from across universities in the North East were also in attendance, further strengthening international academic ties.

Professor Chris Whitehead commented: “At a time when global challenges continue to unsettle higher education and the world at large, our commitment to international collaboration remains steadfast. Our partnership with NUWEE is a powerful example of what can be achieved when institutions unite with shared purpose and commitment. As we continue to strengthen these partnerships, we reaffirm our dedication to education, research, and global solidarity”.

The event showcased the diverse range of collaborative projects that have taken place over the last three years and underscored the positive long-term impact these initiatives have had on participants. Twinned with The National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (NUWEE), Newcastle University has successfully supported student exchange, peer assisted language learning and two successful summer symposiums to facilitate training for Ukrainian academics across this period.

Professor Viktor Moshynskyi, Rector of NUWEE, stressed the transformative potential of these collaborations, emphasizing that such partnerships are essential for building resilient academic communities in the face of adversity. “Our joint efforts not only support immediate academic needs but also pave the way for long-term growth and stability in higher education”, he noted.

Newcastle University has recently joined the academic mentorship scheme run by Science for Ukraine UK volunteers.  The scheme has been designed as a swift support mechanism for Ukrainian university colleagues whose professional lives have been disrupted by the conflict and is active within the UK’s Higher Education Humanitarian Group.

Newcastle University colleagues who would like more information on becoming a mentor are encouraged to explore the website. For further details and to get involved in the twinning partnership, please contact: ukraine_twinning@ncl.ac.uk.