EU Determined to Support Ukrainian Students & Educators

The European Union (EU) has once again emphasized its commitment to support Ukrainian students, young people, teachers, and educators during these tough times.

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, has announced some measures to support Ukrainian youngsters, students, and educators, Erudera.com reports.

“We, the European Union, stand by Ukraine and its people. Thanks to our Erasmus+ students’ exchanges and the European Solidarity Corps volunteers, we have been promoting understanding and solidarity among people from all countries and all backgrounds,” Gabriel said in a statement published on European Commission’s website.

According to the statement, young Ukrainians have constantly worked for a better future, which is now in danger.

Commissioner said that the EU is determined to help Ukrainian students and educators with the following measures:

• Greatest flexibility in the implementation of Erasmus+ projects towards Ukrainian students and higher education staff.
• Erasmus National Agencies to contact individual participants who are currently in Ukraine or in Russia or are planning to leave to these countries within the coming weeks.
• Guaranteed support for Ukrainian students abroad.

“I thank all young people in Ukraine for their commitment in these most difficult times and I encourage everyone who can support Ukraine in all possible ways,” Gabriel added.

The European University Association (EUA) representing more than 850 universities and national rectors’ conferences in 48 European countries, also condemned Putin’s aggression against Ukraine, saying it stands in solidarity with students, staff, and all people in Ukraine.

EUA pointed out it will be undertaking some steps to support Ukraine, among which, to cease collaboration with any central government agency in Russia or in another country that support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The association advised its member universities to do the same.

Most recently, it announced the decision to suspend the membership of 12 Russian universities which are supporting Russia’s attacks on Ukraine. The decision was taken after the Russian Union of Rectors (RUR) said in a statement that it supports Russia’s actions on Ukraine.

“It is very important these days to support our country, our army, which defends our security, to support our President, who, perhaps, made the most difficult, hard-won but necessary decision in his life. It is important not to forget about our main duty – to conduct a continuous educational process, to instill patriotism in young people, the desire to help the Motherland,” the statement of the Russian Union of Rectors reads.

In addition to Europe, the education sector worldwide is condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In the US, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge has ended its relationship with the research university in Russia, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), due to developments in Ukraine.