Viadrina launches groundbreaking graduate program in Ukrainian studies!

Viadrina launches groundbreaking graduate program in Ukrainian studies!

On Monday, June 16th, the first graduate program for Ukrainian studies will be ceremoniously opened at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). From this date, twelve doctoral students will begin their dissertations on various subject areas in the Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Competence Network Frankfurt (Oder) – Berlin (KIU). The ceremonial kick-off will take place at 6 p.m. in the university's loge hall.

The event will be held in English and those interested can register by email to kiu@europa-uni.de by Friday, June 13th. Volodymyr Sheiko, director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, will begin by speaking about the exceptional importance of Ukrainian studies for the security of Ukraine and Europe.

Scientific discussions and musical accompaniment

As part of the opening ceremony there will be a discussion between Volodymyr Sheiko, Prof. Dr. Yuliya Yurchuk from Södertörn University in Sweden and Prof. Dr. Oksana Mikheieva from the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. This round will address Ukraine's resilience and the role of universities and research in the context of the country's reconstruction. In addition, the new doctoral students will present their dissertation projects, while Frankfurt pianist Søren Gundermann will provide musical accompaniment.

Dr. Susann Worschech, scientific coordinator of the KIU, highlights the interdisciplinarity of the program and emphasizes the variety of topics, ranging from Ukrainian resistance in the Second World War to the inclusive use of easy language in Ukrainian. The aim of the program is to train a new generation of scholars who understand Ukraine in its historical, political and institutional contexts.

Funding from the DAAD

The new graduate program is supported by comprehensive funding from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). This supports the establishment of two interdisciplinary centers for Ukrainian studies, including the KIU. The DAAD has noted that Russia's war in Ukraine has highlighted the need for in-depth knowledge of Eastern Europe and Ukraine in particular. Around five million euros from Federal Foreign Office funds are available for the two centers until 2028 in order to strengthen Ukraine competence in Germany and intensify cooperation with partners in Ukraine.

DAAD President Joybrato Mukherjee emphasizes that this funding is a sign of intensive cooperation and solidarity with Ukraine. The two new centers, the “Thinking Space Ukraine” at the University of Regensburg and the KIU at the European University Viadrina, are intended to strategically bring together both social science and humanities research on various aspects of Ukraine. These initiatives are crucial for scientific communication and the networking of actors from science and civil society who play a role in the context of Ukrainian reconstruction.

Overall, the opening of the graduate program at Viadrina on June 16th will not only be a significant step in the promotion of Ukrainian studies, but also an important moment of solidarity research and teaching in times of geopolitical crises.