Promoting Academic
Freedom in Ukraine
Promoting Academic
Freedom in Ukraine
In addition to immediate repercussions of the conflict, Ukraine faces a drain of academic talent due to casualties, displacement, expert emigration, and disruption of educational services. This not only harms individuals but also undermines academic values, notably academic freedom. The liberty of academics to research, teach, learn, and share knowledge both within and beyond academia is essential to democracy. Although It is primarily the state’s responsibility to safeguard and foster academic freedom, Ukraine currently faces practical constraints to this end.
Acknowledging the issue, the FreeAc project aims to improve academic freedom for Ukrainian academia, students, and staff, particularly those displaced or homebound.
Ukrainian Voices Guest Lecture Series
From May 2025 to May 2026, we invite Ukrainian scholars to participate in a series of 12 online guest lectures, hosted by the University of Graz, Austria, and the University of Poznań, Poland. Through this initiative we want to provide Ukrainian researchers with valuable access to the European academic landscape, allowing them to share their research with broader academic and public audiences, connect with European colleagues, and ensure that Ukrainian science continues to be actively represented in the European academic community.
Our Goals
To connect Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with their displaced members and EU counterparts (e.g. establishment of a network of HEIs)
To strengthen teaching and learning (e.g. filling teaching gaps and summer school)
To enable members of Ukrainian academia to research and disseminate their work (e.g. through a lecture series)
To inform the rebuilding of the Ukrainian higher education system (e.g. through a postwar strategic outlook)