On 28 April 2026, an Expert Meeting within the Erasmus+ project “Promoting Academic Freedom in Ukraine (FreeAc)” took place in Palermo, Italy.

The meeting brought together Ukrainian and European experts, policymakers and university representatives to validate and further develop the findings of the FreeAc Joint Research on the Effects of the Armed Conflict on the Academic Sector in Ukraine and translate them into strategic priorities for Ukrainian higher education.

Organised with the participation of CESIE, the University of Graz and WUS Austria, the meeting focused on the impact of the war on Ukrainian higher education and contributed to the development of a Strategic Outlook for its post-war recovery.

The discussions addressed key challenges, including the displacement of students and staff, pressure on academic freedom, limitations to mobility and financial instability.

A central part of the meeting consisted of four thematic focus groups addressing:

• brain drain and mobility;
• academic freedom and governance;
• European integration and quality assurance;
• institutional resilience and sustainable financing.

The Expert Meeting contributed to identifying strategic priorities and practical steps for strengthening the resilience and future development of Ukrainian higher education.