University bond with ‘twin’ is stengthened
THE University of Leicester has agreed a fiveyear “roadmap of mutual support” with a twinned university in Ukraine.
Building on a twinning agreement signed by the university and and Kremenchuk Mykhailo Ostohradskyi National University (KrNU) in 2022, the roadmap sets out co-operation that will assist in the rebuilding of the war-torn country over the next five years.
It details areas of collaboration and demonstrates a commitment to supporting higher education in Ukraine and solidarity with institutions affected by conflict in the country.
New joint projects will help build resilience into Ukraine’s energy network, while access to research data, research facilities and laboratories at Leicester will provide a safe haven for joint research during the war.
Dr Aldo Rona, from the University of Leicester School of Engineering, said: “Covid-19 had shown our school the adverse effects that limited access to laboratories, offices and lecture theatres had on our research and on our students.
“We overcame this by developing effective distance learning methods, virtual classrooms, online PhD supervision, and more computerhundreds based research. This made us ready to support KrNU’s enduring challenge of delivering higher education in the current crisis.
“I found the can-do attitude of KrNU staff remarkable and their unwavering commitment to supporting the next generation of students and scientists is truly commendable.
“The five-year research plan puts our newly acquired blended learning and internetenabled research skills to good use and looks beyond the current crisis towards realising with KrNU a more inclusive and accessible trans-national higher education, dedicated to the growth of sustainable technology for the common good.”
The twinning agreement, established in September 2022, aimed to jointly develop a five-year plan of research collaboration, with specific war risk-mitigation actions and a strong post-war growth trajectory.
The new roadmap will be adapted into an Addendum to the Twinning Activities and will extend the five-year collaboration scope beyond research. It outlines joint strategies for student-focused activities, faculty and staff-oriented activities, technical and material support, resources and equipment, capacity building activities, and communication.