In times of war and forced displacement, Ukrainian universities have faced unprecedented challenges — from physical relocation and loss of infrastructure to the struggle for academic freedom, institutional continuity, and community resilience. This round table brings together scholars and university leaders to reflect on the diverse experiences of displaced institutions and explore new models of resilience, adaptation, and renewal in higher education.

The event will open with welcome remarks by the Rector of Kherson National University and a representative of the VUIAS (Virtual Ukraine Institute for Advanced Study).

Speakers

1. Oksana Mikheieva (Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, VUIAS Fellow)
   “Challenges of Relocated Universities (2014–2022)”
   Mikheieva will provide an overview of the long-term effects of displacement on Ukrainian universities since 2014, analyzing institutional strategies, social transformations, and the evolution of resilience among academic communities.

2. Daria Malchykova (Kherson State University, VUIAS Fellow)
   “External Occupation and Internal Liberty: Resilience and Resistance of Universities in Times of War (Kherson State University Experience)”
   Malchykova will discuss the experience of Kherson State University under occupation, focusing on the moral and institutional choices faced by academic communities under extreme conditions.

3. Mykola Homanyuk (Kherson State University, VUIAS Fellow)
   “Autoethnography of a Scholar: From Occupation to Displacement”
   Homanyuk will share a personal scholarly narrative of displacement, reflecting on the intersections between academic identity, trauma, and intellectual survival during war.

4. Kateryna Bondar (Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University, VUIAS Alumna)
   “Universities in Exile: Wartime Displacement as a Test of Academic Freedom and Civic Identity”
   Bondar will examine how the wartime experience has reshaped the civic mission of universities, highlighting both the threats and new opportunities for academic freedom and democratic engagement.

Format

Each presentation will last up to 10 minutes, followed by a 15–20 minute discussion with the audience.

The round table aims to foster dialogue about the future of Ukrainian higher education, emphasizing resilience, collaboration, and the reimagining of academic institutions in the face of displacement.

Organised by

VUIAS & KSU