The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is calling for greater commitment to academic cooperation with Ukraine ahead of the "Ukraine Recovery Conference" on 11 and 12 June in Berlin. Programmes for university cooperation are essential in order to stabilise the Ukrainian education system and anchor the country in Europe. The DAAD is calling for increased support for these programmes with regard to the reconstruction of the country. 

"For more than two years, Russia has been waging a war of attrition in Ukraine with undiminished vigour, resulting in a large number of civilian casualties and also severely damaging the Ukrainian education and science system. It is therefore necessary for the international community to develop concrete reconstruction plans at an early stage. All participants at the conference should be clear: Ukraine's path to a better future and to the EU also leads through higher education and science. It is therefore essential that measures to this end are incorporated into the reconstruction plans," said DAAD President Prof Dr Joybrato Mukherjee in the run-up to the conference.

"German universities are prepared to support the reconstruction of Ukrainian universities and scientific institutions in the short, medium and long term. To this end, German activities to date must be expanded and cross-border academic cooperation intensified in all divisions. To this end, the DAAD has submitted plans to the Federal Government with structural and long-term effective measures," added the DAAD President. 

Reconstruction of the university and science system

The DAAD proposes in particular the establishment of a "German-Ukrainian University Network" for the systematic expansion of academic cooperation. The network should enable strong links between German and Ukrainian universities, train experts for the reconstruction of the country and accelerate a science-orientated rapprochement with the European Union. In the DAAD's view, the establishment of such a network is also possible in the ongoing state of war and can build on intensive relations between German and Ukrainian universities. The DAAD is supporting these relationships as part of its "Ukraine digital" programme, which runs until the end of 2024 with funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and "Future Ukraine" with funds from the Federal Foreign Office.

Scientific cooperation for security in Europe

"If Ukraine's integration into the EU is to succeed, all those involved will need a great deal of patience," said Mukherjee. "On this path, Ukraine needs reliable support in developing its science and education system. The aim is to provide young people in Ukraine with a scientific education based on European values and to enable them to contribute to the reconstruction, reform and strengthening of democracy in the country." A 'Science Action Plan' is therefore necessary as part of the German government's reconstruction plans. The expansion of relations also makes sense in terms of foreign science policy: "By permanently linking Ukrainian universities and research institutions with partners in the EU, we ultimately increase security throughout Europe," emphasised the DAAD President.