University of Hull twins with Mariupol State University ‘to keep academic dreams alive’

The University of Hull

By Simon Bristow

The University of Hull is to be twinned with Mariupol State University in Ukraine to provide support “at this time of tremendous difficulty”, the Hull institution has announced.

Hull University will sign a formal twinning agreement with MSU tomorrow.

The agreement is part of a wider project to link UK universities with counterparts in war-torn Ukraine. MSU is one of the few universities to have had its home destroyed.

The city of Mariupol became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance after the Russian invasion of the country in late February. Mariupol was besieged and largely destroyed, with the last pocket of resistance at Azovstal Steel Plant finally surrendering last month.

The two universities have long-term plans to co-operate in student projects, teaching best-practice, and innovative research.

Immediate joint work will focus on assisting Mariupol State University to resume teaching their students at their new base in Kyiv, and refurbish a building loaned to them by Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture.

MSU’s campus buildings in the city of Mariupol are almost completely destroyed. Staff and students have relocated to the Ukranian capital Kyiv, and elsewhere in Europe. Currently, MSU is managing to deliver teaching to about 60 per cent of its students online.

Mariupol State University before the war

Professor Susan Lea, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Hull, said: “This partnership reflects the University of Hull’s desire to support our colleagues at Mariupol State University at this time of tremendous difficulty and to respond to the needs of the Ukraine education system and its students.

“MSU’s great academic strengths in research and education also align very well with our academic expertise in Business, Political Science, Education, and Computer Science.  In the longer term, this partnership has much to offer in terms of academic collaboration.

“At Hull, we are strongly committed to social justice and this valuable partnership reflects both our values and our ambitions for a long and fruitful partnership with MSU.” 

Professor Mykola Trofymenko, Rector at MSU, said: “Ukraine’s universities have a long and proud history, but right at this moment we need support and collaboration with colleagues in other countries.

“MSU has been particularly devastated – we are not in our campus buildings, we are not even in our home city.

“Our academic dreams remain, however, and I am eager to connect academic and professional staff, and – of course – our students. We will be working with Hull for many years to come.”

The University of Hull is sending vital IT equipment, and opening up online Library resources to colleagues at MSU.

It is also launching a crowd-funding project to raise funds for the refurbishment of MSU’s temporary headquarters in Kyiv. Anyone who wishes to donate can do so here.