UEA hosts Ukrainian academics for a fortnight of cultural and collaborative research exchange
PNU academics holding the Ukraine flag, in front of the Ziggurats with UEA staff
This two-week programme, which was hosted by UEA between 10-24 June, enabled a group of academic researchers in science, journalism and economics from PNU to visit the Norwich-based campus, facilities, staff and students. The visiting academics were involved in discussing research collaborations, including similarities in the universities’ local enterprise initiatives, leading to future research collaborations and funding bids.
Since 2022, UEA has been proudly twinned with PNU through a collaborative project partnership, designed to share hope, ideas, support, resources and expertise. This twinning partnership is part of the Universities UK International (UUKi) UK-Ukraine Twinning Initiative, who also funded the Ukrainian academics’ recent visit to UEA, and is part of a national initiative to support Ukraine.
The collaborative research programme saw PNU academics get involved in a variety of different events and activities, with three focused interest groups:
Joint research on soil and water remediation, preparing for the monumental task of decontaminating Ukrainian soil affected by warfare
Stimulating development of eco-innovative start-ups in Ukraine
Raising awareness of the global environmental impact of the war through journalism and filmmaking
Prof David Maguire, UEA Vice-Chancellor and President, was there to welcome the visiting academics on their arrival day. UEA also engaged three current journalism students to capture and document the two-week visit as part of a media project.
The scientists visited several sites in the south of England to see the development of previously contaminated land, including a trip to the Tipner Regeneration site. Meanwhile, the academics working in business and economics learnt about UEA’s work to support business innovation and technology transfer. The colleagues from PNU’s journalism department held collaborative workshops at UEA Broadcast House, visited BBC East in The Forum and met officials from the Norwich City (NCFC) media team and Community Foundation at Carrow Road.
Economist and journalist PNU academics visiting Norwich City Football Club (photo credit: Matthias Neumann)
Visitors from PNU also engaged in a cultural excursion with academic staff from UEA’s School of History to Blickling Hall Estate, learning about its Jacobean architecture and literary connections to Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.
Matthias Neumann, Professor of Modern History, and the academic lead of UEA’s partnership with PNU, said:
’The first in-person visit of our Ukrainian colleagues from PNU as part of our twinning partnership really exceeded everyone’s expectations. Our joint multidisciplinary programme seeks to help Ukraine to prepare the ground for reconstruction through fostering scientific collaborations, knowledge exchange, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer. But this partnership is far from a one-way street. We also had much to learn from our PNU colleagues during two incredibly fruitful weeks of scholarly collaboration.’
The UEA-PNU twinning partnership project is a profound example of the importance of cross-discipline and services collaboration, and UEA is proud to be a part of this national initiative.