From 22 to 25 June, five leading Polish universities hosted Ukrainian Academic Week in Poland. The University of Gdańsk played its part in the discussion on Ukraine’s present and future - on Thursday, a meeting entitled ‘Education - a key factor in shaping identity’, dedicated to Polish-Ukrainian academic relations and the role of universities in crisis situations, took place in the Senate Hall of the University of Gdańsk Library. During the event, organised by the Centre for Student and Doctoral Activities, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the University of Gdańsk and the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies. The closing ceremony of Ukrainian Week at the University of Gdańsk coincided with the World Conference for the Reconstruction of Ukraine (Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026), which took place in Gdańsk on 25-26 June 2026. European Union leaders, as well as leading politicians, academics and business representatives from nearly 70 countries around the world, met with representatives of Ukraine at the Amber Expo in Gdańsk.
The guests were welcomed by the event’s hosts, Łukasz Bień (Director of the Centre for Student and Doctoral Activities) and prof. Olha Oseredchuk (Head of the Project Office of the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies).
Speaking on behalf of the University of Gdańsk authorities was the Vice-Rector for Education, dr Ewa Szymczak, prof. UG.
‘It is an honour for us to welcome you to the University of Gdańsk for the finale of the Academic Ukrainian Week, an event closely linked to the Ukraine Recovery Conference,’ said the Vice-Rector. ‘Contemporary education is increasingly moving beyond the mere transfer of knowledge and vocational training. Its task is to shape individuals capable of critical thinking, collaboration, taking responsibility, understanding community and demonstrating leadership. Ukraine’s experiences in recent years show that all these aspects constitute a unique strength of society. Civic identity today is not merely a matter of values, memory or self-awareness - it is becoming a very practical competence: the ability to act, to unite around a common goal, to respond to crises and to build social resilience.’
Prof. Ewa Szymczak introduced the guests to initiatives undertaken by the University of Gdańsk aimed at supporting Ukraine’s academic potential, including student and academic staff mobility, as well as long-term cooperation with Ilya Mechnikov University in Odessa.
Those present also had the opportunity to watch a video recorded especially for the occasion by the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviychuk - a Ukrainian lawyer, social activist and human rights defender.
This was followed by the ceremonial signing of a cooperation agreement between the University of Gdańsk and the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies. The signatory on behalf of the University of Gdańsk was Prof. Ewa Szymczak, whilst the document was signed on behalf of the Coalition by the Director of the Ukrainian Institute, Volodymyr Sheiko.
The centrepiece of the event was a panel discussion entitled ‘Identity as a Competence for the Future: Education, Responsibility and Leadership’. Participants included Uliana Tokariewa (Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport of Ukraine), Yevhen Hlibovych (Ukrainian journalist, social activist, media expert, Director of the Frontyru Institute), Oleksandr Sushko (Ukrainian political scientist and social activist, Executive Director of the International Foundation “Renaissance”) and dr hab. Arkadiusz Modrzejewski, prof. UG (Director of the Institute of Political Science at the University of Gdańsk). The panellists discussed the role of the university in shaping national and civic identity, as well as the university’s responsibility for truth, which forms the basis for building an academic community that transcends divisions, including political ones. The discussion was moderated by the Director of the UG Library, dr hab. Arnold Kłonczyński, prof. UG.
Following the panel discussion, dr hab. Aleksander Kuczabski, prof. UG, presented the range of Ukrainian studies programmes available at the University of Gdańsk, whilst Łukasz Bień, Wojciech Giernat and Alan Zajączkowski gave an overview of student projects related to Ukraine.
The event culminated in a meeting with the editors of the book „Ten moment podzielił życie na przed i po… Listy z Ukrainy”.
