Sustaining Academic Bridges: EUPeace and the European Future of Ukrainian Higher Education

When universities remain connected in times of crisis, education becomes more than learning — it becomes resilience, continuity, and hope.

For EUPeace, supporting Ukrainian higher education is more than an act of solidarity. It follows directly from what our Alliance stands for. Peace, justice, and inclusive societies are not abstract ideals — they demand continuous commitment and practical cooperation. Few tasks reflect this more clearly than helping Ukrainian universities stay connected to the European academic community while their country defends its future.

On 12 May 2026, the European Commission published “Learning, Connecting, Rebuilding: Erasmus+ Support to Ukraine — 20 Projects Building Resilience and Human Capital for Ukraine’s European Future.”  The report presents twenty Erasmus+ initiatives that have worked to preserve skills, knowledge, and academic partnerships in Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression. Among the initiatives highlighted under “Strengthening Institutions and European Integration” is the FOREU4ALL Topical Group on Cooperation with Ukraine — a network of which EUPeace is an active and committed member.

Strengthening Cooperation Through European University Alliances

Russia’s war has profoundly disrupted Ukrainian higher education — and, in doing so, has made the case for long-term international cooperation more urgent than ever. The FOREU4ALL Topical Group responds to this challenge by deepening collaboration between European University Alliances and Ukrainian institutions, supporting integration into the European Higher Education Area, and building the sustainable academic partnerships that outlast any single crisis.

The scale of this effort speaks for itself. European University Alliances today bring together more than 600 higher education institutions across Europe, and around 50 alliances have already established formal cooperation agreements with Ukrainian universities. Through surveys, policy dialogue, and joint initiatives, FOREU4ALL works to identify barriers, share practices, and develop concrete approaches to cooperation that translate into lasting change.

As the European Commission report — drawing on contributions from FOREU4ALL — makes clear: Ukrainian universities are educating a generation that will build democratic structures and rebuild an independent state. That understanding is not rhetorical. It shapes how EUPeace approaches every aspect of its cooperation with Ukrainian partners. Support for Ukraine is not a supplement to the Alliance’s mission — it is the mission in practice.

Under conditions of war, internationalisation cannot depend on physical mobility alone. For many Ukrainian universities, internationalisation at home has become equally — sometimes more — important. Joint courses, digital exchange, and sustained academic partnerships help maintain European connectivity even when movement is impossible. These are not stopgap measures. They are the architecture of a lasting relationship.

EUPeace remains committed to this long-term effort — not through declarations alone, but through partnerships and the quiet, continuous work of academic cooperation. Universities build more than knowledge. They build trust, democratic capacity, and the people who will shape what comes next. To support Ukrainian higher education is to invest in Europe’s own future.

Bridges, once built, must be kept open. That responsibility is one we are proud to share.