L-R: Alina, Yuliia, Ivanna and Yelizaveta

The University of Sussex has hosted four Ukrainian students from twinning university, Oles Honchar Dnipro National (DNU), on a summer scholarship course supported by the emergency Ukrainian Students Sussex Fund Appeal.

Yuliia, 20, Yelizaveta, Ivanna and Alina, all 19, travelled to the UK from Ukraine on 3 August – a journey which took almost three days – to complete an English language course, helping to improve their language proficiency and communication skills, and to get a taster of British life and culture.

The University of Sussex signed an official agreement to ‘twin’ with Ukrainian University Oles Honchar Dnipro National in 2022 to support students and academics displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. The agreement was part of a scheme launched by the Cormack Consultancy Group and Universities UK International, in which Sussex, alongside 71 other UK universities, agreed to share resources and support those displaced by the conflict, partnering directly with their Ukrainian counterparts for a minimum of five years.

For Ivanna, a second-year marketing student at DNU, the war has disrupted both her home life and her studies. Her father now serves in the Ukrainian army in a different city to where the rest of her family lives. Her university experience is also completely different from what she anticipated, as she is unable to participate in typical student activities, including social events and university societies, and has only ever met her peers online. But she says being able to take part in the summer school at Sussex has been hugely beneficial.

Ivanna says:
“Having the support and care around our education is so valuable to us. This is not just a trip to another country and university to study – it’s also a great opportunity for us to feel safe and make new friends.”

For the four Ukrainian students, their time at DNU has been entirely remote, and this experience at Sussex has allowed them to connect with academics face-to-face, as well as meet with students from many other countries to practice their English-speaking skills.

Alina also a second-year student studying marketing at DNU says that she was nervous to come to the UK to study, as she knew it would be very different from her experiences so far.

Alina says:
“The teachers here have been incredibly supportive and I have learnt a lot. We all long to study in person, to see each other, and to ensure that everyone is safe, healthy, and happy, and I am immensely grateful to have had this opportunity to study at Sussex.”

Alongside their studies, the students have had the opportunity to visit local landmarks including Lewes Castle and Brighton Pier, and headed further afield to explore Seven Sisters, London and Cambridge. This is the first time all four students have visited the UK.

Gavin Mensah-Coker, Head of English Language, Faculty of Media, Arts & Humanities, says:
“It is with immense pleasure that we at Sussex welcome our Ukrainian students to their English courses this summer on our beautiful university in the South Downs. We know that they have not had a typical university experience back home in Ukraine, and hope that through this trip, they can both learn and take home some wonderful memories of their time in the UK. As a University of Sanctuary, we are committed to making the University a welcoming and safe place for all.”

The summer scholarship programme was made available to the four Ukrainian students through the Sussex Fund emergency appeal, which was launched to provide urgent hardship bursaries and scholarships to Ukrainian students affected by the war and who require assistance.

The Sussex Fund aims to help students stay and succeed at university, and the schemes can provide a safety net for all students, irrespective of their background or nationality. The Sussex Fund also partly funds the Hardship Fund, which is open to all students in crisis – whether financial or personal – or those living in conflict areas.

As a University of Sanctuary, Sussex seeks to provide a welcoming and safe place to study for students from all over the world, and among its recent graduates was Ukrainian student Mariia Sinkevich, who won the prestigious MacQuitty Prize for the best student across the Sciences and will be starting an MSc in Mathematical Sciences at Oxford in the autumn. Naimat Zafary is another student, one of nine Chevening Afghan scholars who joined Sussex shortly after the Taliban arrived in August 2021. Having completed his MA, Naimat is now studying a PhD in International Development. Sussex will also be welcoming Naimat’s brother, Naweed Zafary, in September, who will be starting an undergraduate course in engineering. 

Vice-Chancellor and President Prof Sasha Roseneil, says:
“The University of Sussex has a long history of supporting students from conflict areas around the world. We have a range of scholarships and ways of opening up the experience of a Sussex education to students who have experienced war, trauma and displacement. We are proud to be recognised as a University of Sanctuary, and we are committed to continuing to welcome and support students who are refugees and forced migrants so that they can achieve their ambitions at Sussex.”

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