Location (country, city): Tampere Finland
Contact representative
Name: Prof Dr Rinna Kullaa
Position: Professor of Global and Ukrainian History
Email: rinna.kullaa@tuni.fi
Phone number: +358 294 5211
Details about the Ukrainian Studies at the Institution
Ukrainian Studies at the Institution (formats, examples, history):
At Tampere University we teach courses on the history of Ukraine as a separate subject including “the History of Ukraine: Statehood and Identity,” as well as a part of Global history courses such as “Contemporary Global World.” When part of global history courses topic matter includes for example, ‘crises and their resolutions in Ukrainian history’, ‘history of shipbuilding and naval ports of Ukraine”, “violence and generational overcoming’ and ‘contemporary economic history of Ukraine.’ We have a focus on comparative urban history as well as architecture and have hosted for example shared online walking tours and architectural exploration between Ukrainian cities and Tampere in Finland. Our overall approach focuses on understanding the diverse geographical and regional history of Ukraine as well as grand narratives within Ukraine´s history. We host several PhD research projects and doctoral candidates focusing on Ukraine including agricultural and environmental history of Ukraine in the Soviet and Post-Soviet periods.
Possible areas of cooperation in Ukrainian Studies with other GCUS members:
-Ukraine in World Politics
-Strategy and Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
-Contemporary History of Ukraine: Soviet Union and Beyond
-Food and agricultural history of Ukraine
-Ecopolitical history of Ukraine
-Naval history of Ukraine
-History of the Black Sea Area
-Contemporary Economic history of Ukraine
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to share:
-Basic course “the History of Ukraine: statehood and Identity” design for undergraduate and graduate students.
-Expert knowledge of Ukraine in World Politics – Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
-Naval history of the Black Sea area
-Comparative Urban history /Architecture
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to gain from other GCUS members:
-Ethnographical subject matter (and ties into food and agricultural history of Ukraine)
– We would like explore history and connections between the Finnic people and the Vikings who migrated to Ukraine and learn more about that.
-Black Sea history topics
Other possible areas of cooperation with other GCUS members:
-Shared student seminars and exchanges online and in person.
-Shared walking tours and innovative formats we have already experimented with
-Work with technological, art and design as well as economics faculties.
-Funding intitiatives.
Location (country, city): the Czech Republic, Prague
Contact representative
Name: Tereza Chlaňová
Position: deputy director of the Department of East European Studies, senior lecturer
Email: tereza.chlanova@ff.cuni.cz
Phone number: +420737864404
Details about the Ukrainian Studies at the Institution
Ukrainian Studies at the Institution (formats, examples, history):
The intention to establish Ukrainian studies emerged in the 1920s and was connected with the activities of professor Oleksandr Kolessa, who at that time worked at the Ukrainian Free University in Prague. From 1926, he also taught at Charles University, and from 1926 to 1936, he collaborated with historian Dmytro Doroshenko. Their work was interrupted by the closure of the university in 1939. After the war, there were plans to establish Ukrainian studies with a broader concept, which was realised in 1947 due to the efforts of Ivan Pankevych, Ivan Zilynskyj and M. Lyubinetskyi. Gradually, Jaroslav Moravec, Mykola Zatovkaňuk and Václav Židlický joined these enthusiasts. Ukrainian studies developed as an independent specialization after 1989 thanks to Václav Židlický, Jaroslav Moravec and Věra Lendělová. However, Ukrainian studies later merged with the Eastern European studies programme and became one of its components.
Nowadays there is the possibility to study Ukrainian specialization within the following study programmes: East European Studies with the possibility to study Ukrainian as a profile language – BA+MA (bachelor’s and master’s degree). This programme is not a separate narrowly specialized programme focussed exclusively on Ukraine but offers East European area context. But at the same time – if students choose Ukrainian as the profile language, they have a wide offer of subjects oriented on Ukraine. The Ukrainian specialisation includes the study of the language (at the bachelor’s level, it is expected to reach level B2 and, after the completion of the follow-up master’s degree, level C2 according to the European Framework of Reference for Languages), Ukrainian literature and the history and culture. Apart from this basic programme last year we piloted the possibility to gain microcertificates “Community as well as Conference Bilateral Interpreting in the language combination Czech-Ukrainian-Czech”. This programme was created in cooperation with the Department of Translatology. Apart from this we offer Courses of Ukrainian language for the public.
Possible areas of cooperation in Ukrainian Studies with other GCUS members:
Our department focusses on several topics concerning historical studies, literary science, translation studies and linguistics. The topics on modern Ukrainian history include the research on the interwar and afterwar period of Ukrainian history; the role of so called Banderites after the second world war in Western Ukraine, in Czechoslovakia and Eastern Poland; the response to Holodomor in Western Ukraine, in Poland, Czechoslovakia and partly in the Western Europe, especially in Great Britain. In the area of literary science and literary history as well as translation studies we combine the academic research with the popularization efforts aimed at the promotion of Ukrainian literature in Czech cultural milieu. We focus on several main topics: 1) Interwar Ukrainian emigration in Czechoslovakia with special focus on literary representation (so-called Prague school of Ukrainian poets) – research on poetics, translation of the poetry into Czech language; 2) The literature of so-called “executed revival”, especially the study and translation of prose; 3) contemporary Ukrainian literature in various aspects including the intensive translation work.
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to share:
Our focus on specific topics has resulted in a number of publications, including both the scientific periodicals as well as collective monographs and books. These publications can be found included in our personal profiles:
Tetiana Sverdan – https://uves.ff.cuni.cz/cs/doc-tetiana-sverdan-csc/,
Tereza Chlaňová – https://uves.ff.cuni.cz/cs/mgr-tereza-chlanova-ph-d/,
Stanislav Tumis – https://uves.ff.cuni.cz/cs/phdr-th-b-stanislav-tumis-m-a-ph-d/,
Marek Příhoda – https://uves.ff.cuni.cz/cs/phdr-marek-prihoda-ph-d/ .
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to gain from other GCUS members:
We are open to cooperate especially on themes we are interested in but we are not limited by it.
Other possible areas of cooperation with other GCUS members:
- organization of conferences, seminars and workshops
- gest lectures
- grant cooperation
- we are open to any other cooperation if proposed to us
Location (country, city): Czechia, Hradec Králové
Contact representative
Name: Leona Stašová
Position: Vice-Rector for International Affairs
Email: leona.stasova@uhk.cz
Phone number: +420 777 484 240
Details about the Ukrainian Studies at the Institution
Ukrainian Studies at the Institution (formats, examples, history):
At the University of Hradec Králové (UHK), Ukrainian Studies are not established as a standalone program but are actively integrated across multiple departments and initiatives, especially at the Faculty of Education and the Philosophical Faculty. Recently, the Department of Archaeology has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Dmytro Yavorntskyi National Historical Museum, and their activities include cataloguing stone sculptures and archaeological collections, conservation and restoration efforts. In 2022, the Department of Art, Visual Culture and Textile Studies, together with the Department of Russian Language and Literature, developed a close collaboration with Ukrainian artist Anna Artemenko, which included guest lectures on Ukrainian visual art and exhibitions related to Ukrainian refugee stories and landscapes. Moreover, several seminars and lectures have been organised for students on Ukrainian topics. Since then, the collaboration has successfully continued. Anna Artemenko teaches drawing and painting seminars for the Department of Art, Visual Culture and Textile Studies, and continues to participate in various activities of the Department of Russian Language and Literature. Luděk Jirka from the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies has been pursuing research on the history and dynamics of Ukrainian migration to the Czech Republic, has published several studies, and in 2025 he is starting, together with partners from Charles University, Palacký University Olomouc and Consortium of Mirgants Assisting Organizations, the work on joint project funded by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic.
Possible areas of cooperation in Ukrainian Studies with other GCUS members:
- Joint projects related to Ukrainian history, language and cultural heritage.
- Collaborative development of educational modules or seminars on Ukrainian history, art, civil society, or political systems.
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to share:
- Archaeological and conservation expertise (e.g., documentation, restoration, cataloguing of historical artefacts).
- Pedagogical experience integrating Ukraine-related topics into broader curricula (e.g. comparative politics, international relations).
- Cultural and artistic collaboration, including visual arts and heritage exhibitions.
- Integration of Ukrainian students into the university community.
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to gain from other GCUS members:
- Methods of integrating Ukrainian identity, culture, and contemporary issues more systematically into academic curricula.
- Expert input on Ukrainian historical and political context for curriculum development and public lectures.
Other possible areas of cooperation with other GCUS members:
- Public outreach and education (e.g., lectures open to the public, exhibitions, community events).
- Joint funding applications for research, educational, cultural, or heritage preservation projects.
- Expanded language and cultural exchange initiatives for Ukrainian students and scholars.
Location (country, city): Austria, Graz
Contact representative
Name: Sabine Pendl
Position: Director of the Office of International Relations
Email: sabine.pendl@uni-graz.at
Phone number: +43 316 380 1249
Details about the Ukrainian Studies at the Institution
Ukrainian Studies at the Institution (formats, examples, history):
The University of Graz has fully integrated Ukrainian Studies into its Bachelor and Master programmes at the Department of Slavic Studies since the summer semester of 2022, offering courses such as a certificate in Ukraine – Language, Culture, Law, and regular Ukrainian language courses.
Examples from teaching, research and cultural activities:
- In the summer semester 2022, the Ukrainian Basic Level 1 course was introduced at treffpunkt sprachen (Centre for Language, Plurilingualism and Didactics at the University of Graz) on the initiative of the Institute of Slavic Studies, followed by another in the following winter semester. Two continuing courses have been held regularly at the institute since the winter semester 2023/24.
- In linguistic research, Ukrainian is included in several projects. In addition, members of staff at the Institute of Slavic Studies have published relevant articles on literary studies and didactics.
- A PostDoc Assistant at the Institute of Slavic Studies (in the field of literary and cultural studies of Eastern Slavic/Ukrainian studies), carried out a lecture and research stay at the University of Cambridge, which served as an exchange for the organization of Ukrainian studies in England and Austria as well as the initiation of cooperation in this area.
- Numerous events have been held since March 2022, including panel discussions and debates, Ukrainian workshops, introductory courses, film screenings and city walks, exhibitions as well as literary discussions and readings.
- Summed up: Stipends for Ukrainian researchers and scholars, lectures, publications, seminars, research projects, winter schools, tandems, networking opportunities, cultural events, service support
Possible areas of cooperation in Ukrainian Studies with other GCUS members: Interaction in the network and exchange of experience as well as best practices.
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to share:
Expertise related to the existing activities described above.
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to gain from other GCUS members: The University of Graz is grateful to receive any helpful insights that support reaching our mutual goal of establishing/enhancing activities related to Ukrainian Studies.
Other possible areas of cooperation with other GCUS members: reaching our mutual work in progress.
Location (country, city): Innsbruck, Austria
Contact representative
Name: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jürgen Fuchsbauer
Position: Dean of the Faculty of Language, Literature and Culture and Professor for Slavonic Linguistics
(Dekan der Philologisch-Kulturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät und Professor für slawische Sprachwissenschaft)
Email: Juergen.Fuchsbauer@uibk.ac.at
Phone number:
+436643913812
+43 512 507 42205
Details about the Ukrainian Studies at the Institution
Ukrainian Studies at the Institution (formats, examples, history):
Ukrainian Studies at the University of Innsbruck have developed dynamically since 2022 as a response to Russia’s war of aggression and as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine. In May 2022, the Department of Slavonic Studies launched the educational initiative “Discover Ukraine in Ukrainian”, an intensive language course that marked the starting point for broader Ukrainian Studies at the institution.
Since the Winter Semester 2022/2023, the department has been offering a structured four-semester Ukrainian language program: “Ukrainian as a Second Slavic Language.” This program is designed for both students with previous knowledge of Slavic languages and beginners, with the goal of achieving at least an A2+/B1 level. The course not only focuses on language acquisition but also integrates Ukrainian literature, history, culture, and traditions to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of modern Ukraine.
In addition to regular Ukrainian language courses, the Department of Slavonic Studies at our institution actively supported Ukrainian Studies through a variety of formats and initiatives. We offered a structured Ukrainian language program and regularly organized the Sommerkolleg OSTEUROPA (2021–2025), an annual summer school that brought together students from Ukraine and Austria. This program provided an interactive platform for workshops on historical, cultural, and socio-political topics, fostering international academic exchange and cross-cultural dialogue.
As part of Austria’s National Mobility and Internationalisation Strategy for Higher Education 2030, the Institute of Slavonic Studies at the University of Innsbruck launched a pioneering project in winter semester of 2024-2025 to make Ukrainian language learning more accessible to students across Europe. In collaboration with the University of Graz, this initiative created a blended learning environment where students can study Ukrainian as a foreign language through a mix of virtual instruction and occasional in-person activities.
The department has applied for participation in the Erasmus+ project “EU and Ukraine”, which addresses the urgent need to strengthen Ukrainian Studies in Europe in light of Russia’s war of aggression and Ukraine’s EU accession process. The project aims to establish Ukrainian Studies competence hubs at Universität Innsbruck, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Palacký University Olomouc, in close cooperation with KNU. These hubs will facilitate hybrid teaching, research collaboration, and mutual exchange, helping to build capacity and resilience within Ukrainian academic institutions.
Furthermore, we organize panel discussions on Ukraine-related topics, featuring the Ukrainian ambassador to Austria and other diplomats. Ukrainian Studies are both institutionally and thematically well supported, including initiatives from the Ukrainian community. Cultural events such as Ukrainian film evenings and other artistic collaborations are regularly held in cooperation with Ukrainian associations in Tyrol.
Possible areas of cooperation in Ukrainian Studies with other GCUS members:
Development of hybrid language courses:
We aim to establish structured hybrid courses in close cooperation with Ukrainian universities, combining language training with subject-specific academic teaching. This will help students strengthen both their linguistic skills and their understanding of Ukrainian culture and society.
Joint teaching projects:
Organize joint summer schools, online courses, and workshops focusing on historical, cultural, and socio-political topics. These projects will build on the successful experience of the UIBK Summer School “Ukraine and Europe” and will be supported by our Erasmus+ application (March 2025).
Curriculum integration:
We seek to systematically integrate Ukrainian topics — including language, literature, culture, and politics — into existing study programs at our institution, particularly within the Department of Slavonic Studies.
Public events:
We would like to plan and implement public events in cooperation with GCUS members and Ukrainian partners, such as panel discussions, public lectures, and presentations. These events will involve Ukrainian scholars, diplomats, and representatives of Austrian and Ukrainian institutions.
Guest lectureships:
We are interested in inviting Ukrainian lecturers to teach specialized courses or offer a series of guest lectures focusing on Ukrainian language, literature, culture, and politics.
Cultural initiatives:
We plan to conduct cultural projects such as Ukrainian film screenings, exhibitions, and other artistic presentations to promote intercultural dialogue and to enhance public awareness and appreciation of Ukraine’s cultural and societal landscape.
Through these activities, contribute to the sustainable development of Ukrainian Studies within the GCUS network and strengthen long-lasting academic partnerships that support Ukraine’s European integration and cultural visibility.
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to share:
We would be happy to share our experience in designing and implementing innovative blended learning formats for Ukrainian language instruction. As part of Austria’s National Mobility and Internationalisation Strategy for Higher Education 2030, we successfully developed a hybrid teaching model in cooperation with the University of Graz, which combines virtual classes with occasional in-person activities. This approach makes Ukrainian language learning more accessible to students across Europe and offers flexible participation opportunities regardless of geographical location.
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to gain from other GCUS members:
- Participation in joint events: We would like to join conferences, seminars, panel discussions, and other academic events organized by GCUS members to foster exchange and cooperation in Ukrainian Studies.
- Access to educational resources: We are interested in accessing specialized textbooks, lecture materials, academic literature, and online courses that can support and further develop Ukrainian Studies at our institution.
- Film catalogue exchange: We would like to gain access to curated catalogues of Ukrainian films and cultural materials that can be used for public screenings, cultural events, and educational purposes.
- Academic exchange opportunities: We are eager to establish academic mobility programs for students and faculty, including short-term teaching visits, research stays, and study abroad opportunities with partner institutions.
Support in securing funding: We would appreciate sharing experience and receiving support in the process of finding and applying for funding for Ukrainian Studies projects, especially through international grant programs.
Location (country, city): Austria, Klagenfurt
Contact representative
Name: Elena Buffa
Position: Head of International Office
Email: internationales@aau.at
Phone number: +43 463 2700 9231
Details about the Ukrainian Studies at the Institution
Ukrainian Studies at the Institution (formats, examples, history):
Since 1975 the University of Klagenfurt (AAU) has established several academic partnerships with Ukrainian universities: NU Chernivtsi (1975), NTU Kharkiv (1995), NU Kherson (2006), NU Karazin Kharkiv (2015), NU Mechnikov Odesa (2024), NU Dnipro (2024), NU Donetsk at Vinnytsia (2024), and NUBIP (2025). The areas of cooperation include history, philology, informatics, economy and law.
Within the framework of the cooperation agreements with Ukrainian universities, AAU has successfully secured substantial European funds to support mutual teaching activities and incoming mobilities to Austria for students from Ukraine.
Faculty members of AAU have been awarded Ukrainian honorary doctorates and Austrian Orders of Merits for promoting relations between Ukraine and Austria.
AAU is also a long-standing member of partner city activities between Klagenfurt and Chernivtsi and regional partnership activities between Carinthia and Bukovina.
Department of Slavic Studies:
From 1992 till 2018, AAU’s Department of Slavic Studies (Institut für Slawistik) was the Austrian organising body of the Austrian-Ukrainian Summer School, co-organized by the National Technical University Kharkiv and coordinated by Prof. Tilmann Reuther (AAU).
Since 2010 five members of the Department of Slavic Studies have been carrying out research in sociolinguistics, lexicology, and multilingualism related to the linguistic diversity in Ukraine. Research projects were funded by leading grant agencies of Austria and the European Union.
Immediately after the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 AAU’S Department of Slavic Studies organized lectures on Ukrainian topics, published research papers, and, together with the local Student Union (OEH), hosted cultural and networking events. However, courses on Ukranian language and culture could not be integrated up to now into regular studies due to a lack of resources.
In June 2025 Dr. Olena Synchak (Ukrainian Catholic University) and her academic mentor Prof. Dr. Ursula Doleschal (University of Klagenfurt)’s research project “Lviv and Munich in the 20th Century: Ukrainian Feminization Practices in Multilingual Contexts with a Focus on Language Change (LUFEMM)” was among the ones selected for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie for Ukraine (MSCA4Ukraine) funding scheme, which together with the European Research Council (ERC) is part of Horizon Europe Pillar I Excellent Science. MSCA4Ukraine is highly competitive: out of over 500 submissions, only 49 displaced researchers from Ukraine were able to continue their research in the EU and the countries associated with Horizon Europe, which corresponds to an approval rate of less than 10%. Dr. Olena Synchak will conduct research on the topic mentioned above at AAU’s Department of Slavic Studies for two years.
Possible areas of cooperation in Ukrainian Studies with other GCUS members:
- Interaction in the network and exchange of experience as well as best practices
- Lectures on Ukrainian studies organized jointly with Ukrainian partners with the objective of making them accessible to students, teachers, and interested public from the region
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to share:
Expertise related to the activities described above
Expertise in Ukrainian Studies that the Institution would like to gain from other GCUS members:
AAU will be grateful to receive any helpful insights that support reaching our mutual goal of establishing/enhancing activities related to Ukrainian Studies.
Other possible areas of cooperation with other GCUS members:
- Creating platforms for round tables, conferences, knowledge bases and third mission projects, including applications for grants and public budget funds
- Creating a Bureau for the promotion of common activities, exchange of information and PR