Pylyp Orlyk Foundation Supported the Ukrainian Week in Germany
From October 12 to October 16, 2026, Germany hosted the Ukrainian Week, dedicated to the development of Ukrainian studies, academic cooperation and presenting the Ukrainian experience to the European intellectual community.
Over five days, the program covered Frankfurt (Oder), Berlin, Tübingen, Regensburg, Karlsruhe, Weiden and Munich. Universities and research institutions became venues for discussing Ukrainian studies, joint research projects, support for Ukrainian students and Ukraine’s role in the future of Europe.
The event opened at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). The university signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies (GCUS). In doing so, it became the first public university in Germany to officially join the Coalition. The first day’s program concluded with a lecture by Ukrainian philosopher, writer and journalist Volodymyr Yermolenko, “Freedom Against All Odds: Why Ukraine Matters for Europe”.
In Berlin, the Ukrainian delegation met with representatives of the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam, the Free University of Berlin and Humboldt University. The participants discussed prospects for joint research, teaching the Ukrainian language, the development of Ukrainian studies and support for Ukrainian students.
On October 14, the University of Tübingen signed a memorandum on joining the GCUS, and discussions were held on Ukrainian-German academic cooperation, civic identity and the resilience of society during the war. Afterwards, Tetiana Vysotska’s film “She and the War” was screened in German and discussed — it focused on the experience of Ukrainian women during the full-scale Russian invasion.
On October 15, representatives of the Coalition joined an academic conference in Regensburg, met with the university community of OTH Amberg-Weiden and presented opportunities for cooperation with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Karlsruhe also hosted the discussion “Women During the War: Culture, Resilience and the Transformation of Ukrainian Society”.
The final event took place at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. The participants discussed civic identity, intercultural dialogue and social cohesion, as well as prospects for further academic partnerships within the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies.
An important component of the program was presenting the Ukrainian experience in a broader European context: from security and the resilience of society to the defense of freedom.
For the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, supporting the Ukrainian Week is yet another opportunity to foster international dialogue about Ukraine, its history, society and place in Europe. Developing partnerships between Ukrainian and German universities creates opportunities for long-term academic cooperation, deepens understanding of Ukraine abroad and strengthens the presence of Ukrainian studies in the European educational space.
“It is important for us that Europe understands Ukraine, its experience, its society and the reasons why we are fighting for freedom today as well as possible. We want Ukraine to be studied and researched not occasionally, in response to yet another manifestation of Russian aggression, but systematically. That is why the academic partnerships that emerge within such initiatives are extremely important, and why the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation supports the Ukrainian Week in Germany. This is our contribution to the long-term work of presenting Ukraine and its experience in the European intellectual space,” said Yaryna Yasynievych, Program Director of the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation.
The Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies is a state initiative founded by the Ukrainian Institute, the Ukrainian President’s Fund for Education, Science and Sports, the Office of the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, with the support of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.
The Ukrainian Week in Germany became another step towards expanding the international network of partnerships within which Ukrainian researchers, educators and cultural figures can develop joint projects and present the Ukrainian experience to the international academic community.
The Ukrainian Week in Germany was supported by the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation and the International Renaissance Foundation.
