The Chemnitz University of Technology is a long-standing partner of Lviv University, the cooperation agreement with which was concluded back in 1992. Over the years of cooperation, the universities have implemented many important scientific and educational initiatives, and after the full-scale Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, the cooperation of both higher education institutions has acquired new dimensions.
It should be noted that the Chemnitz University of Technology reacted to the events in Ukraine almost instantly, and as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine and Ukrainian universities, the university logo was painted in yellow and blue on February 25. In addition, in an open letter dated March 3, 2022, Rector Prof. Gerd Strohmeier condemned Russian aggression, expressed full support for Ukrainian partner universities and those representatives of the academic environment who were forced to leave their homes because of the war, and also announced the termination of any ties with Russian and Belarusian universities and enterprises.
In March 2022, Chemnitz University of Technology together with its partners invited Ivan Franko National University of Lviv to become an associate member of the “Across” project, which aims to build an alliance of European higher education institutions, digitalization and Europeanization of the educational landscape. In June 2022, a joint application was submitted to the program “Ukraine digital: Ensuring academic success in times of crisis” of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), which was positively evaluated. The project “Chemnitz–Lviv Learning Bridge”, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, approved by the commission, contains in its name a certain allusion to the Berlin Airlift operation, under which in 1949 Western Allied aircraft supplied food to Berlin blockaded by the Soviet Union and helped the city’s population survive. And nowadays, in a difficult time for Ukrainian education and science, caused by the barbaric war started by the Russian Federation, the bridges of understanding, solidarity and support, transfer of technologies, practices and ultimately financial support allow Ukrainian science to maintain stability and develop constantly, despite all adverse circumstances.
A whole range of activities and initiatives are planned within the project:
– creation of digital courses for advanced training of the teaching staff;
– guest lectures by teachers of the Chemnitz University of Technology for students of Lviv University;
– 120 online scholarships for students of Lviv University who were forced to leave their homes due to active hostilities and have the status of internally displaced persons;
– 5 scholarships for scientific internships for teachers of Lviv University;
– 10 scholarships for master students to conduct research within the framework of master’s theses;
– purchase of computer equipment for student needs.
“Lviv University appreciates the solidarity support of the Technical University of Chemnitz and its readiness to scale up cooperation. The project “Chemnitz-Lviv Learning Bridge” opens wide opportunities for inter-institutional dialogue at all structural levels and with the involvement of all participants in the educational process. A special mention should be made of the scholarship program for students who lost or were forced to leave their homes due to active hostilities and who are facing difficult challenges of the new reality. This initiative once again clearly demonstrates that the task of universities is not only to train educated citizens for the state, but also to create decent social conditions for those who are the future of this country. We are grateful to our German partners for understanding the needs of our students, for understanding the needs of the university community and for a friendly shoulder in difficult times of a large-scale war for freedom, will and a bright destiny of Ukraine,” Vice-Rector for Research, Teaching and International Cooperation of the University Serhii Riznyk said.
The project will last 4 months (until December 31, 2022).