Support Actions for the Ukrainian Academic Community at VMU
As Christmas approaches, Vytautas Magnus University is organising actions to
support the Ukrainian academic community.
Support for Mariupol State University
VMU invites you to contribute to the support of Mariupol State University (MSU), a long-standing partner of the University and an associate member of the Transform4Europe alliance.
Donations can be made via the PayHub platform.1 euro = 38.8374 hryvnias.
The old premises of the university, along with most of the city of Mariupol, have been destroyed, and some of the university’s staff have been relocated to Kyiv, where they have been provided with temporary premises. According to Prof. Ineta Dabašinskienė, who maintains contacts with her colleagues from Mariupol, the premises in Kyiv are almost in critical condition and need to be repaired, refurbished, and adapted for everyday work. The dormitory lacks not only furniture, but also essential household items. One of the most important things are electric generators, which are already hard to find across Europe. According to the professor, even if we don’t manage to raise enough money to fully renovate the premises, it will still be a sign that we do care, that we are thinking about them, and that they are not alone.
“The war stopped the people of Mariupol State University, but it did not destroy them. Their determination, strength, and responsibility to their country, their city and each other is what allows them to move forward. I am very happy and supportive of MSU’s restoration, and when I interact with them, I recognise the history of VMU. Vytautas Magnus University has also risen and is now well-recognised, so I see great significance in helping MSU. Today, it can be a symbolic, but very necessary contribution to the future of democracy, to the rebuilding of Mariupol State University, and to the reconstruction of Ukraine,” says Aistė Žemaitytė, Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy.
Initiative “I donate lunch money to support Ukrainian students at VMU”
The staff of VMU International Cooperation and Student Affairs Departments, together with the VMU Student Representative Council, invite you to join the support action “I donate lunch money to support Ukrainian students at VMU.”
Our university has enrolled around 230 Ukrainians for full-time studies since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine this year, and there are 60 students studying at the university who started their studies at VMU before the war. The vast majority of these students were given the opportunity to study at the university free of charge, and were also provided with one-time scholarships as well as discounts or free accommodation in dormitories.
The Lithuanian state support for living expenses (scholarships) for VMU students from Ukraine admitted after the outbreak of the war is limited to only 144 students, while the rest do not receive such support. Students who enrolled before the start of the war and continue to successfully study at the university do not benefit from state support, although they and their families face financial and other hardships caused by the war.
“As the holidays approach, we would like to invite all members of the VMU community to think about our Ukrainian students, who will not have the opportunity to spend the holidays with their loved ones, and to donate 10 Euros, i.e. the cost of one lunch, or more, to the VMU support fund for the victims of the war in Ukraine by 16th December of this year,” said Ilona Kazlauskaitė, the Director of VMU International Cooperation Department.
The money raised during this initiative will be distributed this December, before the beautiful holidays of the year, in the form of one-time scholarships and provided to Ukrainian students at VMU who do not receive state support.
You can make a donation for this initiative to a special AB SEB bank account:
LT41 7044 0600 0284 8638
Beneficiary’s name: Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas
Payment description: Support for Ukrainian students at VMU
Support for Ukrainian children
The Centre of Ukraine, which opened its doors in Vilnius this summer at the initiative of VMU and the First Ladies of Ukraine and Lithuania, is also making a contribution and is organising support for the youngest residents of the Ukrainian town of Tulchyn (Vinnytsia region).
The community of the Centre, which is provided with a safe haven, medical and social assistance, educational services, and the opportunity to foster their culture, expressed their desire to support their compatriots who remain in Ukraine and live under difficult conditions.
At the request of the Mayor of Tulchyn, the Centre of Ukraine is starting to collect donations for the little Ukrainians who remain in this town: there are plans to buy electric generators for kindergartens and buses for transporting children and people with disabilities.
In order to gather the necessary support, the VMU community will invite VMU alumni and partners to join the initiative.