On April 7–10, 2025, Istanbul (Türkiye) hosted the EURIE 2025 Eurasia Higher Education Summit – one of the leading international forums in the field of higher education internationalization. The summit brought together representatives of universities, government agencies, educational companies, and research institutions from over 70 countries across Europe, Asia, the USA, and the Middle East.

The event gathered more than 2,000 participants, including university rectors, vice-rectors, heads of international offices, researchers, education managers, and consultants. Key topics included the current challenges in higher education, new trends, digital innovations, and strategies for building sustainable partnerships and global cooperation.

Alla Krasulia, Head of the International Affairs Department of Sumy State University, was the only participant from Ukraine. On April 9, she took part as a speaker in the panel discussion titled "Resilience of Higher Education in Times of International Conflict or Crisis," where she presented her talk "Digital Bridges and Resilient Internationalization in Ukraine: Adapting for a Sustainable Future."

In her presentation, Alla Krasulia shared the unique experience of Sumy State, which –despite being located only 30 km from the frontline – has continued its educational, research, and international activities even during the full-scale war. The university actively implements digital tools such as AI, VR/AR, and COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) to ensure uninterrupted education and global engagement. Sumy State maintains partnerships with over 335 institutions in 55 countries, including the UK, the USA, EU countries, and across Asia.

Alla Krasulia also highlighted the university's strategies for adapting to wartime conditions –from implementing hybrid learning models to building strong integration with the local community. This includes social initiatives, veteran support, and collaboration based on the "quadruple helix" model (academia – business – government – society).

Her presentation was complemented by Turkish colleagues – Fatma Nur Aydin, President of Cyprus Science University and Advisor to the President of Istanbul Aydin University, and Dr. Cahit Ezel, Coordinator of the Office of Institutional Development and International Academic Affairs at Eastern Mediterranean University (Cyprus). Their contributions added depth to the discussion on higher education resilience.

As part of the summit, Alla Krasulia also participated in the workshop "Holistic Leadership for Better Work and Life" led by Prof. Funda Sivrikaya Şerifoğlu, an expert with the Eurasian Universities Union (EURAS), and Yaprak Dalat Ward, Associate Professor at Fort Hays State University, USA. She also joined the panel on Women’s Leadership in Higher Education, moderated by Dr. Fanta Aw, CEO and Executive Director of NAFSA: Association of International Educators (Washington, D.C., USA).

A powerful moment of the summit was the presentation by Patricia Szobonya, who emphasized the potential of COIL. Sumy State has been implementing this model since 2019, and today it has become a vital bridge for sustaining international academic cooperation during wartime.

As part of the summit program, Ms. Krasulia also visited the campus of one of Türkiye’s largest private universities – Istanbul Aydın University (IAU). The university enrolls 50,000 students, including over 8,000 international students from more than 120 countries, and operates 17 faculties, 36 research centers, and 165 laboratories. IAU is a committed participant in the Erasmus+ program and a member of various international networks, including EUA, EURAS, UNIMED, and Businet.

Alla Krasulia extended sincere thanks to the summit organizers – particularly Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, President of IAU and founder and president of EURIE, and especially Dr. Ayşe Deniz Özkan, Director of the IAU GLOBAL NETWORK Office, for the invitation, support, and the opportunity to represent Ukraine at such a prestigious international platform.

"I’m returning home with fresh ideas after days of meaningful networking, inspiring workshops, and presentations – my heart full of gratitude for the warm welcome. Unfortunately, upon arriving in my hometown of Sumy, I witnessed a horrific missile attack that once again reminded the people of Sumy of the cruelty of the enemy. This enemy not only shells peaceful cities and destroys educational institutions – it also seeks to undermine the trust of international partners in the value of cooperating with a borderland university. And yet, the opposite happened – I received dozens of emails and messages of support from our strategic partners, including the University of Liverpool (UK), Oklahoma State University (USA), the European university alliances E³UDRES² and NEOLAiA, as well as from partners we work with under the Erasmus+ programme. Special thanks go to the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine, Ms. Svitlana Shytikova, and our colleagues from the Alliance of Ukrainian Universities for their unwavering support.

A university is not just walls – it’s people. It’s an academic community that is now more united than ever, determined to ensure our voice is heard. The International Affairs Department, whose premises were completely destroyed by a missile strike, is already recovering and ready to continue its work – strengthening existing partnerships and developing new ones, including those initiated during the EURIE 2025 Summit," shared Alla Krasulia.