In September 2025, the delegation of Sumy State University, consisting of the Head of the International Relations Office Alla Krasulia and Deputy Head of the IRO Tetyana Mayboroda, took part in the annual conference of the European Association for International Education (EAIE), which this year was held in Gothenburg, Sweden.

EAIE traditionally brings together leading experts in higher education, representatives of university international offices, educational organizations, and government institutions from around the world. For SumDU, participation in such a large-scale forum is not only an opportunity to maintain long-standing partnerships but also an important element of the University’s internationalization and development strategy in wartime.

As part of the conference, several important meetings took place, in particular with representatives of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs Office of Global Education Programs: 

• Robin Lathrop, Chief of Education USA;
• Matthew P. Washburn, Program Officer of Education USA;
• Gordana Mirchikj, REAC, Regional Manager for Eastern, Central, and Southern Europe Education USA.

There were also meetings with Karen Dalkie, Vice-President for Development and Partnerships of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), and Olesia Sheremok, Business Development Advisor of the Embassy of Canada in Ukraine. 

In addition, SumDU representatives held productive negotiations with universities from Western Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, and Africa, as well as with partners from the E³UDRES² and NEOLAiA European University Alliances.

In her reflection, Dr. Alla Krasulia emphasized that for Ukrainian universities today, participation in such events is not just networking but a strategy of survival and development:

“For me, EAIE-2025 is confirmation that partners remain by our side even when the world is falling apart. It is an opportunity to review and reshape SumDU’s international development strategy in light of new realities. And it is an important reminder that, despite the war, Ukrainian universities are capable of being subjects of global academic policy, not merely objects of support. We no longer ask, ‘Whom should we sign a Memorandum with?’ We ask, ‘With whom can we hold the line of the academic front? Who will be our partner in rebuilding and rethinking the University? What formats will help our students and researchers feel part of global science?’ This is where the real value of such meetings lies.”

The conference program was rich and diverse: sessions, panel discussions, and workshops on current issues in international education, sectoral trends, and challenges. Key topics included the management of international partnerships and the participation of Ukrainian universities in European University Alliances as associate partners. In addition, the education fair created a strong sense of support and encouragement expressed by international partners, alliances, and representatives of the European Commission, both for the present and for the future.

“It was a great honor for us to represent Sumy State University at such a significant platform as EAIE. We sincerely thank our partners Hochschule Fulda and DAAD for the financial support of our participation, the Ukrainian State Center for International Education for their professional organizational assistance and for coordinating the Ukrainian Higher Education booth, as well as the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine for their continuous advisory and expert support. Thanks to you, SumDU had the opportunity not only to be present but also to actively contribute to discussions and to shaping the future of international education,”– highlighted Dr. Tetyana Mayboroda, Deputy Head of the IRO of SumDU.

Participation in EAIE-2025 once again confirmed that Sumy State University remains an active member of the global academic community, ready not only to face today’s challenges but also to shape new approaches to the future of higher education.