On 24 February, marking the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion, Acting Rector of Sumy State University Vasyl Karpusha took part in the international forum “Beyond Visibility: How War Transforms Education, Science, and Culture.”

The event was organised by the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies (GCUS) , an initiative launched in summer 2024 with the support of the First Lady of Ukraine.

The forum provided a platform to reflect on the transformations experienced by the Ukrainian academic space over four years of war, as well as on the role of education and research in preserving national identity. The event brought together leading scholars from Ukraine, Finland, Estonia, and the Czech Republic as panel speakers and more than 100 participants who represented Italy, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Germany, and other countries.

During the panel discussion “Education in Times of War: Institutional Resilience and Transformation,” the Acting Rector of SumDU presented the experience of a university operating in a border region and responding daily to security challenges.

“For us, resilience is not a slogan but a daily management practice. The war has changed everything: demography, security, and the regional economy. We were compelled to rethink the university model, from physical safety to strengthening the strategic role of research and international engagement,” noted Vasyl Karpusha.

The Acting Rector emphasised that the university’s resilience model is built on the integration of security, digitalisation, research development, international integration, and close cooperation with the local community. Despite its border location and constant security risks, SumDU continues to invest in modernising shelters and autonomous infrastructure, developing its own digital learning ecosystem, preserving its research capacity, and increasing research funding.

In 2025, SumDU reached a historic milestone: research funding amounted to UAH 185.5 million. Following the results of the state research assessment, the university was placed in Qualification Group “A” in five subject areas  which is the highest result among Ukrainian higher education institutions.

The university is actively expanding international cooperation and currently maintains over 350 partnerships across 66 countries. It is an active participant in the European University alliances E3UDRES2 European University Alliance and NEOLAiA European University Alliance, and continues to develop its twinning partnership with University of Liverpool.

At the same time, the university maintains its role as an open educational and research centre for the city and the wider region.

“SumDU is a city-forming institution. We are the heart and the life of the city. We support economic activity: our sports complexes, medical facilities, laboratories, and safe spaces operate not only for students but for the entire community,” underlined Vasyl Karpusha.

The discussion also featured representatives of Tampere University (Finland), University of Tartu (Estonia), Charles University (Czech Republic), as well as leading Ukrainian higher education institutions.

The key message of the forum was clear: Ukrainian education and research have moved beyond being symbolic markers of resilience. They have become a space for generating knowledge about the war, an instrument of international dialogue, and a driver of long-term global understanding of Ukraine.

Through the activities of the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, the experience of Ukrainian universities becomes visible, contextualised, and heard beyond the headlines.