Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a dramatic event, will forever change our perception of the world around us. The war has taught us one of the most difficult lessons – a lesson of humanity. It is also a test for us, for the whole community of Poznań University of Economics and Business (PUEB), a test of the values that we declare, that we have chosen as fundamental for our everyday operation, the values that we truly believe in. We do not want to remain passive we must not also in view of the big number of Ukrainian students who have chosen our University as a place for their own development, and intellectual and emotional growth.

Poznań University of Economics and Business, following its guiding principles of openness and responsibility, has been actively involved in providing help to Ukraine on various levels. A day after the invasion, on 25th February, PUEB Senate passed a Resolution condemning the war, a special website “PUEB for Ukraine” was established and is regularly updated with information in Polish and Ukrainian. We have been distributing “support for Ukraine” badges to our students and staff.

Activities to support PUEB students

• PUEB is very much concerned with the well-being and mental health issues of our students – we have doubled our efforts in providing various forms of student counselling be it psychological or academic. Our student advisors work face-to-face with those students who seek help, they are also available to talk through zoom or on the phone;
• PUEB has deferred dormitory and academic fees for Ukrainian students and has introduced changes in the Benefits Regulations that will allow students to apply for allowances that are five times higher than regular allowances;
• PUEB Foundation has started a fundraising campaign that is supported by the Student Parliament. The proceeds of the campaign will be donated to the Scholarship Fund;
• PUEB has supported the Student Parliament in creating an “Info point” for all students and Ukrainian immigrants that come to our University with questions about specific solutions directed to students, about their legal stay in Poland and in Poznań and about the ways in which they can help the growing Ukrainian community in Poznań;
• Rector of the University, prof. Maciej Żukowski, organized a meeting with Ukrainian, Russian and Belarussian students showing our support to all those groups.

Initiatives to support Ukrainian migrants

• Between 2-4 March PUEB organized a collection point for goods that were delivered directly to Ukraine to help its citizens – we collected 3 tons of goods, mostly food and medical supplies;
• PUEB has offered its sports hall for a refugee shelter for Ukrainian migrants – we will be hosting 150 migrants offering not only a place to stay but also warm meals, the help of volunteers and activities for small children;
• PUEB is open to accepting Ukrainian scholars and students who wish to continue their academic careers and education in Poznań.

Disseminating knowledge

• PUEB is in close contact with our academic partners in Ukraine both on a personal and institutional level, we help them disseminate news on the situation in their cities and at their Universities and engage them in everyday academic work e.g. preparing an online international conference on cybersecurity together with State University of Trade and Economics in Kiev that is planned to take place in autumn 2022;
• PUEB faculty organized a seminar entitled “The roots of war in Ukraine”, a series of seminars on the economic aspects of war, the ways in which we can fight with fake news and disinformation and on the post-war reality.

A short video message to PUEB students from the Rector: