Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU)

Since 2022, the University of Edinburgh and Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU) have shared a strong partnership, fostering collaborative research, creating new opportunities for students and staff, and providing support to sustain learning during conflict.

About

This partnership builds on the city twinning initiative between Kyiv and Edinburgh that was established in 1989. Today, this partnership:

strengthens the relationship between our two cities
enables the cross-border exchange of people and ideas
supports the current needs of Ukrainian education and innovation
maintains the long-term, reciprocal strategic objectives of both institutions and nations beyond the current crisis.

From the partnership's beginnings, the breadth and depth of developments make it very clear: this alliance matters. When facing the impact of war, the value of solidarity has propelled the efforts of staff and students from both institutions.

We continue to collaborate for our people, for our institutions, and for our nations. We stand with KNU during the invasion of Ukraine and commit to a future of collaboration.

Collaborations

In 2023, our activities were strengthened by nearly £200k in funding from the UUK International grant scheme launched as part of the UK-Ukraine Twinning Initiative. Throughout 2025, we are further expanding our partnership through continued external support.

Explore our current and ongoing collaborations below.

Collaborations between KNU and the University of Edinburgh’s UK Centre for Astrobiology (UKCA) have been ongoing since the partnership began, including contributions from key UKCA members in Ukraine’s first international astrobiology meeting in October 2023 and online lectures for KNU students.

Following the success of an online lecture led by Professor Charles Cockell in 2025, Professor Cockell will be hosting an informal 10-part online lecture series for KNU students in 2026, focusing on astrobiology and biospheres beyond Earth.

Additionally, KNU, with support from the UKCA, is planning for a new Centre for Astrobiology located in Kyiv. Once established, the Centre will provide:

advice and insights on establishing astrobiology/planetary sciences courses and projects
an elective course (10 lectures) in astrobiology
support to build an astrobiology laboratory at TSNUK
project supervision on programmes such as Masters courses
collaboration where possible on projects
training of people who work across the sciences for practical societal benefit and technology development.

The Centre will involve:

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (D.K. Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Main Astronomical Observatory, Institute of Biology and Medicine)
Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute
Educational and Scientific Centre for Radiation Safety.

For three years, Edinburgh has been hosting Masters and PhD students from KNU’s Department of Analytical Chemistry for three-month research visits. Staff members from KNU have also visited Edinburgh to strengthen cross-university relationships and identify strengths and synergies. The University of Edinburgh has also provided KNU staff and students with training in Advanced Analytical Techniques. Together, our universities have also been assigned a twinning grant to further education and research.

Based on these twinning interactions, analytical and environmental chemistry groups at both universities are now collaborating to investigate and remediate the environmental damage in Ukraine caused by the war. The groups are currently scoping the potential to set up a new analytical lab at KNU and provide joint training for a new generation of analytical and environmental chemists.

Languages and Cultures collaboration focuses on the facilitation of:

joint conferences and online lectures
literary collaborations
staff and student visits
language courses
resource sharing.

Additionally, the Institute for Academic Development (IAD) is collaborating with the Department of Publishing and Editing at KNU to focus on academic writing skills. This has so far resulted in sharing resources, and the next steps will focus on hosting joint online workshops on writing and publishing as part of a KNU researcher week.

The Geopolitics collaboration aims to highlight and share Ukrainian perspectives of geopolitics through workshops, panels and exhibitions. They’re currently working towards more PhD-focused initiatives aimed at both KNU and the University of Edinburgh, while also continuing collaboration and seeking follow-up funding for the Ukraine Politics Network.

This collaboration explores the geopolitics of teaching, research and art by:

supporting ongoing efforts
building connections
sharing ideas
engaging with the community.

The idea for collaboration in the topic of urban regeneration emerged in Kyiv, where our colleagues faced the prospect of their cities and towns after the war. Led by Dr Kostyantyn Mezentsev (KNU) and Professor Soledad Garcia Ferrari (Edinburgh), the Impacts of War collaboration looks to limit damage, achieve justice and aid reconstruction through research and student engagement.

Ongoing activities within this collaboration include:

collaborative research on urbicide and post-conflict urban regeneration
joint student workshops exploring post-post-conflict urban regeneration
development of toolkits and publications around urban regeneration and recovery
joint participation in proposal developments
collaborative field research
international visibility and dissemination through conferences, joint research presentations and public lectures.

NICE is a multi-university virtual exchange programme designed to develop students’ intercultural and entrepreneurial skills. Each year, different universities host the NICE Summer School, welcoming students and staff from:

the University of Edinburgh
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
University of Johannesburg
University of Amsterdam
University College Dublin and University of Padova.

Since 2023, the Edinburgh-KNU partnership fund has supported the participation of students and staff from KNU in the NICE programme, giving students the opportunity to work in diverse teams to create innovative business solutions.

In September 2025, the University of Edinburgh and KNU proudly co-hosted the 2025 NICE Summer School. Four staff members and ten students from KNU visited Edinburgh alongside a group of other students from Europe and South Africa. The week-long programme itinerary was designed to enhance intercultural competence and entrepreneurship, and mark an ending to the 2025 NICE programme.

Read about the 2025 NICE Summer School

Learn about the NICE programme

Since our partnership began, shared activity has included:

in-person and online seminars and workshops
seed funding for research proposals
skills and resource development
student and staff visits to Edinburgh.

These have included:

a 'hybrid EU diplomacy in practice' masterclass with Edinburgh Law School
the Una Europa One Health Summer School, where four KNU students visited Edinburgh to work collaboratively on Global Health challenges
annual celebrations on Vyshyvanka Day, where Ukranian staff and students visit Edinburgh to exchange ideas and cultures.

Seven students from KNU attended a partnership celebration event at the Edinburgh Futures Institute in July 2025.
Students and staff from both the University of Edinburgh and KNU attended a partnership celebration event in Edinburgh in July 2025.
During the partnership celebration event in July 2025, Eleanor Campbell spoke to a group of students and staff from KNU and Edinburgh about the Analytical Chemistry Lab.
Speakers from the University of Edinburgh and KNU showcased some achievements and collaborations achieved by this partnership. L-R: Dr Kostyantyn Mezentsev, Professor Soledad Garcia-Ferrari, Professor Lilia Miroshnychenko, Dr. Emmanuelle Lacore-Martin.
During the partnership celebration event in July 2025, students spoke about their experiences at the NICE Summer School.
In 2025, the University of Edinburgh sent laptops to KNU to help enable continued education during wartime.
Kseniia Smyrnova (left) and James Smith (right) at a Twinning event in 2023.
Five students from KNU came to Edinburgh to complete research for their Masters theses in Chemistry. L-R: Kateryna Dzhihirei, Marharyta Voitenko, Maryna Korobeinyk, Eleanor Campbell, Nadiia Hriadchenko and Sofiia Zhadanova
Kseniia Smyrnova (Vice-Rector for International Cooperation) from KNU was the special guest at the Cultural, Community and Partnerships Lunch in 2023.
Students and staff from KNU and Edinburgh came together on 18 May 2023 – Vyshyvanka Day – to celebrate the partnership at a Cultural, Community and Partnerships Lunch in Edinburgh.
The Educate, Collaborate, Unite event in November 2023.
Professor Soledad Garcia-Ferrari spoke about the Impacts of War collaboration at a partnership event in Edinburgh in 2023.
KNU student, Viktoriia Palahnuik, attended the Una Europa One Health Summer School with three other KNU students in 2022.