Exactly one year ago, on February 24th, Russian military forces invaded Ukraine. On this day, marking the year-long Russian-Ukrainian war, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) invites you to commemorate it in solidarity and support for the citizens of Ukraine.
"The Mykolas Romeris University community warmly welcomed the Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homeland due to the brutal war. We will be together until victory. We will continue to unite the support of the world's academic community for Ukraine, which is fighting for its freedom and common values of democracy", said MRU Rector Prof. Dr. Inga Zalėnienė.
At the beginning of 2023, the MRU Senate declared this year, the Year of Ukraine's Freedom. The MRU community continues to support Ukraine and its people.
MRU shares its facilities with Gravitas Schola, a school for war refugees. More than 450 pupils attend classes at the school. About 130 senior pupils in grades 8-11 study in MRU auditoriums, use IT and sports infrastructure, the canteen and MRU's Park facilities. Currently, about 50 teachers from Ukraine and Lithuania work at the school.
Probably the largest center for Ukrainian war refugees in Lithuania operates in MRU’s Student House. Members of the MRU community have generously donated, collected humanitarian aid, volunteered, organized educational and entertainment activities for children, their parents and grandparents, since the start of the War.
Most of the adults, under the care of the MRU, who fled the War work. Children attend kindergartens and schools. Ukrainian students also took advantage of the opportunity to complete their studies at MRU or start studying in Bachelor's and/or Master's Degree study programmes.
During the 2022 fall semester, 144 students from Ukraine were admitted to MRU. About 50 of them are studying in Bachelor's Degree programs. Many of them chose the English for Specific Purposes and the 2nd Foreign Language programme, the Game development and Digital Animation or the Global Business and Modern Marketing study programmes. According to Anželika Vėžienė, Head of MRU's Department of Staff Activities, last year 61 students who started studying at MRU after the war began, received in September-December received targeted support from the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports. The total amount of support totaled 72,900 Euros.
In 2022, 8 researchers who left Ukraine due to the War, were employed at the University, enabling them to continue their research activities in Lithuania. There are 5 researchers conducting post-doctoral internships at the University. They not only carry out research activities, but also contribute generously by connecting Lithuanian and Ukrainian universities and people from local communities to collect and send aid to Ukraine.
In December 2022, at the behest of MRU Law School researcher Olha Bodnar-Petrovska, Coordinator of the Baltic-Ukrainian Foundation, the "MRU Caravan for Ukraine" was sent off to Ukraine. The MRU community donated a car loaded with food, medicine, water, trench-warming candles and woolen socks to soldiers fighting on the Ukrainian front. In January, another humanitarian aid package collected by MRU and local communities reached Ukraine.
"We believe that the War will soon end with the victory of Ukraine. We, as a social sciences university, must first of all take care of the most vulnerable people near us and the soldiers fighting for our peace and freedom. It is by mobilizing the people of the local communities, that we can send humanitarian aid to Ukraine, share our lives, the warmth of our hearts and our hope," said MRU Vice-Rector's Adviser for Sustainable Development Dr. Nomeda Gudelienė.