Warwick Faculty Support Leadership Programme for Ukrainian Veterans: Sharing Expertise in Mediation, Displacement and Social Cohesion
Published 30.9.25
A novel Political Leadership Programme welcomed 15 Ukrainian veterans to Warwick campus from 7–12 September 2025. Developed by the Warwick Business School in partnership with the CHESNO Movement—with support from the Netherlands’ MATRA Programme and the International Renaissance Foundation—the programme aimed to strengthen veterans’ civic and political engagement. This is UK’s first residential programme of its kind that blended leadership training with expert-led sessions and exchanges involving British policymakers, academics, and civil society. Topics included veterans in politics, UK veteran policy, community engagement, human-centred design, employment, entrepreneurship, and career transitions. PAIS Professors Neophytos Loizides and Maria Koinova, and Dr. Olena Miliienko, British Academy Fellow, were invited to provide their expertise.
Professor Loizides delivered his signature Café Diplomatico training to Ukrainian participants—an immersive programme exploring the complexities of international negotiation and mediation. The training follows the fictional career of a female diplomat, from her first day in the foreign service to becoming UN Secretary-General. Through this narrative, participants engage with realistic diplomatic challenges, connecting global negotiation theory to Ukraine’s experience under foreign invasion. Over the past decade, Café Diplomatico has reached over 120 diplomats from 35 countries, featured in UN workshops, and partnered with organisations like the OAS. For Ukrainian veterans, Professor Loizides aimed to offer not just skills, but deeper insights into ethical, confident, and effective negotiation—qualities essential in times of national crisis.
Professor Koinova and Dr. Miliienko brought their expertise on how to engage the internally and externally displaced Ukrainians for the recovery of Ukraine. Their joint presentation emphasised the importance of fostering social cohesion in Ukraine and unity among all populations inside and outside of Ukraine. Building on a recent report “Engaging the Global Ukrainian Community for Ukraine’s Recovery: Democracy and Human Rights Dimensions” co-published with ICMPD, Professor Koinova spoke about the role of diaspora, highlighting their efforts to support veterans—through rehabilitation initiatives, skills development, and programmes that help envision Ukraine’s future. Dr. Miliienko addressed the importance of integrating internally displaced persons (IDPs) into local governance structures. An engaged discussion after the presentation highlighted the implications of the new law on multiple citizenships, the future of diaspora voting, and the broader impact of diaspora outreach as a democratic process.
The PAIS team would like express their gratitude to Dr. Bo Kelestyn, Associate Professor at Warwick Business School, for this excellent initiative and the opportunity to support Ukraine’s veterans.
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