Ukrainian students at the University of Warwick come together to mark two years since the Russian invasion.

A panel discussion will take place on Wednesday 21^st February at the University of Warwick to mark two years since the invasion of Ukraine. The event will bring together Ukrainian staff and students along with refugees from the local community.

Speakers taking part in the panel discussion, which has been organised by the Warwick Ukrainian Student Society, include:

Dr Bo Kelestyn

Bo is a Ukrainian member of the University of Warwick Business School staff, who created the Leadership for Educational Transformation programme in collaboration with the Ukrainian Leadership Academy. She facilitated the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science. She is an expert in design thinking, with a diverse teaching and consulting portfolio.

Dr Vlad Mykhnenko

Dr Mykhnenko is an economic geographer, with expertise in the post-communist transformation of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, urban and regional economic development. Dr Mykhnenko has given expert evidence in public to the UK House of Commons in connection with the Foreign Affairs Committee inquiry into the challenges of Recovery in Ukraine and was invited to advise on the Mariupol Reborn revival strategy.

Dr Olena Miliienko

Dr Miliienko is part of the Politics and International Studies department at the University of Warwick as a Visiting Associate Professor. Her research centres around Business relocation by Internally Displaced Persons. In Ukraine, she was lecturer at the Vasyl' Stus Donetsk National University (relocated to Vinnytsia), worked as the Director of the Vinnytsia Training Centre of the National School of Judges of Ukraine, and deputy of the Vinnytsia Oblast’ Council.

Aliona Hlivko

Aliona is the Managing Director of the Henry Jackson Society. As a political analyst and foreign policy expert, her background is in domestic and international strategic communications, global affairs and geopolitics. Her career began in Ukrainian politics, holding several government positions in the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Parliament in Ukraine. Aliona is a regular contributor for the BBC, Al Jazeera and Monocle.

President of the Ukrainian Student Society at the University of Warwick, and lead organiser of the event, Dmytro Kunchenko said: “It is sometimes stressful to be a student. This stress is amplified if you are a refugee.

“Yet, my position as president of the Ukrainian Student Society enables me to play an active role in bringing Ukrainian communities and active supporters together. I am pleased to welcome this group of speakers to Warwick, to look to the future of my country.”

Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor (Europe) and Chair of the University of Warwick’s Ukraine Working Group, Professor George Christou, said: “It’s inspiring to see the students of the Ukrainian Society organise events like this, and to see the support they are able to draw upon from Warwick and the wider community. This panel discussion will help raise awareness and facilitate important conversations about the present situation and the future of Ukraine.”

ENDS
For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Bron Mills
Communications Officer
bron.mills@warwick.ac.uk | +447824 540 720