Our response to the invasion of Ukraine
This page provides information about the University’s response to the invasion of Ukraine, as well as advice and support for staff and students impacted.
The University of York is a University of Sanctuary in a City of Sanctuary. As we have in other conflicts, we continue to monitor developments in Ukraine and will offer support to Ukrainian and Russian members of our community whenever needed.
Related links
Our response to the situation in Ukraine (email 17 March 2022)
Our statement on Ukraine (email 2 March 2022)
What we're doing
We've developed a partnership with Karazin University in Kharkiv, Ukraine (KKNU) which includes offering fellowships, assisting with the preservation of rare books, providing summer schools, short courses, and access to online resources, and establishing longer term links between academics and between our students unions. The Universities UK (UUK) Twin for Hope campaign shows how partnerships between UK and Ukrainian universities are making a positive difference during this humanitarian crisis.
Watch the UUK #TwinForHope video
We are also supporting the work of the Council for At Risk Academics (CARA) to provide a place of safety in the UK for academics displaced by the conflict. Locally, we are working with the City Council and other local partners to see how we can best coordinate our actions to the benefit of those needing sanctuary.
Students and staff affected by the conflict can find information about sources of support in the 'Information for staff and students' section below.
How you can help
Members of our community have asked how they can offer support financially or through volunteering. Alongside the many national charities supporting those affected, the University is enabling contributions through our Sanctuary Fund giving page, and we thank you in advance for any support.
Donate a bicycle
We're working in partnership with the City of York Council to provide bicycles to Ukrainian refugees. By donating an unwanted bicycle, you can support people to become more independent and move into the next stages of their lives.
Other ways you can support across the city of York
- If you are able to host incoming individuals or families from Ukraine you can register with both the national Homes for Ukraine scheme and locally with York's City of Sanctuary team who are coordinating work across the city.
- If you are able to volunteer regularly in local schools or community groups to support English language tuition to either children or adults, York Learning would like to hear from you.
- You can also make donations (financial or clothes/school uniform etc) toward City of Sanctuary and RAY (Refugee Action York) who are leading across the city for support in partnership with the council.
Information for staff and students
We wish to acknowledge that the news of the war in Ukraine is very upsetting, particularly for our students and colleagues from Ukraine, Russia and surrounding areas. Where we've been able to identify staff or students from Ukraine and Russia, we've contacted them directly to offer welfare and other types of support. Both the University and colleges are working to ensure all members of the University community are supported as much as possible, and we will respond as appropriate as the situation develops.
Sources of support
Students should contact the Student Support team to request help and advice, and you can also find details of assistance funding on our website.
Other sources of support are the University Chaplaincy (who will support students of any or no faith) and the York SU Advice and Support Centre.
Staff can use our Health Assured Employee Assistance scheme, which provides support in many areas - not just health-related issues.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have information for Ukrainian nationals in the UK.
Our investments and research relationships
We recognise that many in Russia do not support the invasion of the Ukraine and have been inspired by those who have expressed their protest, with all the risks that entails. We have reviewed all our institutional relationships with Russia. We can confirm that the University does not have current donations or grants from individuals or organisations in Russia, and nor do we hold investments in Russian companies. We are not aware of any current, formal institutional ties with partners in Russia, or institutional grants with Russian research bodies. We encourage anyone with any concerns or personal-level collaborations to get in touch with Associate Deans for Research, or the Research Grant Office, so we can help understand and support the best way forward.
Events
Putin's war in Ukraine: A historian's view - recording of a recent talk by Dr Shane O'Rourke (History).
Our man on Ukraine
Dr Shane O'Rourke of the Department of History shares his insights into the invasion in this series.
Related links
Our response to the situation in Ukraine (email 17 March 2022)
Our statement on Ukraine (email 2 March 2022)