Related
15 Oct 2020
Publications

15 Oct 2020
Publications
Last updated on Thursday 7 Apr 2022 on 11:57am
The appalling decision of the Russian Government to invade Ukraine, and the consequences of this profoundly disturbing action, will affect many people across the higher education community. We unequivocally condemn the invasion and express our support for Ukrainian universities, staff and students.
This statement is our latest response as of 28 March, following the announcement by the Department for Business, Energy and Innovation Strategy (BEIS) on Research and innovation sanctions on Russia and support for Ukraine.
UK universities are committed to supporting Ukrainian staff and students currently in the UK and those who arrive here fleeing the conflict. We therefore welcome the UK Government’s £3 million package of support for Ukrainian researchers at risk to help them continue their work in the UK, and look forward to working with the British Academy as this scheme is finalised. Alongside this, we are helping to link UK universities with Ukrainian counterparts to support the continuation of their own teaching and research.
We have engaged with the UK Government on how to develop the most effective and targeted actions against the Putin regime, and recognise and support the decision to cease funding new collaborative projects with Russia. As ministers acknowledge, UK universities have been reviewing current and planned activities using our guidance on Managing Risks in Internationalisation and many universities have already ended formal partnerships with Russia. We have also suspended our relationship with the Russian Rectors’ Forum.
Many Russian students, academics and researchers, at great personal peril, have publicly criticised this invasion. We believe that scientific collaboration and research are a vital global endeavour, therefore we would not support a blanket suspension of academic links.
You can read our previous statement on Ukraine from 28 February.