Our latest statement on Ukraine

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.

Further information

• BEIS published more information on research and innovation sanctions on Russia and support for Ukraine on 27 March.
• On 7 March, Universities UK International (UUKi) wrote to the President of the Russian Union of Rectors (RUR) to suspend a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between our respective organisations.
• On the same day (7 March) a decision was taken by the European Universities Association (of which Universities UK is a member) to suspend membership of 12 Russian universities following the RUR statement.
• We note the European Commission’s decision (4 March) to suspend cooperation with Russian entities in research, science and innovation. The Commission will not conclude any new contracts nor any new agreements with Russian organisations under the Horizon Europe programme. The Commission is also suspending payments to Russian entities under existing contracts. All ongoing projects, in which Russian research organisations are participating, are being reviewed.
• We believe the UK should be a welcoming destination for academics and students fleeing conflict. We continue to seek information and clarification from the Home Office on safe and legal immigration routes for Ukrainian citizens entering the UK as well as support required for those already studying and working at UK universities. 
• We want universities to play the fullest role possible in Phase 2 of the government’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme which will support those fleeing the invasion. We have written to Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP and Lord Harrington, Minister for Refugees to press for further information and clarity ahead of Phase 2 going live.
• While our primary focus is on what we can do to support Ukrainian staff and students currently in the UK and those who arrive here fleeing the conflict, we are also mindful of the position of Russian staff and students, many of whom oppose this conflict. 
• We are assisting our member institutions by providing advice, providing a forum to discuss individual and collective approaches, and using our policy influence to address issues such as visa conditions and access to financial support. We will work closely with the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA) to assist them in their efforts to help at-risk academics. 
• We are working with Refugee Education UK, along with a range of other groups, to develop a coordinated approach to support students fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. We hope to be able to say more about this shortly.
• We do not support the application of blanket academic boycotts that prevent academics collaborating with other academics as a means of protest against the actions of their governments. This aligns with the UK Government’s position that action should be directed towards Putin’s regime, not individual researchers, many of whom oppose Putin’s actions. We are therefore advising our members to make decisions about whether to continue collaborations on a case-by-case basis, informed both by UK Government guidance and appropriate due diligence. We have requested the government’s support for universities as they do this. 
• Finally, we continue to explore practical ways to support Ukrainian universities now, and in the future, in partnership with out counterparts around the world. We have engaged with a number of university leaders in Ukraine and working with Cormack Consultancy Group, we have established a new mechanism to match UK universities who want to help, with Ukrainian institutions through a twinning arrangement.

You can read our previous statement on Ukraine from 28 February.