“We are very proud to have established a strong and growing relationship with Sumy State University through the UK-Ukraine twinning scheme. Our partnership demonstrates university collaboration at its best, showing the power of education to change lives and bring people and places together. It has enabled numerous shared research, study, cultural and other initiatives over more than three years. Both universities look forward to continuing a long and fruitful partnership together.”
University of Liverpool
and
Sumy State University
The partnership between Sumy State University and the University of Liverpool exemplifies the core mission of the UK–Ukraine Twinning Initiative: to sustain higher education, empower resilience, and build enduring academic cooperation during times of crisis. Established in 2022, this twinning relationship has become a dynamic collaboration rooted in mutual trust, long-term academic vision, and people-to-people solidarity.
Despite Sumy State University's location near the frontline of russia's invasion and ongoing missile threats that have damaged campus buildings, the partnership has not only persisted but flourished – encompassing joint research, student and staff mobility, digital learning innovation, and public advocacy for Ukraine's academic sector.
Introduction
"The twinning partnership with the University of Liverpool is not only a lifeline for our academic community but also a symbol of unwavering international solidarity. At a time when war threatens our institutions, this collaboration has helped preserve education, empower our researchers, and open new doors for our students. We are deeply grateful for this partnership that stands not just on paper, but in action, commitment, and shared values." – Professor Vasyl Karpusha, Rector, Sumy State University
Joint Research Programmes
At the heart of the partnership lies strong research collaboration. The University of Liverpool, under the leadership of Professor Igor Potapov - Head of the UK–Ukraine Research Twinning project at the University of Liverpool, supports SumDU through research grant projects aimed at mutual research, PhD co-supervision, short-term mobility schemes, and shared publications. Over £1M UKRI and donation funding was secured until 2025 to support research activities between the twinned partners and for transferring best practices on UK-Ukraine collaboration to other universities
2023: Collaboration for Digitalisation and Digital Transformation of Ukraine
Supported by a grant from Universities UK International's UK–Ukraine Research and Innovation Twinning Scheme, the University of Liverpool and Sumy State University have jointly advanced research in digital transformation, engineering, and sustainable technologies. The programme connects Liverpool's Digital Innovation Facility, IDEAs, VEC, MIF, and SIRE with SumDU's electronics, energy efficiency, and business faculties. In the summer 2023, 18 SumDU researchers have completed in-person research fellowships, while 30 more participated in research activities virtually, engaging in mentoring, joint projects, and career development workshops.
In August 2023, Liverpool hosted SumDU scholars for a research symposium featuring 14 fellow presentations and explored future collaboration in public health, economics, engineering, and sustainability.
Making an Impact
Student Exchange and Academic Mobility
Thanks to the support of the University of Liverpool, every academic year since the launching of the twinning partnership, five SumDU undergraduate students arrive at the University of Liverpool for an academic exchange – one including the semester program. These students, majoring in International Economics, Psychology, Marketing, Law, and others, fully integrate into courses and campus life. Their semester in Liverpool is a life-changing academic and personal experience – and a testament to Liverpool's commitment to opening its doors when physical mobility is limited for many Ukrainians due to the war.
Universities' libraries are also central to the twinning effort. The University of Liverpool and SumDU are working together on knowledge sharing, joint digital library initiatives, and collaborative activities that address the needs of displaced students and scholars. During the 2022-2025 twinning events, library teams shared best practices for supporting education in emergency contexts and inclusivity of library services and contributed to open-access resource curation for Ukrainian universities.
In March 2025, the Director of the SumDU Library and her deputy visited the University of Liverpool for a dedicated programme of meetings and workshops. As part of the visit, they also participated in a Research Libraries UK (RLUK) conference held at the University of Liverpool, where they presented the case of SumDU and engaged with UK library leaders on how to integrate Ukrainian academic needs into broader European and international library strategies. This cooperation highlights how libraries can be powerful agents of academic solidarity, resilience, and innovation.
Summer Schools: Fake News and SDGs
In the summers of 2022, 2023, and 2024, the University of Liverpool welcomed Sumy State University's students to Summer Schools both on-campus and virtually, focusing on countering disinformation, sustainable development goals (SDGs), and digital citizenship. Students and staff from Sumy State University graduated from the program, studying two modules – 'Sustainable Development Goals – Global Challenges, Local Action, Achieved Outcomes' and 'Fake News, Fake Science, and Critical Thinking. What should I believe?".
Library Cooperation
As part of its sustained commitment to academic solidarity, the University of Liverpool granted access to its flagship professional development programme, Making an Impact, for academic and research staff at Sumy State University. Between 2022 and 2024, SumDU faculty, researchers, and administrative staff participated in a wide range of skills-building sessions on topics such as negotiation with project partners, collaborative research strategies, maximizing research impact, and many more. Over 100 SumDU staff members benefited from this initiative, gaining valuable tools to strengthen their international engagement, enhance research leadership, and maintain academic resilience in the face of ongoing crises.
Eurovision 2023 as a Moment of Solidarity
In May 2023, when Liverpool hosted the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine, the twinning partnership symbolically took center stage. Liverpool invited SumDU representatives to join the event, offering a moment of cultural solidarity and visibility for Ukraine's academic voice. This celebration showcased the human connections that twinning fosters – well beyond the classroom.
“The success of the University of Liverpool’s pilot projects has contributed to the national promotion of the LinkUA concept—a bottom-up initiative designed to support high-impact, sustainable research collaborations. The goal is to build a scalable ecosystem for capacity-building, talent development, and long-term academic engagement between the two countries." — Professor Igor Potapov, University of Liverpool, UK–Ukraine Research Twinning Lead
“Twinning gave us not only partnership but hope. It exemplifies our commitment to sustaining education under the most challenging circumstances. It allows us to continue nurturing talent and research in Ukraine, ensuring we remain connected to the global academic community. The collaborative projects initiated through this scheme will benefit our students and faculty and contribute to the development of innovative solutions that address pressing issues in both our countries. Together, we have turned emergency response into sustainable collaboration. This story is about people standing together – not just institutions." — Dr. Tetyana Mayboroda, Deputy Head, International Affairs, Sumy State University, Institutional lead for the twinning partnership
2024: Co-supervision Research Fellowship Programme
The Co-supervision Research Fellowship Programme 2024 was launched to strengthen academic resilience and foster international scientific exchange during wartime. The initiative supports early-career researchers from Sumy State University through joint supervision, tailored mentoring, and interdisciplinary collaboration with scholars at the University of Liverpool.
Each month, the program hosts up to 16 SumDU PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and fellows for in-person research stays on the Liverpool campus, focusing on priority areas such as digital transformation, sustainable development, mental health, public health, law, media, and resilience in education and governance. By the end of 2024, 30 SumDU researchers had participated, with the project continuing into 2025 and expecting a cohort of 50 participants as a whole. This initiative empowers Ukrainian scholars to advance their academic careers, co-publish with international peers, and strengthen their role in global research networks.
UK-Ukraine Twinning Showcase and Networking events:
The University of Liverpool hosted two research twinning events on the national level in March 2024 and March 2025, which brought together delegates from the UK and Ukraine to share experiences and identify opportunities to foster new links and collaborative partnerships. The events were held both in-person and online. They brought together stakeholders from Ukraine and the UK, such as: twin partner institutions representatives with successful case studies presentations, Cormack Consultancey Group and Twinning team, the UK Research and Innovation , the British Council , Universities UK, Springer, and others.
Designed to strengthen scientific links and promote further academic collaboration, the conference featured presentations, poster sessions, and working group discussions aimed to reflect on the success of existing partnerships and identify new opportunities for joint projects.