On June 25, Florida State University (FSU) became the first American university to host fellows from the BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program. After a month of close collaboration with FSU's Ukraine Task Force (UTF), the four Ukrainian fellows departed Tallahassee enriched both personally and professionally.
The BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program (BridgeUSA UAFP) is designed to forge lasting connections between Ukrainian and U.S. scholars, fostering long-term collaboration in research, pedagogy, course development, and publication. The program's main goal is to support Ukrainian universities in educating and training professionals critical to the country's recovery and reconstruction from Russia’s full-scale invasion through enduring partnerships with U.S. institutions of higher education.
During their time at FSU, the Ukrainian fellows engaged with professors and staff in a series of in-depth discussions on topics ranging from teacher training development and combating human trafficking to mental health care, trauma resiliency, intensive English language development, and innovative applications of technology such as drones, CCTV, and body security innovations.
"All of these meetings were not like lectures from United States professors to Ukrainian colleagues," said Dr. Taras Panchenko, Head of the Computer Science Department at Taras Shevchenko National University in Ukraine. "It was a two-way conversation, a dialogue, a partnership, a cooperative dialogue.”
Dr. Adrii Balendr, a colonel and Head of the Language Training and Testing Center at Bohdan Khmelnytskyy National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, echoed this sentiment. "As a military person, it came unexpected, completely unexpected for me, the full range and scope of possibilities FSU can offer.”
In addition to their academic engagements, the fellows had numerous opportunities to share their perspectives on Russia's war on Ukraine with FSU students and community members. The UTF, in collaboration with the Center for Global Engagement, hosted a panel discussion and an International Coffee Hour, which provided a platform for the fellows to discuss their experiences and the ongoing situation in Ukraine. These events were made possible through the efforts of the UTF and its director, Dr. Vilma Fuentes, who facilitated partnerships across the university community.
"There were a lot of opportunities for us to explain about Ukraine and to speak about Ukraine with United States citizens and FSU students," added Dr. Panchenko. "We all know words are cheap, so let's do something. FSU's Ukraine Task Force is exactly about this. It's real steps.”
The successful collaboration between FSU and the BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program underscores American Councils and the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State’s commitments to fostering global partnerships that have a tangible impact on communities and countries in need.
The BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State with additional funding provided by U.S. host institutions. The program is administered by the American Councils for International Education.