An information meeting with the university representatives for Ukrainian citizens who were hosted by the University of Lodz
Rector of the University of Lodz Supports Students and Doctoral Students from Ukraine
Senate of the University of Lodz Condemns Attack on Ukraine
Figures:
- Currently there are approximately 850 Ukrainian students at the University of Lodz (the highest number ever)
- There were more than 400 people from Ukraine in the dormitories of the University of Lodz (from February to summer 2022)
- After the war broke out, there were around 30 new researchers from Ukraine at the University of Lodz (some still work here!)
The University of Lodz Choir is performing the anthem of Ukraine. The recording was published on the university's website in the first days of Russian aggression to reassure our guests from Ukraine.
What the University of Lodz has managed to achieve during this difficult test, which supporting our Ukrainian brothers was and is, shows that our university is more than just a place to acquire skills, qualifications, diplomas. It is, first and foremost, a community, people acting in line with our values on a daily basis, including the moments of crisis. We have managed to share what we have, we have opened our homes to those in need, and this will certainly be one of the most beautiful moments in our history
– Prof. Elżbieta Żądzińska, Rector of the University of Lodz
Our home – your home
From February until the summer of 2022 the University of Lodz student campus was home not only for international students, but also for the families of our Ukrainian students who decided to bring them here. The university allocated a total of 277 places for them in 120 rooms. We also found some places in the centres, at Rogowska Street and in Spała.
For the needs of the University of Lodz guests from Ukraine, warehouses with products supplied by the university employees and the residents of Lodz were created on the student campus. In the photo: the spokesperson of the University of Lodz is telling journalists about the most urgent supply needs.
Ultimately, the University of Lodz provided a place for more than 400 people, mainly mothers with children. Almost immediately, an internal university team was formed to coordinate all activities for them. It has been headed by the Chancellor of the University of Lodz, Kamilla Scześniak, supported by: Deputy Chancellor of the University of Lodz, Jarosław Grabarczyk, Anna Felisiak (Director of the Social Affairs Centre for Students and Doctoral Students), Anna Gutowska-Ciołek (Director of the Academic Support Centre ), Lidia Kolbus (Director of the Facilities Management Centre for Central Administration), Liliana Lato (Director of the International Relations Office), Katarzyna Kalska-Sochacka (Director of the Science Centre), Anna Rolczak (Director of the Communications and PR Centre) and Roman Tarnowski (Director of the Polish Language Centre for Foreigners). Everyone was helping. Warehouses with stocks of the most necessary products were quickly created, we organised medical, psychological care, support in dealing with the most urgent official matters, even animation zones and activities for children.
The most common question asked by the adult refugees was: "Can I get a job?". They are tough people; however, after a while support from psychologists, both on-site and online became useful. We managed to find specialists from Ukraine to make this assistance as effective as possible.
The citizens of Ukraine who stayed in the University of Lodz dormitories were looking for employment from the very beginning. Some worked remotely. In the photo – a primary education teacher living in the University of Lodz Dormitory No.5 is conducting online classes for children in Ukraine.
Members of the University of Lodz personnel rose to the occasion and many of them, like Poles across the country, opened their homes to more people fleeing the East.
"Courage, commitment, respect – these are the values of the University of Lodz that are particularly important in the current situation. Let's support each other!" – appealed the University of Lodz authorities. One of the few positive things about this war – it turns out that we are able to follow these values in an exemplary manner.
After six months, all our guests found their place in Lodz or another part of the region. We should mention that the regional office was very supportive. The academic campus has returned to its old rhythm, but everyone knows that this episode will go down in the university history.
Volunteers from the Academic Support Centre of the University of Lodz – Ukrainian and Polish students – took care of the newcomers from Ukraine staying on the premises of the student campus.
This is not our war
In the area of science and didactics, the fastest assistance was provided to the students of the Polish Language Centre for Foreigners and people from Ukraine who wanted to learn. In addition to Ukrainians, there were also Belarusians and Russian citizens in the existing groups. These were not easy moments for any of them. They did not want this conflict; they themselves were fleeing the regime. Sometimes they shared the same room and there was a war going on somewhere out there, not their war.
In the first days of March the Polish Language Centre for Foreigners at the University of Lodz launched Polish language courses for Ukrainian citizens who studied at the University of Lodz and those who protected themselves from Russian aggression, accommodated in the dormitories. The University of Lodz Library also joined in the assistance by making its collections, a room for a parent with a child, a co-working area available to Ukrainian citizens, as well as providing information on all initiatives to donate children's books in Ukrainian to the refugees.
A charity carnival concert organised by the Polish Language Centre for Foreigners of the University of Lodz. All income from the concert was allocated to help fighting Ukraine.
For the first time in the history of the University of Lodz, a study programme was created in an "instant" mode – the formalities took one month. In May 2022 at the Faculty of Philology "Studies on Poland with English" were launched. They were to enable Ukrainian students with little or no knowledge of Polish to start a new life here in Poland. After two admission procedures, more than sixty young people started such a life with us.
In the first phase of the war, we also provided shelter to a group of several dozen Ukrainian scientists. While working at the University of Lodz, they earned the same as their Polish colleagues. The competition and recruitment were made possible thanks to the funding from a 2% increased subsidy for the University of Lodz for its participation in the Excellence Initiative – Research University competition.
Roses for candles, 700 km to get a mobile generator
The war in Ukraine is ongoing. It is not clear how much longer this situation will last but unfortunately, it looks like a long time. Therefore, the assistance from the University of Lodz goes on. However, now it is in an organised form (studies, courses) or individual.
A board with job advertisements addressed to Ukrainian citizens in the canteen on the University of Lodz campus.
Thanks to collections by our scientists there are already several mobile generators operating in Ukraine. The latest campaign we are still informing about is the collection of stearin for trench candles for Ukrainian soldiers residing at the front. It is often the only source of light and heat. The organisers received a bouquet of roses for the first shipment (more than half a tonne).
"Marching one by one is not really the same as going hand in hand" the first Rector of the University of Lodz, Professor Tadeusz Kotarbinski used to say. We have clearly seen the difference for a year now. Thank you all for your helping hand!
Edit and photos: Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz