The KIU Competence Network is a four-year DAAD-funded project to strengthen Ukraine-related research, teaching, networking and transfer activities. The Competence Network is initiated and managed by the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), and includes the Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS), the Humboldt University of Berlin, the Free University of Berlin, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin, as well as partner institutions from Ukraine and other European countries.
Info Session: Learn More About the Certificate Programme Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies
21 July 2026 | 3:00 p.m. (Online) | Applications for the Winter Semester 2026/27 are now open for the Certificate Programme Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies. KIU invites you to an online information session with Dr. Susann Worschech, Programme Coordinator. More details...
Ukrainian Studies Distinguished Award for the Competence Network for Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Frankfurt (Oder)–Berlin
European University Viadrina has received the Ukrainian Studies Distinguished Award for its Competence Network for Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Frankfurt (Oder)–Berlin (KIU). Presented for the first time, the award by the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies recognizes the establishment of the network and its interdisciplinary approach to advancing Ukrainian Studies. More details...
Roundtable Discussion: Freedom as an Identity Marker in Central and Eastern Europe: Lessons from Ukraine and Beyond
13 July 2026, 4:00 p.m. | Hybrid format | Language: English | What role does freedom play in shaping Ukraine's identity? How has Russia's full-scale invasion transformed Ukrainians' understanding of themselves? Discussion with Andrij Ljubka, Marko Martin and Dr. Oksana Mikheieva. More details...
‘The German Minority in Ukraine: History, Identity and Challenges in Times of War’ — Volodymyr Leysle
Monday, 06.07.2026, 4–6 p.m. | Hybrid format | In this lecture, Volodymyr Leysle traces the history of the German minority in Ukraine from the eighteenth century to the present day. The lecture explores the community’s economic, cultural, and social contributions, as well as experiences of repression, deportation, forced labour, and displacement. Drawing on historical memory, cultural heritage, language preservation, and contemporary community life, it also examines the impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion on ethnic Germans in Ukraine and Germany. The lecture will further present findings from the first nationwide sociological survey of the German minority in independent Ukraine, offering insights into identity, language, cultural affiliation, and self-perception. More details...
From Deadlock to Dialogue: A New Phase in Hungarian–Ukrainian Relations?
After years of tensions over the rights of the Hungarian minority in the southwestern Ukrainian region of Transcarpathia, Budapest and Kyiv reached an agreement in early June. Shortly afterwards, the European Union opened the first accession negotiation cluster with Ukraine. In this interview, KIU Fellow Katalin Kovály explains the background to the long-running dispute, what exactly was agreed, and what it could mean for bilateral relations between the two countries.
‘Displacement, Occupation, and the Reconfiguration of Minority Identity: The Greek Communities of the North Azovian Region after 2022’ — Vladislav Ivatskyi
Monday, 29.06.2026, 4–6 p.m. | Hybrid format | This lecture explores how the Greek-origin communities of the North Azov region have been affected by Russia’s full-scale invasion, occupation, and displacement since 2022. The lecture asks how minority identities are reproduced and reconfigured when their territorial base is destroyed, and why displacement can sometimes intensify, rather than weaken, struggles over collective identity. More details...
