Odesa has become a new platform for strengthening the Mission’s educational initiatives. On behalf of the Mission and following the instructions of the Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko, Yevhen Bondarenko, Head of the Mission’s Information Department, held a working meeting with Professor Viacheslav Truba, Doctor of Law, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine and Rector of I. I. Mechnikov Odesa National University.

During the meeting, the parties discussed potential areas of cooperation in training specialists for work in de-occupied territories, focusing on developing new academic disciplines and programs. Yevhen Bondarenko, Head of the Mission’s Information Department, presented the Mission’s successful experience implementing educational initiatives in partnership with leading higher education institutions, including Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and Karazin Kharkiv National University.

Yevhen Bondarenko emphasized the development of Crimean Studies as a distinct educational direction, highlighting the launch of the First Winter School of Crimean Studies, which took place in January 2024 at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. The educational program included lectures by leading experts on history, law, culture, and current challenges related to Crimea, as well as a certificate program consisting of six courses covering issues of the peninsula’s reintegration.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to deepen cooperation to further integrate the topic of the Crimean Peninsula into the academic environment of I. I. Mechnikov Odesa National University. The discussion included the introduction of relevant educational disciplines, the development of Crimean Studies, and the organization of academic conferences and research initiatives. The university expressed its readiness to work on training specialists who will be able to act effectively in various fields on de-occupied territories, including Crimea. Particular attention was paid to the role of the Odesa region as a key southern region directly connected to Crimea. This context may serve as a foundation for new research projects and academic studies.