First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, together with Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, took part in a meeting with rectors and leadership of Norwegian universities and organizations on the occasion of their accession to the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies.
“I am grateful for every initiative in support of Ukraine and for the efforts you make to expand knowledge about our country. Today, as Russian aggression continues to inflict damage on our education system every day – destroying schools, universities, and kindergartens – your assistance is especially important,” said the First Lady.
In particular, there is the UKRAINETT (Norwegian Network for Research on Ukraine) – a platform that brings together Norwegian researchers studying Ukraine and serves as a hub for Ukrainian scholars who were forced to leave their homes and move to Norway because of the war.
The Norwegian government has also launched the Nansen EDU and Program for Ukraina-kompetanse (UA-KOMP) initiatives, which deepen educational cooperation, support Ukrainian universities in recovery, and promote broader understanding of Ukraine within Norwegian society.
The KBT Vocational College facilitates the integration of Ukrainians into Norwegian society through vocational education and entrepreneurship training.
The UiT The Arctic University of Norway, a leading research center in Arctic studies and sustainable development, supports Ukrainian students, researchers, and academic initiatives related to Ukraine.
The University of Oslo offers thematic courses titled “Ukraine in Eastern Europe,” which more than 150 students have completed over the past three years.
Olena Zelenska expressed gratitude to these institutions for joining the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, which now unites 20 leading educational and research institutions from ten countries – among them universities in Finland, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Austria, Canada, South Korea, the United States, Estonia, Italy, and Japan. Another 17 memorandums of accession are in the final stage of approval.
“Everyone who today chooses to learn about Ukraine and the Ukrainian becomes part of the great story of restoring justice and reaffirming humanity,” the First Lady emphasized.
Olena Zelenska also held a meeting with Masud Gharahkhani, President of the Storting (Parliament) of Norway.
“I thank both the Storting, where all nine represented parties support Ukraine, and the Government of Norway for their steadfast backing. We value Norway’s participation in air defense procurement initiatives for Ukraine and all the social, educational, and medical assistance provided to 80,000 of our people,” the First Lady said.