The European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder), has been awarded the Ukrainian Studies Distinguished Award by the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies. The award ceremony took place on 8 July 2026 as part of the opening of the international conference ‘Ukrainian Studies in the World’ at the National Opera House in Lviv, Ukraine.
Viadrina received the award in the category ‘Ukrainian Studies: Interdisciplinary Approach’ for establishing and developing the Competence Network for Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Frankfurt (Oder) – Berlin (KIU). Project co-ordinator Dr Susann Worschech accepted the award on behalf of the Centre of Excellence.
The Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Alberta was also honoured for its long-standing interdisciplinary promotion of Ukrainian Studies.
The Ukrainian Studies Distinguished Award was presented for the first time. With this award, the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies honours international universities, research institutions, partner organisations and academics who make an outstanding contribution to the development of Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar studies worldwide.
The Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies is an initiative of the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The coalition’s aim is to strengthen international academic engagement with Ukraine in the long term. It promotes programmes and projects designed to disseminate knowledge about Ukraine’s history, culture, language and identity, supports international academic exchange and organises joint research and educational events. The coalition comprises around 70 universities and academic institutions worldwide.
The Consortium for Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Frankfurt (Oder) – Berlin (KIU) has been funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) since 2024. The consortium is coordinated by the European University Viadrina; its members include the Centre for Eastern European and International Studies (ZOiS), Humboldt University of Berlin, the Free University of Berlin, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) and the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin. Together with the KIU, they are strengthening Ukrainian studies in Germany through interdisciplinary research and international networking. The network regularly awards research grants and visiting professorships and develops courses for students, including the certificate programme ‘Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies’.