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Ukraine: Info and support for students and staff

Tilburg University is shocked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and sympathizes with all those affected. The war in Ukraine also affects our close-knit community. Several of our colleagues and students have relatives in the affected area. We can imagine that the situation has a great impact on the well-being of many students, researchers, lecturers, and other employees in our community. Tilburg University sympathizes with them and is committed to supporting all those directly or indirectly affected by these events.

This takes the form of practical support, such as collecting relief supplies, but also support with study- and work-related issues and financial and mental support. Employees of our university are in contact with those directly involved and try to support them as much as possible.

Mental support students

Are you a student and would you like to talk to someone about the impact of the current situation in Ukraine on your mental health, please check the webpage 'Advice and counseling' to see what kind of help Tilburg University offers. For study related questions it is best to contact your education coordinator. Also check out the tips on the How do I stay mentally healthy page.

Financial support

Tilburg University Fund has set up an emergency fund for students who are facing immediate financial problems caused by unforeseen circumstances. Fundraising campaigns are currently being implemented to expand this financial safety net through the Tilburg University community. The deans of students are working closely together with Tilburg University Fund, indicating which students are eligible to receive emergency fund support.

  • Are you a student experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the war? If so, please contact the Dean of Students.
  • Are you an employee experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the war? If so, please contact the HR advisor.

Together with you, we will look for an appropriate solution.

Students may be experiencing difficulties when transferring funds. The university advises those students to transfer sufficient funds to a Dutch bank account for living expenses and tuition fees.

Lower tuition fees for students who fled Ukraine

At Tilburg University, new students from Ukraine (starting in September 2023 and later) pay the regular institutional rate for non-EEA students. Check out Exception for Ukrainian students under the Frequently Asked Questions on the tuition fees page. The reason is that Tilburg University does not want to make a distinction between students from different crisis areas. In distressing cases, individual students can always invoke the hardship clause. Students with Ukrainian citizenship who first enrolled at Tilburg University in 2022-2023 will continue to pay the institutional rate that is equal to the statutory rate. This will apply for the nominal and uninterrupted duration of one Bachelor’s program (i.e., three years) and one Master ‘s program (one or two years), with a maximum of one extension year over the total period.

Emergency Fund for students

The war in Ukraine is having a great impact on students at Tilburg University.

  • Students who are directly affected are not only extremely worried about family and friends but are also experiencing acute financial hardship.
  • The purpose of the Emergency Fund of the Tilburg University Fund is to support these students in particular.
  • We cannot do so without your help.
Help these students and make a donation

Study and research progress

Students coming from the affected regions and those with family or friends in the region have many concerns. This can affect your study progress. The Education and Examination Regulations and the Profile Fund contain provisions whereby (special) personal circumstances (can be) are taken into account. We are exploring ways to support students with study-related issues.

If necessary, students are actively approached to discuss this with their education coordinator and/or to report their personal circumstances to the dean of students. More information can be found on the website Study delay | Tilburg University

The current situation may entail delays in the research of PhD candidates. The Graduate School will be contacted about this.

Visas and accommodation

The IND is lenient for students or employees from Ukraine whose permit expires.

Decision making regarding visa extensions for students and employees with Russian nationality has yet to take place.

Academic cooperation with Russia

The Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) has issued a response taking a position on academic collaborations with Russia. We are examining how the government's directives will impact our collaboration. For now we have taken the following decisions in line with the UNL’s statement.

  • Research collaboration via formal partnerships and projects is suspended until further notice. No further financial transactions can be made and no further exchange of data and knowledge can be effected. No new collaboration projects will be initiated and no collective events are to take place. This does not concern informal contacts and peer-to-peer relations. Many Russian and Belarusian researchers have put their lives in jeopardy by publicly criticizing the invasion. Consequently, we are keen to give our staff full freedom to continue their existing personal correspondence with these researchers, where appropriate. Particularly in times of war and conflict, it is important for us to keep communicating with these researchers. We will have to assess on a case-by-case basis whether communication and cooperation with Russian and Belarusian researchers can be continued.
  • We have informed our partner universities in Russia that we will freeze the student exchange relationship until further notice. Applications of all incoming and outgoing exchange from/to Russia for the Fall semester of the academic year 2022-2023 will be suspended until further notice.

Jobs for Ukrainian refugee academics

Since mid-April, a platform has been operational on Academic Transfer with job openings for academics affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is a virtual market place where research organizations in the Netherlands can post job opportunities, temporary or otherwise, or offer facilities for refugee researchers. It also helps refugee academics find their way in Dutch academia, on the one hand, and assists academics and research organizations in the Netherlands in finding ways to help and facilitate refugee academics, on the other. Based on certain specific requests by refugee academics, we are looking for opportunities to provide them with a work place, temporary or otherwise, within one of Tilburg University’s Schools. We are also asking our Schools to post future visiting scholar opportunities for Ukrainian refugee researchers on https://www.academictransfer.com/en/jobs/ . The Executive Board supports these initiatives and has made funds available to set up guest work places for refugee researchers.

Naturally, our vacancies are also open to Ukrainian scientists. These can be found on Science for Ukraine. Science for Ukraine focuses on paid positions for Ukrainian scientists and bundles the supply. In addition, vacancies are posted in the regular way on www.AcademicTransfer.com .

Initiatives

We are proud of our community who have started valuable initiatives in a very short time, showing that we support each other. We received messages from staff and students looking for ways to support members of our academic community and their families. There are several charities in society that are working to help those affected. In addition, there are initiatives by or for our own community. We also encourage our lecturers and scientists to contribute to a better world through their education and/or research. In order to inform everyone as fully as possible, an overview of relevant services and current events is given below. We are aware that this is not a complete overview, the page will be updated regularly.

Contact

If you still have questions after reading the above information, see where you can go for questions about:

Does your question not fit into one of the above categories, would like to join us, or have an idea for a new initiative, please send an e-mail to ukraine@tilburguniversity.edu. We try to respond as quickly as possible, but keep in mind that for some questions it is not possible to receive an answer immediately. At the moment, our focus is on the colleagues and students directly involved. If you have a question for the municipality of Tilburg, please send an e-mail to oekrainecrisis@tilburg.nl.

Statements

Please read the statement of support from our Executive Board and statements from the Universities of the Netherlands and from ENGAGE.EU below: