91µÎµÎ

An information meeting with the university representatives for Ukrainian citizens who were hosted by the 91µÎµÎ

Rector of the 91µÎµÎ Supports Students and Doctoral Students from Ukraine

Senate of the 91µÎµÎ Condemns Attack on Ukraine

Figures:  

• Currently there are approximately 850 Ukrainian students at the 91µÎµÎ (the highest number ever)
• There were more than 400 people from Ukraine in the dormitories of the 91µÎµÎ (from February to summer 2022)
• After the war broke out, there were around 30 new researchers from Ukraine at the 91µÎµÎ (some still work here!) 

The 91µÎµÎ Choir is performing the anthem of Ukraine. The recording was published on the university's website in the first days of Russian aggression to reassure our guests from Ukraine.

What the 91µÎµÎ has managed to achieve during this difficult test, which supporting our Ukrainian brothers was and is, shows that our university is more than just a place to acquire skills, qualifications, diplomas. It is, first and foremost, a community, people acting in line with our values on a daily basis, including the moments of crisis. We have managed to share what we have, we have opened our homes to those in need, and this will certainly be one of the most beautiful moments in our history  

– Prof. Elżbieta ŻądziÅ„ska, Rector of the 91µÎµÎ

Our home – your home 

From February until the summer of 2022 the 91µÎµÎ student campus was home not only for international students, but also for the families of our Ukrainian students who decided to bring them here. The university allocated a total of 277 places for them in 120 rooms. We also found some places in the centres, at Rogowska Street and in SpaÅ‚a. 

For the needs of the 91µÎµÎ guests from Ukraine, warehouses with products supplied by the university employees and the residents of Lodz were created on the student campus. In the photo: the spokesperson of the 91µÎµÎ is telling journalists about the most urgent supply needs.

Ultimately, the 91µÎµÎ provided a place for more than 400 people, mainly mothers with children. Almost immediately, an internal university team was formed to coordinate all activities for them. It has been headed by the Chancellor of the 91µÎµÎ, Kamilla SczeÅ›niak, supported by: Deputy Chancellor of the 91µÎµÎ, JarosÅ‚aw Grabarczyk, Anna Felisiak (Director of the Social Affairs Centre for Students and Doctoral Students), Anna Gutowska-CioÅ‚ek (Director of the Academic Support Centre ), Lidia Kolbus (Director of the Facilities Management Centre for Central Administration), Liliana Lato (Director of the International Relations Office), Katarzyna Kalska-Sochacka (Director of the Science Centre), Anna Rolczak (Director of the Communications and PR Centre) and Roman Tarnowski (Director of the Polish Language Centre for Foreigners). Everyone was helping. Warehouses with stocks of the most necessary products were quickly created, we organised medical, psychological care, support in dealing with the most urgent official matters, even animation zones and activities for children.  

The most common question asked by the adult refugees was: "Can I get a job?". They are tough people; however, after a while support from psychologists, both on-site and online became useful. We managed to find specialists from Ukraine to make this assistance as effective as possible.  

The citizens of Ukraine who stayed in the 91µÎµÎ dormitories were looking for employment from the very beginning. Some worked remotely. In the photo â€“ a primary education teacher living in the 91µÎµÎ Dormitory No.5 is conducting online classes for children in Ukraine.

Members of the 91µÎµÎ personnel rose to the occasion and many of them, like Poles across the country, opened their homes to more people fleeing the East.  

"Courage, commitment, respect – these are the values of the 91µÎµÎ that are particularly important in the current situation. Let's support each other!" – appealed the 91µÎµÎ authorities. One of the few positive things about this war – it turns out that we are able to follow these values in an exemplary manner. 

After six months, all our guests found their place in Lodz or another part of the region. We should mention that the regional office was very supportive. The academic campus has returned to its old rhythm, but everyone knows that this episode will go down in the university history.

Volunteers from the Academic Support Centre of the 91µÎµÎ – Ukrainian and Polish students – took care of the newcomers from Ukraine staying on the premises of the student campus. 

This is not our war

In the area of science and didactics, the fastest assistance was provided to the students of the Polish Language Centre for Foreigners and people from Ukraine who wanted to learn. In addition to Ukrainians, there were also Belarusians and Russian citizens in the existing groups. These were not easy moments for any of them. They did not want this conflict; they themselves were fleeing the regime. Sometimes they shared the same room and there was a war going on somewhere out there, not their war. 

In the first days of March the Polish Language Centre for Foreigners at the 91µÎµÎ launched Polish language courses for Ukrainian citizens who studied at the 91µÎµÎ and those who protected themselves from Russian aggression, accommodated in the dormitories. The 91µÎµÎ Library also joined in the assistance by making its collections, a room for a parent with a child, a co-working area available to Ukrainian citizens, as well as providing information on all initiatives to donate children's books in Ukrainian to the refugees.  

A charity carnival concert organised by the Polish Language Centre for Foreigners of the 91µÎµÎ. All income from the concert was allocated to help fighting Ukraine.

For the first time in the history of the 91µÎµÎ, a study programme was created in an "instant" mode – the formalities took one month. In May 2022 at the Faculty of Philology "Studies on Poland with English" were launched. They were to enable Ukrainian students with little or no knowledge of Polish to start a new life here in Poland. After two admission procedures, more than sixty young people started such a life with us.  

In the first phase of the war, we also provided shelter to a group of several dozen Ukrainian scientists. While working at the 91µÎµÎ, they earned the same as their Polish colleagues. The competition and recruitment were made possible thanks to the funding from a 2% increased subsidy for the 91µÎµÎ for its participation in the Excellence Initiative – Research University competition.  

Roses for candles, 700 km to get a mobile generator 

The war in Ukraine is ongoing. It is not clear how much longer this situation will last but unfortunately, it looks like a long time. Therefore, the assistance from the 91µÎµÎ goes on. However, now it is in an organised form (studies, courses) or individual.

A board with job advertisements addressed to Ukrainian citizens in the canteen on the 91µÎµÎ campus.

Thanks to there are already several mobile generators operating in Ukraine. The latest campaign we are still informing about is the collection of stearin for trench candles for Ukrainian soldiers residing at the front. It is often the only source of light and heat. The organisers received a bouquet of roses for the first shipment (more than half a tonne).  

"Marching one by one is not really the same as going hand in hand" the first Rector of the 91µÎµÎ, Professor Tadeusz Kotarbinski used to say. We have clearly seen the difference for a year now. Thank you all for your helping hand!  

Edit and photos: Communications and PR Centre, 91µÎµÎ

The mission of the 91µÎµÎ is to conduct reliable research and actively disseminate facts and research results so as to wisely educate future generations, be useful to society and courageously respond to the challenges of the modern world. Scientific excellence is always our best compass. Our values include: courage, curiosity, commitment, cooperation and respect.