Anastasiia Volianiuk, Assistant Dean for Internationalisation at the Faculty of Education, successfully completed an academic mentoring programme that ran from 27 January to 27 April 2025. This unique initiative is implemented by volunteers of the Science for Ukraine UK programme in response to the challenges caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The programme aims to support Ukrainian academics and lecturers who have been directly affected by the war by providing professional guidance and assistance in developing their academic careers under the current difficult circumstances.
Dr Julia Hope (University of Kent, Canterbury, UK) provided mentoring support to Anastasiia Volianiuk. Dr Hope is a highly experienced specialist in higher education, with many years of academic work at UK universities. She specialises in helping academics articulate their professional achievements and demonstrate the impact of their work in accordance with the UK Professional Standards Framework—an essential component for career advancement in the British academic context.
It is worth noting that all communication between the mentor and mentee took place in English and was conducted remotely—via video calls and email correspondence. This format allowed for a flexible and effective exchange of experience, discussion of relevant issues, and personalised guidance, despite the geographical distance.
Through the mentoring programme, Anastasiia received valuable advice and support on several key areas: academic career planning, enhancement of academic communication skills, profile development, networking, understanding the culture of higher education in the UK, improving academic writing and publication strategies, and exploring opportunities for research funding.
During their conversations, Anastasiia also shared her personal story with Julia—describing the realities of war in Ukraine, the circumstances of her forced migration, the temporary relocation of Kherson State University, and the pressing challenges currently facing Ukrainian academics. These include the continuity of the educational process, preservation of academic communities, and maintaining international presence amid the ongoing war.
It should be noted that the Science for Ukraine UK mentoring programme focuses exclusively on professional development and does not provide immigration, financial, or pastoral support. Its aim is to help Ukrainian researchers and educators enhance the skills necessary for successful academic engagement within the UK context. The programme uses the PushFar platform—one of the world’s largest free open-access platforms for mentoring.
As a result of participating in the programme, Assistant Dean for Internationalisation Anastasiia Volianiuk not only received professional support but also gained strong inspiration for further career development. The mentorship encouraged her to intensify work on new project proposals and contributed to increased research publication activity, both in Ukrainian and international academic communities.
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