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L-R: Yuliia, Polina and Mariia

This summer, for the second year running, the Undergraduate Summer School welcomed three students from our partner institution, Oles Honchar Dnipro National University (DNU), supported through the Emergency Ukrainian Students Sussex Fund Appeal. Living in a city close to the frontline of the war with Russia, the students joined the British Cinema module, exploring the relationship between film, culture, history and national identity.

For their final assessment, they were invited to reflect on their UK study experience, and their words speak powerfully about the impact of the opportunity.

For Mariia, travelling to the UK had always been her dream: the architecture, language, monarchy, London and culture. She found Brighton and the UK a welcoming place, noting: “In Britain, I realised that being friendly by default can make someone’s day, one simple interaction can instantly lift the mood.” Alongside people and culture, she said that the classroom experience was on “a whole other level.” With gratitude to Sussex and DNU, she wrote: “Without this Scholarship, I would not have been able to fulfil my dream."

Polina described the transformative impact of her time at Sussex: “In Ukraine, we have long learned not to have any expectations - after almost four years of war, this habit has become a reflex.” Despite missing home, she found a sense of belonging in Brighton: “Although I missed home, my mum’s cooking and the hot Ukrainian sun very much, Brighton became a place where I could feel at home.” She said a huge thank you to the UK for its support: “thank you for the hugs and Ukrainian flags on the streets. Every day at university, I felt myself changing for the better, leaving the old version of myself behind.”

For Yuliia, the experience was equally profound. Her university studies have been entirely online until now. She reflected: “Thanks to the summer school program, I could finally taste what real student life feels like … For three weeks, I could forget about the war and immerse myself in learning, new experiences and inspiring conversations.” She also celebrated the friendships made with students from China, Turkey, Poland, the Philippines, Japan, Vietnam and the United States, noting: “Talking with them was always exciting - I learned so much about their cultures, traditions, favourite things and everyday lives.”

The University of Sussex signed an official agreement to ‘twin’ with Oles Honchar Dnipro National University in 2022 as part of a nationwide scheme launched by the Cormack Consultancy Group and Universities UK International. Sussex, alongside 71 other UK universities, committed to sharing resources and supporting students and academics displaced by the conflict in Ukraine, in partnerships lasting a minimum of five years.

As this year’s Summer School shows, the partnership and the generosity of our community are already making a tangible difference. For these students, the chance to study in person, connect with peers worldwide and momentarily set aside the hardships of war was nothing short of transformative.

The Emergency Ukrainian Students Sussex Fund Appeal will continue to provide scholarships in 2026, helping more students build memories, friendships and skills that will last a lifetime.

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