Since the outbreak of the Ukraine-Russia war in late February 2022, with the ongoing conflict, Maria Lenotieva, a student majoring in Electronics and Electrical Engineering at NYCU, wrote a letter with five fellow classmates to seek support from Vice President Shun-Hua Wei of NYCU, expressing their concerns for their homeland. Just over a month after the war, the university rapidly reached an agreement to initiate the “Ukrainian Project,” supporting Ukrainian students whose studies had been interrupted by the turmoil, facilitating their continuation in Taiwan. Collaborating with various institutes such as the Office of International Affairs, Academia Sinica, European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan, Educational Division of Taipei Representative Office in Poland and Belgium, the European Union, and European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan, and various other parties have been actively involved. Within four months, 15 companies and alumni enthusiastically contributed donations, receiving over 40 million NTD to support 26 Ukrainian students in continuing their education.
“The widespread support received in this humanitarian action, especially those small donations, shows us the spirit of humanitarian aid where individuals empathize with the hunger and needs of others, which is also a core spirit of NYCU to fulfill international responsibilities and is also a consensus in Taiwanese society,” Vice President Shun-Hua Wei said.
To support Ukrainian students’ coming to Taiwan, apart from robust support from businesses and NYCU alumni, Polish Professor Henryk Witek from the Department of Applied Chemistry, assisted in conveying information to local Polish media. Furthermore, a group of Ukrainian students within the university, including Maria Lenotieva from the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Dmytro Ivakhnenkov from the Department of Computer Science, and Oleksii Barabash from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, also assisted in disseminating information back to their homeland.
After several twists and turns, NYCU successfully welcomed the initial group of 19 students in the autumn of 2022 to pursue studies across 11 colleges and 19 departments, ranging from the Colleges of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Management, Engineering, Engineering Bioscience, Hakka Studies, School of Law, College of Science, and Medicine. In total, support was extended to 26 Ukrainian students at NYCU to complete their higher education.
“At the moment I received the letter, the emotions were very weighty, and I became even more aware of the significance for the Ukrainian students,” Vice President Wei recalled the initial stages of launching the project, whether it was conveying messages, fundraising, and even tackling the challenges of students traveling amid the pandemic, often left him extremely worried, experiencing firsthand the resilience and courage of students overcoming various obstacles. He recalled, “One student, when questioned by customs why they were leaving the country, fearfully exclaimed, ‘I don’t know, I’m only 16, I don’t know why I have to leave my home!’ There was also a student whose parents expressly agreed to let their child leave their hometown and study in Taiwan. It’s truly difficult to imagine the emotions these parents harbored while sending their children away.”
In the autumn of 2022, unexpected warfare led siblings, Anastasiia and Oleksii, from Kyiv to embark on their journey to Taiwan. Anastasiia, 23 years old, was only a year away from completing her master’s degree in medicine, but the war disrupted her plans, shrouding her everyday life in uncertainty. Upon learning of the scholarship opportunities at NYCU, she decisively planned to come to Taiwan. Four months later, her 16-year-old brother, Oleksii, after traversing through Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey, and other countries, finally arrived at Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan.
Recalling Oleksii’s first arrival, Pei-Wen Chen, responsible for assisting Ukrainian international students at the International Affairs Division, recalled, “Perhaps due to enduring a long and arduous journey, he was extremely tense and couldn’t engage in conversation. Now, he has relaxed considerably and begun to smile.”
Besides aiding Ukrainian students in continuing their studies, NYCU also provides living assistance during their academic tenure, including free Mandarin courses, psychological counseling services, and various exchange programs to help them acclimate to life in Taiwan. Vice President Wei expressed that the university treats Ukrainian students equally as other international students, without any deliberate special attention. Previously, there were few Ukrainian students at NYCU, and this humanitarian action provided an opportunity for the university’s faculty and students to genuinely understand Ukraine, fostering a more empathetic approach toward international conflicts and events. Based on the value placed on talents, there’s a hope that NYCU will shoulder the responsibility of nurturing talents. Through long-term and in-depth exchanges, this lays the foundation for future cooperation, aiming to retain outstanding talents in Taiwan.
During the NYCU Ukraine Program appreciation dinner, the participating alumni, corporate representatives, and mentors interacted warmly with Ukrainian students, expressing concern for their studies and daily lives. The students specially played Ukrainian music and introduced Ukrainian culture, cuisine, traditional clothing, and even led the attendees in making Motanka Dolls, traditional Ukrainian good luck charms. Through such genuine interactions, Taiwan and Ukraine gained a deeper understanding of each other’s culture and traditions. Vice President Wei also disclosed that some businesses maintained private contact with students, intending to assist these exceptional students in their future careers.
