Date: 4–6 December 2025
Location: Berlin, Germany

About the conference

Berlin hosted the DAAD anniversary conference, which marked the organization's centenary and focused on strategic academic support for Ukraine. The event featured high-level representatives from political and educational sectors, including Federal Minister Dorothee Bär, who highlighted the resilience of the Ukrainian scientific community under wartime conditions. The conference outcomes reaffirmed the priority of continued funding and the strengthening of scientific ties between German and Ukrainian universities.

Read the report on the conference.

Project Showcase

Ulm University and V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (KKNU) presented the results of their ongoing collaboration during the poster session. Karazin University was represented by five projects, one of the highest participation rates among all partner institutions, despite the fact that on-site teaching in Kharkiv was impossible due to the ongoing war.

The presentation centered on the successful implementation of double degree programs between the Faculty of Mathematics and Economics at Ulm University and the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at KKNU. With the support of the DAAD, this cooperation has since been expanded to include joint master's programs.

Impressions

Programme Highlights

• Official Opening (Day 1): Ukrainian and German education representatives, as well as the Ukrainian Consul, gave opening addresses that emphasized the professionalism of Ukrainian higher education and Germany's commitment to ongoing support.

• Poster Presentations & Networking (Day 1): At the project stands, participants exchanged experiences and best practices, discussed open questions and expanded their academic networks. The day concluded with a joint dinner that allowed for informal conversation.

• Breakout Sessions (Day 2): Focused working groups addressed practical aspects of educational management, cross-border logistical and legal challenges, and the integration of Ukrainian education into the European academic space. Participants shared concrete solutions and strategies for overcoming administrative hurdles.

Delegates and Representatives

• Prof. Dr. Evgeny Spodarev — Ulm University

• Dr. Mikhail Chebunin — Ulm University

• Marina Vladimirova — V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University