July 26, 2023
The Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) at UC Berkeley's Center for Studies in Higher Education brought together a distinguished cohort of 25 Ukrainian university leaders for an intensive one-day virtual professional development seminar on July 19, 2023. The event provided a platform for participants to network with prominent American higher education executives, enrich their leadership skills, and gain insights into the dynamic landscape of the US higher education system. The seminar featured a mentoring session where Ukrainian participants connected with US university leaders to discuss leadership challenges in small groups, as well as a series of panel discussions around the topics that are particularly relevant to Ukrainian higher education, including diversifying revenue sources, improving mental health for students and faculty, and utilizing technology for resilience.
"Higher education is a crucial part of Ukraine’s resilience during the war and also post-war recovery, so it’s important to support capacity building at Ukrainian universities," says Igor Chirikov, Senior Researcher at the CSHE and a co-chair of the seminar. "Programs like ELA help facilitate the exchange of best practices and establish more robust partnerships between Ukrainian and American universities."