EUA Suspends 12 Russian Universities Supporting Invasion of Ukraine

The European University Association (EUA) has decided to suspend the membership of 12 Russian universities which are supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The decision comes after the Russian Union of Rectors (RUR), representing Russian universities, issued a statement saying it supports Russia’s actions on Ukraine, Erudera.com reports.

In a statement published on its website, EUA said that it has decided to suspend the membership of universities whose leaders have signed the statement supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying that it has “diametrically opposed to the European values that they committed to when joining EUA.”

RUR said that universities are the backbone of the state; therefore, they should now more than ever demonstrate confidence and resilience while the country faces economic and information attacks.

According to them, Russia has finally decided to end the eight-year conflict between Ukraine and Donbass, to achieve the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, thus protecting itself from increasing military threats.

“It is very important these days to support our country, our army, which defends our security, to support our President, who, perhaps, made the most difficult, hard-won but necessary decision in his life. It is important not to forget about our main duty – to conduct a continuous educational process, to instill patriotism in young people, the desire to help the Motherland,” the Russian Union of Rectors’ statement reads.

EUA has immediately condemned the Russian aggression against Ukraine and had advised member universities to ensure on a case-by-case basis that the collaboration with Russian academics remains appropriate during these times, using national and European-level policy guidance to assess it.

“Following the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the European University Association (EUA), which represents more than 850 universities and national rectors’ conferences in 48 European countries, stands in solidarity with the university students and staff of Ukraine as well as with the entire population of the country,” EUA said in its first address on Russia-Ukraine crisis.

The association pledged to undertake several steps to support Ukraine, including ceasing contact and collaboration with any central government agency located in Russia or in another country that supports Russian aggression against Ukraine and called on its member universities to do the same.

German Universities Stand in Solidarity With Ukrainian Universities, Condemn Russian Attack

In addition to universities in Europe, top universities in Australia have offered support to students in the country who have been affected by the conflict.

Hundreds of people have been killed in far in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that began on February 24.