Edge Hill University has cemented its position as a leader in international academic collaboration by becoming one of the first higher education institutions in the UK to join the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies.
Historic Signing Ceremony in London
The university was represented at the official signing ceremony in London by Professor Jay Cullen and Dr Jennifer Giblin from the School of Law and Criminal Justice. Edge Hill stood among only three British universities participating in this significant event, which took place in the presence of senior Ukrainian government officials.
The ceremony occurred during Ukrainian Culture Week and followed the annual Twinning Conference hosted by Cormack Consultancy Group with Universities UK at Birkbeck, University of London. Distinguished attendees included Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, and Universities UK CEO Vivienne Stern.
Strengthening Ukrainian Studies Worldwide
The Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies represents a Ukrainian government initiative launched in July 2024 with the involvement of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, who addressed coalition members. This ambitious project aims to unite universities and research institutions globally to support and amplify Ukrainian studies across multiple disciplines.
The coalition's mission focuses on enhancing understanding and research in Ukrainian language, literature, history, culture and security studies. Charles Cormack, founder and chairman of Cormack Consultancy Group, emphasised the initiative's importance, expressing hope that more UK universities involved in twinning partnerships would join the coalition.
Successful University Twinning Partnership
During the conference, Dr Giblin highlighted Edge Hill's productive twinning relationship with Yaroslav Mudyri National Law University in Kharkiv. This collaboration has yielded significant achievements, including the development of a new dual degree programme - LLM Artificial Intelligence, Digital and Cyber Law.
The partnership has also resulted in the collaborative writing of International Law After the Ukraine War, which received official launch during Ukrainian Culture Week. The publication was made available through open access with Routledge, supported by grants from Universities UK and the Fund of the President of Ukraine.
Professor George Talbot, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, described the university's invitation to the UK-Ukraine Twinning Conference as "a real honour" and praised colleagues for representing Edge Hill on this important project. He noted that the ongoing partnership between UK and Ukrainian universities represents "a real celebration of academic collaboration and international solidarity during an incredibly difficult time for the country."
The universities further demonstrated their collaborative spirit by hosting a joint research seminar exploring 'AI and the Law - A Tool or a Threat?', with YMNLU colleagues presenting research on AI and technology applications within the Ukrainian legal system and criminal investigations.