This event was organized by Lviv Polytechnic within the framework of the Baltics4UA international project. The event took place on March 30 in the University Scientific and Technical Library. The organizer of the event is Oleksandr Berezko.
The main theme of the World Cafe is a discussion about the role of the university, students and the academic community in overcoming the humanitarian crisis.
The goal of the project is to develop, implement and evaluate the impact of public actions led by universities in the conditions of the new humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, as well as to form instructions for the Baltic countries on helping Ukrainian refugees.
There was also organized a communication between volunteer students, internally displaced persons and university representatives. The participants were divided into teams, which worked alternately with different speakers, each of which had its own topic. Accordingly, each teams provided answers to the questions, as well as their comments and advice.
Topics discussed:
- The student’s role in crisis response
- The university as a center of psychological and legal support
- Universities as means of involving the public in positive actions
- The role of research: which topics are most relevant and how to use the potential
- The contribution of universities to the formation of the policy of response to crisis situations
While discussing, the participants of the event were answering the following questions:
- How to involve students in responding to crisis situations?
- What can be learned from students?
- What experience can be adopted?
- What is the role of scientists during the crisis in general?
- What areas are most needed during wartime?
- How can science prepare society for new challenges?
- In what direction should politics at the local, national, and international levels move to effectively deal with crises?
- What should be the role of universities in promoting better decision-making?
During the discussion, the following ideas were developed:
- It is necessary to set concrete goals, not abstract ones.
- It is necessary to stimulate the work of volunteers at the social level, to help them psychologically and legally.
- Volunteering gives impetus to the formation of a new direction of social work.
- The work of volunteers needs to be transformed into a social service, in every town there is a need to create assistance centers for war victims.
- The university should become a base for collecting information and analyzing it.
- There is a need for legislative rules for accepting refugees.
- The main task is to activate society.
- The university should adapt educational programs to modern realities and introduce training of students to communicate with war victims.
«As a result of the brainstorming, the participants worked out many areas, some of which have already got concrete solutions that can be implemented. As for others, this is the beginning of the discussion. The seminar that took place is the beginning of the discussion, which will be continued later», explained Oleksandr Berezko, Head of the Web Services Support and Development Unit.
Photos by Nataliia Pavlyshyn
