UK Professors Will Teach at Ukrainian Universities: The Fund of the President Announces Winners
The Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports has completed the competitive selection process and announced the 10 winning universities of the UK-UA Visiting Professors Programme. The project invites leading professors from the UK to teach and collaborate on research with Ukrainian higher education institutions. Professors from top 250 world-ranked universities, such as the University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Leeds, and others, will contribute to strengthening STEM education and academic recovery in Ukraine.
The Fund of the President integrates global academic experience directly into Ukraine’s educational system, enhancing the quality of STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) through knowledge exchange, modern approaches, and practices between Ukrainian and UK universities.
The invited professors include experts from University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Edinburgh, University of Warwick, University of Sheffield, University of Leeds, University of Bristol, Heriot-Watt University, Bangor University, and University of Aberdeen. They will work with master’s and PhD students, young scientists, and faculty members from Ukrainian universities.
The focus of collaboration includes medicine, astrobiology, mathematics, computer science, aerodynamics, energy-efficient systems, innovation policy, neurophysiology, post-war soil restoration, and the application of artificial intelligence in education. This will result in new courses, workshops, research seminars, joint publications, and long-term academic ties with British counterparts.
Winners of the Programme:
- Bukovinian State Medical University
invited David Jayne from the University of Leeds, a leading European expert in robotic surgery and medical technologies. - Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
invited Charles Cockell from the University of Edinburgh, a world-renowned astrobiologist studying life in extreme conditions. - Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University
invited Arieh Iserles from the University of Cambridge, one of the leading mathematicians in numerical analysis. - Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
invited Sandra Kiefer from the University of Oxford, a researcher in computer science, mathematics, and bioinformatics. - National Aviation University of Ukraine
invited Bert Blocken from Heriot-Watt University, a world-leading expert in aerodynamics and computational modeling. - National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”
invited Vania Sena from the University of Sheffield, a researcher in innovation ecosystems, policy, and entrepreneurship development. - Khmelnytskyi National University
invited William Heath from Bangor University, University of Newcastle, and University of Manchester, an expert in automatic control, digital systems, and energy systems. - Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University
invited Sergiy Sylantyev from the University of Aberdeen, an expert in cellular and molecular neurophysiology. - Sumy National Agrarian University
invited Mark Horton from Royal Agricultural University / University of Bristol, a researcher in archaeology and soil restoration using geospatial technologies. - Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University
invited Richard Smith from the University of Warwick, an expert in TESOL, applied linguistics, and the use of artificial intelligence in education.
For Ukraine, this is a practical tool to strengthen higher education and science. The quality of STEM education directly impacts defense capability, technological development, medicine, engineering, infrastructure restoration, and the country’s resilience. The programme opens access to modern academic practices, international research networks, and new partnerships for Ukrainian universities, without losing the connection of students and young scientists with Ukraine.
The programme is implemented by the Fund of the President of Ukraine in partnership with the UK-UA Academic Diaspora Network, Ukrgazbank (UGB), and the MHP-Community Charitable Foundation. Special thanks to Uliana Avtonomova for her key contribution to the project launch.
About the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports:
The Fund was established to systematically develop talented youth, support research, and enhance the competitiveness of Ukrainian education on a global level. It coordinates national efforts to develop human capital, supports talented youth, scientific projects, and promotes international exchange to strengthen Ukrainian education.
