On 24 September, within the framework of the 79^th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA79), a panel discussion on the issues of Ukraine’s academia and its return to the pathways for sustainable development will be held in a remote format at the initiative of Professor Garry Sotnik from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability with the participation of Olga Polotska, Executive Director of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted all of the country’s sectors, including academia, and has undermined the ability of the country to achieve its planned sustainable development goals (SDGs). Even with current support from international partners, Ukraine’s academia continues to suffer from limited human and financial resources due to competing war-related financial priorities, internal displacement, refuge taken abroad, and military service. Extreme threats to well-being, limited resources, and vast destruction of property and eco-systems similarly disrupt Ukraine’s sustainable development. Ukraine’s academia and ability to return to a sustainable development path will continue to deteriorate without immediate action.

Reviewing academic communities worldwide, we find that those most actively addressing business, government, and social problems flourish the most. Can cross-sector partnerships between Ukraine’s academia and the country’s businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies strengthen it and advance sustainable development? What are some examples of successful partnerships, especially during the last three years? What makes them work? Where is the greatest need for such partnerships? What should be done to stimulate such partnerships? How can the international community help? These and other issues will be discussed during the event dedicated to the problems of development of Ukraine’s academia.

Key topics to be discussed at the panel discussion:

1. How did the full-scale invasion change Ukrainian academia’s understanding of its role in the country’s sustainable development?
2. How might Ukrainian academia best support the country’s businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies?
3. What makes such partnerships work?
4. What are the primary challenges?
5. How can the international community support such partnerships?
6. What sustainable development could Ukraine undertake now under the current war conditions?
7. How can the international community help?

Representatives of Ukraine’s academia (National Research Foundation of Ukraine, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Kyiv National Economic University), government bodies (Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine), nonprofit organizations (Ecoaction, International Institute for Sustainable Development, World Wildlife Fund of Ukraine (WWF), DiXi Group and business (European Business Association, AI for Good Foundation, UN Global Compact Ukraine), along with Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco, USA are invited to participate in the event.

The panel discussion will map out pathways for advancing and promoting Ukraine’s academia, and also achieving the sustainable development goals in Ukraine.