The outbreak of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered the displacement of millions of people. Many of those displaced are highly educated, predominantly women, and face significant challenges in translating their existing qualifications into employment in their host regions (within Ukraine) or countries.
Norway, Poland, and Ukraine have responded to this displacement through fundamentally different institutional models.
This seminar reverses the usual direction of policy learning by asking what Norway and Poland, which have received large numbers of Ukrainian protection seekers, might learn from Ukraine’s experience of supporting internally displaced persons in relation to retraining, labour-market integration, and social adaptation.
The seminar uses these contrasting institutional approaches as a comparative lens. During 2024 and 2025, seven Ukrainian universities developed and pilot-tested retraining programmes under the TURBO project (funded by the European Union through ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE) led by Nord University Business School.
Drawing on this experience, the presentation highlights lessons that may be relevant for European countries by addressing gaps in existing international models of migrant integration.
Read more in the published TURBO Report here (site.nord.no).
This seminar is organized by UKRAINETT in collaboration with Veronika Vakulenko. Coffee and baked goods will be provided.
You only need to register for the event if you wish to attend on-site. The program will also be streamed live. A link for digital attendance will be available on this page in due time.
Programme:
Doors open from 14:45.
15:00 – 15:05 – Welcome by UKRAINETT
15:05 – 15:35 – Presentation by Veronika Vakulenko (Nord University)
15:35 – 16:00 – Q/A
About UKRAINETT:
UKRAINETT is a network of researchers and experts in Norway with interest in and knowledge about Ukraine. The network is further meant to be a hub for Ukrainian researchers and academics who are currently in Norway due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
About Veronika Vakulenko:
Veronika Vakulenko is Associate Professor at Nord University, Norway. Her research directions cover, but are not limited to, organisational resilience; public sector reforms; accounting and accountability in crisis and developmental contexts. Her preferred research context is emerging economies or those in transition, specifically Ukraine.
