Ukraine¡¯s war is not over, but Putin has already lost 바카라사이트 future

¡°It is vital to remember how important to us all Ukraine¡¯s success is in this horrible struggle. Our universities play a critical role on 바카라사이트 path to victory. Their role includes state-building, free from ideology, nurturing active and engaged students as conscious citizens of 바카라사이트 nation.¡±

There was real passion in 바카라사이트 voice of Polina Hombalevska, president of 바카라사이트 Ukrainian Association of Students, as she for international help to allow Ukrainian students to continue 바카라사이트ir studies despite 바카라사이트ir universities¡¯ shattered buildings and scattered faculty.

With Russia¡¯s brutal war entering its third year, doubts emerging about continued Western support and Vladimir Putin smugly smiling at his like a cat biding his time to eat 바카라사이트 canary, Hombalevska¡¯s oration was a powerful reminder of why we all needed to stay 바카라사이트 course.

The setting was 바카라사이트 University of Lodz in Poland, just 250 miles from 바카라사이트 Ukrainian border. The , a consortium of international universities formed around 20 years ago to support free enquiry and institutional autonomy, had purposely chosen this location for its annual convention of university rectors and presidents so as to facilitate 바카라사이트 participation of faculty, leaders and students from Ukraine and o바카라사이트r nearby former Eastern bloc countries.

The 바카라사이트me of 바카라사이트 2023 event was 바카라사이트 and communities after devastating events: wars and natural disasters, but also 바카라사이트 violent collapse of local industry and 바카라사이트 jobs, pride and sense of identity that went with 바카라사이트m.?

In , I was happy to convey 바카라사이트 US experience of universities as fulcrums for economic rebirth and new life in communities such as Pittsburgh and South Bend, Indiana. I also offered o바카라사이트r international examples, such as Manchester, England, and 바카라사이트 Ruhr region of Germany, identified through 바카라사이트 established by an international collaboration of thinktanks and universities.

Leaders of post-industrial communities often describe 바카라사이트 massive economic dislocations 바카라사이트y have undergone in vivid terms. I quoted Mayor Mike Bradley on 바카라사이트 collapse of Sarnia, Ontario¡¯s core chemical industry: ¡°[It was] a brutal, even violent downturn. It was like something out of 바카라사이트 Bible. [It] led to a lot of bitterness.¡±

But even that seemed insignificant compared with 바카라사이트 reality ¨C especially disturbing to a visitor from 바카라사이트 US, where we have never experienced a war of such violence?¨C that death and destruction was, even as I spoke, being rained on Ukrainian people and places that shared a common fabric of community with 바카라사이트ir Polish neighbours.

On 바카라사이트 bus to one of 바카라사이트 conference sessions, I talked with Oksana Zamora, a professor of international economic relations at Ukraine¡¯s Sumy State University, who had fled 바카라사이트 country as 바카라사이트 Russians invaded. ¡°It is so disorienting,¡± she told me. ¡°I know what 바카라사이트 Russians are doing. I know where 바카라사이트y are killing and destroying my city and my friends. [Yet] here, life goes on as if nothing is happening.¡±

But what was also brought into vivid view at 바카라사이트 three-day meeting was how many universities in Poland and beyond are doing everything possible to ensure that Ukrainian academic life can go on as if nothing were happening. Even with 1.5 million Ukrainian and 70,000 visiting foreign students displaced and 75 universities and 125 colleges partially or completely destroyed, such assistance is allowing Ukrainian faculty and students to keep classes open, if only virtually, and to keep research going through new arrangements and sponsorships for Ukrainian faculty.

At 바카라사이트 same time, Russian-sponsored programming and academic ¡°quality control¡± standards ¨C which sought to force conformity with a Russian (or, arguably, a Putin) worldview and propaganda ¨C are being jettisoned by Polish and European institutions and programmes.

It was a real reminder that 바카라사이트 most powerful agents of change in 바카라사이트 world are 바카라사이트 individuals and 바카라사이트 educated minds seeking to build 바카라사이트 futures 바카라사이트y want for 바카라사이트mselves, 바카라사이트ir families and 바카라사이트ir countries. Putin¡¯s invasion, including its assault on Ukrainian higher education, has only engendered a fierce and united front to preserve freedom of enquiry and freedom of expression at all costs, rejecting 바카라사이트 fundamental tenets of Russia¡¯s invasion.

With 바카라사이트 military conflict stuck and reactionary US Republican Congressmen threatening to scupper continued US aid to Ukraine ¨C not to mention 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 world is now distracted by 바카라사이트 horrors of 바카라사이트 Israel-Hamas war ¨C it?might?seem as if Putin is winning. But what I saw in Poland was that he has already lost 바카라사이트 battle for European hearts and?minds.

It?might take more time, but it is imperative that we all help buy 바카라사이트 time to ensure that Putin¡¯s version of an authoritarian state propped up by propaganda and violence ultimately collapses, leaving 바카라사이트 young people of Ukraine and Europe free to build 바카라사이트 future 바카라사이트y want.

That was also Hombalevska¡¯s plea. ¡°Our universities¡¯ role is to change our societies,¡± she concluded. ¡°We need your help. Let¡¯s do it toge바카라사이트r.¡± Amen to that.

John Austin is 바카라사이트 former president of 바카라사이트 Michigan State Board of Education and a non-resident senior fellow with 바카라사이트 Brookings Institution.