Minister Lawless hosts meeting with First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska
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From: Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
- Published on: 2 December 2025
- Last updated on: 2 December 2025
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless met with the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska.
The meeting was held to mark the occasion of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between University College Cork, University of Galway and the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies. University College Dublin also marked the occasion by signing a Letter of Intent.
Minister Lawless acknowledged the response of the Irish higher education institutions in building collaborations with Ukrainian universities, as well as supporting Ukrainian students here in Ireland. He said:
"I am honoured to welcome the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska to Ireland and to my Department to mark this important occasion.
"Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, there has been an open and positive response from the Irish higher education sector. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding today is further evidence of this continued commitment to supporting Ukraine.
"The Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies offers important potential to safeguard key aspects of Ukrainian culture and heritage. I am heartened to see the recognition, through this initiative, of the important role higher education institutions can play in this regard."
The Minister continued:
"Globally, higher education systems are vital to the development of the skills required to support research and innovation. It goes without saying that role of further and higher education in Ukraine in delivering those skills will be central to the recovery and reconstruction of infrastructure once peace comes. I can assure the First Lady that Ireland’s higher education system, as it has demonstrated since 2022, will continue to support Ukraine in that phase."
The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, said:
"Such support for Ukrainian students and scholars has naturally laid the groundwork for another important step – the inclusion of Irish universities in the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies. The coalition works to ensure that the study and understanding of Ukraine and its culture, through the development of Ukrainian Studies, become a full-fledged part of university curricula around the world."
NOTES
The Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies is an international initiative launched by the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska in July 2024. The initiative aims to:
- Unify all active initiatives aimed at fostering and sharing academically grounded knowledge about Ukraine.
- Create an effective platform for the coordination and development of these initiatives.
- Establish new partnerships between the Coalition member institutions, Ukrainian higher education institutions and other interested parties.
Ukrainian studies includes the Ukrainian language, literature, history, culture, security issues, Crimean Tatar issues, and many aspects within these fields.
To support its activities, the Coalition's project office was launched in March 2025. The office establishes communication with Coalition members, candidates and partners, coordinates the process of joining the Coalition for new members, and works on funding new opportunities for the development of Ukrainian studies.
One hundred thirty-nine higher education institutions from around the world have expressed their intent to join the Coalition. Forty-four members have already joined the Coalition. Nineteen MoUs are currently under review. (Source: Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies Website, November 2025)
