PRESS RELEASE: Finnish Foundations Save Kharkiv University from Power Outages – Donation Ensures Continuation of Daily Life for 15,000 Students Amidst the War in Ukraine
The Walter Ahlström and Runar Bäckström Foundations have donated €73,000 to support the operation of Ukraine’s Kharkiv University amidst the war, as Russia’s invasion severely threatens the country’s energy infrastructure.
The idea for this donation arose when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his speech to the Finnish Parliament in spring 2022, asked Finland to help Ukraine with its education system crisis during and after the war.
“I belong to the UNESCO Steering Committee led by the Chancellor of the University of Helsinki, Kaarle Hämeri. I suggested that we could start looking for ways to fulfill Zelenskyy’s request,” explains Markku Wilenius, Chairman of the Runar Bäckström and Walter Ahlström Foundations and Professor of Futures Studies at the University of Turku.
Initially, the foundations wanted to understand the real needs in Ukraine. After several steps, and particularly as a result of Professor Hannele Niemi’s efforts, Ukraine’s former Minister of Education and current Vice-Rector of Kharkiv University, Liliia Hrynevych, was invited to the education conference held in Helsinki in June. This provided an opportunity to hear and discuss the current challenges in Ukraine’s education sector amidst the war.
Hrynevych’s message was clear. The university’s operations are severely threatened due to Russia’s destruction of a significant portion of the country’s energy infrastructure. Power outages are frequent and are expected to worsen in the fall and winter. According to a report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Russia has destroyed up to 80% of Ukraine’s thermal power plants and 40% of its hydroelectric plants. Additionally, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, has been occupied by Russia. The outlook for the coming winter is bleak.
As a result of these discussions, Kharkiv National University applied for support in late June from the Walter Ahlström and Runar Bäckström Foundations to purchase generators, heaters, and charging stations. This university is one of the most vulnerable parts of Ukraine’s higher education system, as it is located near current front lines and serves the needs of all of Eastern Ukraine. Some of the university’s facilities have already been destroyed by Russian bombings.
Now, the foundations’ boards have approved the application.
“By supporting the university’s critical infrastructure amidst increasing power outages, we ensure that students can continue their studies and teachers their work. This is vital during the war. We had already financed Vice-Rector Hrynevych’s visit to Finland,” Wilenius says.
According to Wilenius, the continuity of education is extremely important during the war to maintain hope and later, for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
“We will continue our efforts to support Ukraine’s education sector on various fronts.”
The goal of the Walter Ahlström and Runar Bäckström Foundations is to promote the international competitiveness of Finnish companies by supporting technological research and innovations. Through this donation, the foundations aim to help rebuild the country’s research and innovation activities. The donation was made to the V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University Foundation, which secures the university’s operations. Kharkiv University has 15,000 students.
For more information:
Markku Wilenius, Chairman of the Walter Ahlström and Runar Bäckström Foundations
Phone: +358 50 592 9121