„Science stands for peaceful cooperation“

Ms. Flatten, how does TU Dortmund University support its international students who come from the war zone?

Our community on campus does not only include 80 students from Ukraine, but also 150 students from the Russian Federation, who may be particularly affected by the war due to their family background. The staff of the International Office is already in direct personal contact with them. We would now like to offer them rapid assistance and support them in continuing their studies with us. To this end, the International Office is working closely with the relevant authorities. The Association of Friends of TU Dortmund University (Gesellschaft der Freunde, GdF) has set up an aid fund for Ukrainian and Russian students at short notice and is accepting donations for this purpose. Some students need financial help now - for example, to pay their rent and semester contribution when family support is no longer available. The Studierendenwerk Dortmund is also currently setting up special counseling and support services for Ukrainian and Russian students.

Can young people from Ukraine and Russia still come to TU Dortmund University for studies or semesters abroad?

Yes, we would like to welcome people fleeing from the war zone to Germany at our university and offer them prospects for the future. It is still unclear how Ukrainians can continue to come to Dortmund to study. It is questionable whether Ukrainian students who wanted to come to our university through the program Studienbrücke will even be able to complete their school leaving certificate in Ukraine. Here, the DAAD is already working on appropriate support programs. Beyond this, young men cannot leave the country at the moment. Therefore, in the near future, we expect to see mainly young women to whom we can offer a perspective here. Russian students who have already been selected for an exchange are of course welcome at TU Dortmund University. It is important to us that the campus of TU Dortmund University remains a cosmopolitan place where young people from all nations can learn together in peace.

What does it mean for researchers at TU Dortmund University that scientific cooperation with Russia has been suspended for the time being?

Unfortunately, this measure means a considerable restriction in German-Russian scientific cooperation. However, we consider it as unavoidable. The war launched by Putin is a blatant breach of international law. Politicians and science organizations have jointly decided that this cannot remain without consequences. Cooperation with Russian partner institutions has therefore been suspended until further notice. We deeply regret the consequences. At TU Dortmund University, for example, the measure explicitly hits the cooperation of the Department of Physics with its partners in St. Petersburg within the framework of the Collaborative Research Center / Transregio 160. Since 2015, German and Russian physicists have been conducting joint research on tailored semiconductors in this large-scale project. Not only ongoing research collaborations are frozen now, but joint publications of previous results are no longer possible in some cases. In addition to the Transregio, several other collaborations with Russian partners at our university are affected, too. We all hope that academic exchange can be revived in the future. In the sense of scientific diplomacy, it has helped in the past to strengthen international understanding and keep channels open. Therefore, we also encourage researchers from TU Dortmund University to stay in personal contact with their Russian partners and thus show solidarity with those who wish for peace and take a stand against war and disinformation. It was very courageous that hundreds of Russian scientists positioned themselves in an open letter against the war. They are no more part of the conflict than our international students on campus.

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