Ukrainians share their stories

November 2025

Since 2015, I have been working on issues of international cooperation at the Donetsk National Technical University (DonNTU); prior to that, I was head of the Department of Human Resource Management and Labor Economics. Today, we maintain partnerships with universities and research institutes in Europe and around the world, and we have more than 70 bilateral agreements. However, the University of Stuttgart has become our most important strategic partner.

In many ways, we owe this to Professor Volodymyr Svjatnyj, an outstanding expert in the field of parallel numerical modeling of complex dynamic systems. For many years, he and his team of early-career researchers have worked closely with the University of Stuttgart and the High-Performance Computing Center (HLRS). In November 2025, a scientific conference was held at HLRS to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of this partnership.

DonNTU has always been one of the leading universities in Ukraine and formerly in the Soviet Union. Our university has been home to significant scientific schools in mining, chemical technology, computer engineering, and many other engineering disciplines. And I consider it extremely important to preserve this.

A testing time for our university

In 2014, following the Russian occupation of Donetsk, DonNTU was relocated to Pokrovsk, a city within Ukrainian-controlled territory where we maintained a branch of the university. This move was ordered by the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science. The university structure was rebuilt, and teaching operations were reorganized. For employees and students – now often far from their families – the move to the small town was not easy. A significant milestone for us was the delivery of a high-performance training and research system for parallel computing – an 80-node cluster – provided by HLRS.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, marked a new turning point in what had been our relatively peaceful lives. Our university was relocated to Lutsk in April 2022 and then to Drohobych, near Lviv, in 2024. Online teaching has now become mandatory at our university. Originally, we had hoped to return to Pokrovsk, but the university building there was destroyed by a Russian missile. Fortunately, we were able to evacuate the HLRS cluster beforehand.

The University of Stuttgart offers support in difficult times

Our collaboration with the University of Stuttgart has always been a central support for us. At the beginning of the war, I contacted the International Center and immediately received a warm response. Thanks to the University of Stuttgart, we were able to join the DAAD-funded project "Ukraine Digital". Around 400 students received scholarships that allowed them to continue their studies despite the difficult circumstances. Our lecturers completed one-month internships at various institutes of the University of Stuttgart. Male teaching staff who could not leave Ukraine were supported through research internships within the country. Training in digital teaching and the use of artificial intelligence in the educational process were also very valuable for us.

This was followed by the new DAAD program "German-Ukrainian University Network 2025–2029," which enabled an expansion of our partnership, and the inclusion of new partners. The StuttWay4Ukraine project is being carried out under this program, and is expected to yield three new joint teaching modules.

Our joint project with the Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality, and Urban Waste Management (ISWA), part of the NATO SPS program, also received support: The research workshop "Approaches to Reducing the Impact of Military Activities on Drinking Water Resources," which will include researchers from 15 countries, is scheduled to take place in Lisbon in spring 2026.

Our university is currently facing extremely challenging times. But we are confident that we will overcome this crisis – especially thanks to the support of our European friends.

April 2025

My name is Oleksandra Turovets, and I’m a student at Lviv Polytechnic National University. During the previous semester, I had the opportunity to study at the University of Stuttgart as an exchange student. It was an experience that gave me the chance to learn in a new academic environment, meet people from around the world, and gain a fresh perspective on both my studies and everyday life.

Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, life in Ukraine has changed for everyone. I’m from Lviv, in the west of the country, which is generally safer than the eastern regions, but the war is still part of our daily reality. Sometimes we experienced electricity outages due to attacks on infrastructure. From time to time classes are interrupted by air raid warnings, when we need to pause and move to safe places. These situations remind us of the ongoing war, but we try to stay focused on our education.

Coming to Stuttgart was both exciting and a little overwhelming at first. What stood out to me immediately was how friendly and welcoming the university community was - from professors and staff to other students. I’d especially like to mention the team of the International Office (IZ), who warmly welcomed us on our very first day and were always approachable and supportive.

One of the things that impressed me most was the diversity and multicultural environment among the students. I met people from all over the world, and despite our different backgrounds, it was surprisingly easy to connect. Everyone was open-minded and friendly. Whether it was during group work, casual conversations, or international events, these everyday interactions made student life more vibrant.

As I look ahead, I hope for peace in Ukraine and a future where students don’t have to worry about safety while studying. I also hope to keep learning, growing professionally, and exploring opportunities both in Ukraine and internationally. This exchange semester has given me a lot of motivation and confidence to keep moving forward, no matter the challenges.

I'm very grateful for the opportunity to have studied in Stuttgart. It was a valuable and inspiring time, and I’ll always remember the people and the experiences that made it special.

April 2025

The war has affected every student in Ukraine – and not only students, but all people. When I first realized that the war had started, I couldn’t believe it. But after watching the news and hearing the fear and worry in the voices of my family and friends, I understood that things were going to be very serious and frightening.

Even though it was hard, studying in Ukraine continued in any way possible. I live in the western part of the country, which is safer, but of course, the war changed the life of every Ukrainian. Despite these difficult times, I was lucky to take part in the Erasmus+ program and spend a life-changing semester at the University of Stuttgart.

Studying in Germany, especially in Stuttgart, was an incredible experience. I got to know German culture and the education system much better, enjoyed the friendly and professional teaching style of the professors, and was impressed by how well everything was organized. The international atmosphere gave me a new perspective on different cultures and helped me make friends from all over the world. It wasn’t only about studying – it was also about traveling, sharing ideas, and growing both as a person and as a future professional.

I chose the University of Stuttgart because of its great reputation as one of Germany’s top technical universities, especially in engineering, economics, and natural sciences. Its international focus and strong support for student exchange made me feel that it was the perfect place to gain new knowledge, improve my language skills, and explore future career paths. Being in such a diverse environment helped me become more open-minded, think critically, and communicate better across cultures.

From the very beginning, I felt supported by the university community. The coordinators were always available, kind, and made sure we were well-informed about everything happening at the university. They provided help whenever needed, making sure I never felt alone in a foreign country. I am truly grateful for this constant support.

What surprised me most about Germany was the huge number of opportunities for students. I was amazed by how the education system works and how much freedom students have to explore, study, and travel. During my mobility, I completed two German language courses and improved both my communication and academic skills. I also studied courses in my field, Computer Science, which significantly enhanced my knowledge.

Looking ahead, I sincerely hope to return to Germany in the future, perhaps for another study program. If I get the chance to participate in a similar academic exchange again, I will definitely take it without hesitation. This experience was a real turning point in my life, and I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to grow as both a student and a global citizen – even in such difficult times. I’m especially thankful to the University of Stuttgart and the Erasmus+ program for giving Ukrainian students the chance to keep moving forward, learning, and growing, no matter what.

January 2023

My way in German academia

Since the beginning of 2022 I am working at the University of Stuttgart and doing research data management for catalysis research. This is closely connected with my background in chemical engineering, which I acquired in my studies.

January 2023

The bonds that unite us

The train Zurich-Prague, on which I was returning from the mathematical congress (1994), made a 30-minute stop in Stuttgart. During this time, I managed to get to the beginning of Königstraße and understand that I want to visit this city again.

My dream came true. In 1998, I received a scholarship from the Humboldt Foundation at the invitation of Professor Wolfgang Wendland, who from 1986 to 2004 headed an institute of the University of Stuttgart, now it is called the Institute for Applied Analysis and Numerical Simulation (IANS).

My further scientific work was closely connected with this institute. It was here that I obtained my main scientific results. Thanks to the Humboldt Foundation, I had the opportunity every three years, after the basic scholarship, to conduct research at the University of Stuttgart in the summer. Stuttgart became my second hometown after Kyiv (Ukrainian name for Kiev).

Russia's full-scale war

In 2022, I was again going to come to the University of Stuttgart for two summer months at the invitation of Professor Christian Rohde, who is now the director of the IANS. However, Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine destroyed the lives and changed the plans of many people. After the first weeks of the war, when the Russian occupiers were on the outskirts of Kyiv, when cannonades outside the window did not stop, when Russian cruise missiles hit residential buildings in Kyiv, when the first news came from Bucha about the torture and execution of Ukrainians, which showed how cruel are the plans of Putin's regime, my wife and I decided to leave Kyiv. First, we went to Lviv in Western Ukraine by an evacuation train, and then, at the convincing invitation of Professor Rohde, to Stuttgart. The Humboldt Foundation gave us the opportunity to stay in Germany from May 2022 to the end of February 2023.

During this time, together with Professor Rohde, we obtained interesting results about the asymptotic behavior of solutions to convection-dominated transport problems in thin graph-like junctions. Now, we investigate similar nonlinear problems. These studies are related to research being carried out at the University of Stuttgart under the grant SFB 1313. Therefore, I have the opportunity to participate in all events connected to this project, present my results, and get acquainted with the new original results of other scientists involved in this project. At the same time, being a professor at the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, I have the opportunity to give online lectures and conduct seminars on complex analysis for Ukrainian students.

What we have in common weighs more than what divides us

Many Ukrainian scientists and ordinary Ukrainians received support in Germany during the past several months of the war. Travelling on weekends around towns in Germany, my wife and I saw three flags at each town hall: the European Union, German and Ukrainian. I want to thank the German people and the government for the great support that you provide to refugees from Ukraine and our military who is fighting against the Russian invaders.

It was a pleasant surprise for me when I discovered that there are many similar words in the German and Ukrainian languages: Dach, Zucker, Kreide, Schublade, Krawatte. And there are many verbs with a common root and the same meaning, but different endings: drucken – друкувати (druck-uvaty),  färben – фарбувати (farb-uvaty),  warten – вартувати (vart-uvaty). 

It should be noted that in Russian these are completely different words. The reason for this was the migration of Slavic tribes from the territory between the Dnieper and Vistula rivers (present-day eastern Poland and Ukraine) in the 6th-8th centuries. One of these West Slavic tribes was called ”die Ukranen” Thus, Slavic toponyms, languages and other elements were eventually incorporated into today's Germanic culture.

However, the most similar are our values and common aspirations. Together we strive for Peace and hope for new political, economic, scientific and cultural bonds that will enrich us in every sense, and enrich us even more after the war.

January 2023

When I met my current Stuttgart colleague on the train

In March 2020, I was in Stuttgart on a business trip under the Manager Training Program "Fit for Partnership with Germany" of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy with Ukraine. At that time, I worked in the Ukraine as a deputy technical director and head of the department of innovative technologies at one of the leading Ukrainian enterprises, which developed and produced in the field of power electronics electrical converters for industry. Also, I conducted scientific and pedagogical activities (part-time) at the National University "Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic" and Tavria State Agrotechnological University.

Chance encounter on the train

I was traveling by ICE train to one of my business trips within the Training Program. At the Stuttgart main station, a fellow passenger entered the compartment. He took out his notebook and began to work enthusiastically on a presentation. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the topic of the presentation was very close to my professional activity. We briefly met and exchanged business cards. My companion introduced himself as Prof. Ingmar Kallfass, Director of the Institute of Robust Power Semiconductor Systems (ILH) of the University of Stuttgart. At the next station, he had to get off. It was a minute conversation, but Mr. Kallfass already left an indelible impression of a businesslike, kind, motivating person.

After we met, we kept up a business correspondence. After the start of the war in the Ukraine, I wrote a letter to him asking for personal cooperation. Mr. Kallfass has given me a lot of support. After a long, but operational correspondence, I received the possibility to work for his institute remotely, before travelling to Germany to continue my work at the ILH.

Arrival in Stuttgart

Thanks to the strong support of many persons at University of Stuttgart my family and I arrived with any incidents in Stuttgart. We particularly received support and help from Ms Bach from the Division Research and Transfer and Ms. Diel from the International Office. We were provided with apartments in the guesthouse of the university. Everybody took great care of my family, providing consistent and prompt support at all times. Mr. Kalfass gave my son a soccer ball and badminton set – both are now his favorite toys.

Currently, I am a researcher in the friendly team of the Institute of Robust Power Semiconductor Systems (ILH) at the University of Stuttgart. I am ready to apply my skills in control systems design for power electronics and electric drives, Digital Twin Development, Hardware-in-the-Loop testing and Rapid Control Prototyping on real-time hardware. As part of my collaboration with the ILH, the digital twin for state-of-health monitoring of power electronics systems based on wide-bandgap power semiconductor devices was developed. This digital twin helps to study reliability and lifetime of power electronics, and it will be improved and used in ongoing projects at ILH.

I am glad that my knowledge matches the activities of the ILH and I am very happy to be part of this team.

January 2023

Even now it's not over

Since my first visit to the University of Stuttgart in 1973, I have been back many times as a guest lecturer. The last thing I had planned was a research stay at the High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS), which, unfortunately, I had to postpone due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The first time I came to Stuttgart not quite by choice was in March 2022, when well-known events in my home country prompted me to come here. I traveled to Germany as a refugee by bus via Dnipro, Lviv, and Warsaw. In no small part, it was the kind invitation of my colleague Prof. Michael Resch, Director of the HLRS, which encouraged me to brave the adverse circumstances and continue with my research at the HLRS, where I worked as a visiting professor from June to December 2022.

62 years of service to science