War in Ukraine
Message of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, the human catastrophe taking place in Ukraine, where the Russian aggressor is also turning against the civilian population, resulting in a great many victims, is viewed with horror. The many deaths and wounded, the people left behind on the ground in the most precarious conditions, and the millions of refugees are all victims of this inhumane aggression.
As the beating heart of UGent, the faculty wants to explicitly emphasize its commitment with the students and staff members who are directly or indirectly affected by this conflict in Ukraine, and to strive for maximum service to these groups.
As the rector of UGent already stated, Russian academics and students who do not support this invasion should not be punished, but explicitly appreciated and supported. "Not all Russians, and therefore not Russia as a whole, are responsible for what is currently happening. Consequently, it would be incorrect and also inappropriate to speak in general terms about the actions of 'the Russians' and/or 'Russia'. Stigmatization of a country as such and/or of all its inhabitants must be avoided. At a university like ours, where respect for people regardless of their origin is important, this situation also requires us to think and communicate in a nuanced way."
The faculty therefore wants to do its utmost to offer Ukrainian, Belarussian and Russian students and staff all possible facilities during this challenging period, both in terms of practical support and general welfare. The faculty has therefore combined all the information and facilities on a single website.
For all additional questions for which no answer can be found on the webpages linked down below, please contact the following e-mail address: Ukrainefge@ugent.be
Several UGent staff members have already set up actions for victims of the war in Ukraine, which can be found on this page. Employees of the faculty / UZGent have also initiated a number of actions for which the faculty gives its explicit support.
More than ever, as a faculty, we want to live up to our DNA of Together, Committed and Honest and be there for our students and colleagues who need us. Therefore, do not hesitate to contact us with questions, needs or concerns.