Promoting sustainability and leadership: new international initiatives by WUNU in STEM education and youth support
An online meeting was recently held, opening up new opportunities for cooperation between West Ukrainian National University and the American-Ukrainian organisation Brave Generation.
The meeting was attended by Oksana Koval, Director of the Education and Research Centre for Communications at WUNU, Ida Menton, expert in international negotiations and former OSCE programme officer; Anastasia Vlasenko, Vice-President of Brave Generation; Diana Boiko, coordinator of the WUNU STEM Laboratory; and Viktoria Korobii, interpreter at the WUNU International Relations Office. During the meeting, ways of cooperation in supporting young people affected by the war, in particular internally displaced persons, were discussed.
Particular attention was paid to the development of STEM education and support for young women in this field, especially those who have experienced war. This combination of educational opportunities and social support demonstrates a practical approach to youth development and the creation of a safe, inspiring environment for learning and self-realisation.
WUNU presented its modern STEM space, which is actively used by students, schoolchildren and internally displaced persons, and also presented initiatives for psychological support for war veterans and children through innovative VR technologies and interdisciplinary programmes. One of the key areas of discussion was the STEM Leaders of Ukraine project, which aims to develop the resilience and leadership of young women in STEM for the future of Ukraine, to shape a new generation of digitally literate leaders who promote gender equality and acquire practical STEM/digital skills to participate in the country's economic recovery and democratic development.
It is important to note that Brave Generation implements comprehensive programmes to support and develop Ukrainian youth, including the Fellowship scholarship programme – an annual 8-month intensive course to prepare Ukrainians for admission to leading world universities (Harvard, Yale, Columbia, etc.), the ImpactUA 2026 programme, which brings together students from Ukrainian and American universities to work in Ukrainian non-governmental organisations, as well as a mentoring system, psychological support and initiatives for the development of women's leadership (EmpowerHER, supported by UN Women).
The partners discussed potential areas of cooperation, including mentoring, language support, educational programme development and mental health, as well as sharing experiences on reintegrating young people into society and expanding opportunities for learning and self-development.
The meeting demonstrated the high potential for synergy between Ukrainian and international initiatives in the field of education, psychological support and youth development. Participants agreed to hold further meetings and work together to create educational programmes, mentoring schemes and support projects for pupils and students, as well as to exchange experiences in the field of STEM education and psychosocial rehabilitation.
