From September 16 to 18, 2024, the TURBO project events took place at Nord University (Bodø, Norway): the UKRAINETT+ Conference “Managing Societal Crises: Challenges and Coping Strategies” and the round table “Addressing Migration Issues at the Local Level: Reflections on Challenges, Opportunities, and Perspectives of Various Stakeholders.”

The events gathered participants both online and in person. The TURBO project team from Chernihiv Polytechnic National University (CPNU) joined both onsite and remotely. Assoc. Prof. Nadiia Nahorna, PhD in Psychology, Dean of the Faculty of Social Technologies, Health and Rehabilitation and Assoc. Prof. Kateryna Maksiom, PhD in Psychology, Head of the Department of Social Work, Project Coordinator from CPNU, represented the team in Norway.

Speakers and participants included representatives of partner universities from Norway, Poland, and Ukraine. The discussions focused on crisis management and the development of strategies to address societal challenges. A particular emphasis was placed on new threats faced by Ukraine, especially managing crises in times of war.

A separate focus of the conference was the round table dedicated to the adaptation of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Representatives of Ukrainian universities shared their practical experience in implementing support programs for IDPs. The discussions also covered pressing issues related to Ukrainian migration to Poland and Norway. Government officials from these countries presented existing opportunities for Ukrainian migrants and outlined the barriers encountered both by host communities and the migrants themselves.

Within the framework of the conference, a series of working meetings was also held, dedicated to the implementation of a short-term microcredit educational program for the retraining and social adaptation of IDPs in Ukrainian universities. The participants discussed plans for the next stages of implementation, inter-institutional cooperation, and the development of project components.

Project “The Universities’ Reaction to Big Obstructions: Building resilient higher education to respond and manage societal crises” (101129315-TURBO-Erasmus-EDU-2023-CBHE). The main aim of TURBO project is to increase the resilience, preparedness and responsiveness of Ukrainian higher education institutions (HEIs) by building their capacities, improving competencies and sharing experiences.

This project has received funding from the European Union (ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE) under grant agreement No 101129315.