Resources
Library resources
Linda Hall Library has joined the Twinning scheme, granting their resources to all Ukrainian twinned institutions.
The Linda Hall Library is an independent library founded in 1946 and located in Kansas City (US). The Library owns two main collections: the History of Science Collection, focused on thescience, technology, and engineering disciplines, with documents dating from the mid-fifteenth century up to now (including in digitised formats), and the General Collection, in areas such as astronomy, astrophysics, physics, mathematics, the life sciences, all forms of engineering, and various technologies. These materials are collected in 82 languages, including Ukrainian.
As part of the twinning process, we link the chief librarians at the UK and Ukrainian institutions, to allow the Ukrainian partner to access academic resources through arrangements put in place by SCONUL (the UK University Librarian Association). If this has already happened with your twin, then Ukrainian academics will need to choose Linda Hall Library through Rapid when making their requests. Rapid is the system used by Linda Hall and SCONUL to convert the holdings of international institutions available to Ukrainianuniversities(https://page.exlibrisgroup.com/rapidill-ukraine-support) and can be used separately. These requests will be filled as quickly as possible and all copyright and/or processing fees will be waived. If Ukrainian scholars are not working with SCONUL (through their UK Twin), the Linda Hall Library may be contacted directly at requests@lindahall.org.
All of Linda Hall’s public domain materials are available via our online catalog that may be accessed on our website (www.lindahall.org). For materials under copyright protection or that have restricted access, patrons are welcome to request a virtual library card to enable access to those materials via Controlled Digital Lending (CDL). Access may be requested by contacting our reference department. Alternatively, patrons can apply for a patron account at https://www.lindahall.org/research/patron-registration.
The Library’s collection of digital materials may be found at: LHL Digital Collection. Digitization of undigitized materials may be requested after a patron account has been created.
For further information you can visit the Linda Hall Library’s website linked above, or follow their guidance on YouTube athttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQiH_blE5NtbH7VKHb5PME3Nz3xPqmPji
Reallyenglish
Reallyenglish have developed a digital solution that offers an effective way of helping students to improve their English and to support the current efforts made by UK Universities, while not requiring any major outlay in effort or money. It is a digital platform that offers over 100 hours of Academic English skills support and training available on Mobile and encompassing the needs of B1 and B2 students. It is offered for free for Ukrainian students and staff.
XTX funding
XTX has allocated 15 mln pounds to support universities in twinning. All descriptions, instructions and application is here.
Jisc
Jisc is covering all the areas connected to digital in the UK education system. Since the beginning of the war Jisc coordinates all issues around digital solutions for twinned universities, both hard and soft. Most common requests include providing virtual servers, cloud decisions, helping with technical items, communicating the needs for the soft-ware, e-resources with licence holders and publishers. Jisc is cooperating with the national Ukrainian NREN URAN. Together they coordinate forming a pull of technical items and distributing them among affected universities according to their needs.
Support of Digital Education:
Open University is one of the oldest virtual universities, opened in 1969 by Queen Elizabeth II. It is 100% online and is open to anyone regardless their place, origin, status and circumstances. Having accumulated a massive experience in digital teaching, OU is sharing their knowledge with Ukrainian colleagues.
An outline of what the OU can offer to assist with delivering learning online, including our OpenSTEM Labs offering are detailed in the attached pdf documents.
Links to free Open University courses about open and distance education, as well as research in this area, can be found here
Examples of how we support skills development online can be found here
This is a free course on Open Learn “Take your teaching online”
Innovating Pedagogy Guides can be found here
Shorter, ‘what works?’ guides, designed to help those trying out distant and online learning for the first time can be found here
Learning design resources are here
Professor Martin Weller from the OU who has put the online learning seminar together also has a BLOG on online learning
Free online resources for Ukrainians settling in the UK and Ireland https://www.open.edu/openlearn/supporting-ukrainians
UNICollaboration
https://www.unicollaboration.org/ the website of a cross-disciplinary professional organisation for telecollaboration and virtual exchange in Higher Education. This
site help to keep practitioners, researchers, policy makers and management informed of conferences, training opportunities, documents, and policy developments relevant to our field.
Virtual exchange is unique and flexible form of online learning. What makes it unique is its focus on online structured and facilitated collaborative learning session that bring people together and promote intercultural dialogue. This pedagogy enables participants to develop soft skills and transversal competencies that are essential in today’s job markets and multicultural societies. All services are free of charge for Ukrainian academics.
Here is a link to a short intro video explaining what Virtual Exchange, a research-informed practice, is: https://youtu.be/oFB7ooV6lWQ
The Open University
The OU offers free online resources. A document with more information is available here.
CARA
CARA (the Council for At-Risk Academics) provides urgently-needed help to academics in immediate danger, those forced into exile, and many who choose to work on in their home countries despite serious risks. Cara also supports higher education institutions whose work is at risk or compromised. More information you can see here.
FutureLearn
FutureLearn
Futurelearn is a global learning marketplace, offering courses from some of the world's best universities and education providers. Our partners include 26 of the top 30 UK universities and 21 of the 24 Russell Group. Our mission is to transform access to education so that millions across the globe can develop the skills to achieve their personal and professional goals.
Twin for Hope has discussed with FutureLearn the potential for Ukraine university students to access FutureLearn partner courses for free. This would be enabled by FutureLearn’s 'Campus' programme whereby existing FutureLearn university partners can opt-in to make their FutureLearn courses available to other FutureLearn university partners’ staff and students. In essence, allowing universities to access each others’ courses for free.
The free access for Ukraine university students would mean students can get all the benefits of paid subscriptions. Benefits include consuming course materials at a quicker pace if desired, access to tests, and a digital Certificate of Achievement upon completion.
171 Healthcare & Medicine courses such as Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research from University of Leeds and the NIHR, and Academic Writing for Healthcare Students in Higher Education from Kingston University and St George’s, University of London
108 Business & Management courses including CIPD’s People Management Skills Course, University of Leeds’ Starting a Business series, and Doing Business in Web3 from RMIT
37 IT & Computer Science courses such as the Open University’s popular Introduction to Cyber Security, and A Beginner’s Guide to Becoming a Blockchain Developer from King’s College London and Quant Network
41 Language courses such as English as a Medium of Instruction for Academics from University of Southampton, and Basic English 1&2 from King’s College London.
CRDF Global
CRDF Global funds projects with the goal of advancing civilian-oriented science and entrepreneurship around the globe. Fellowships and funding opportunities are designed in collaboration with funders and partners.
Opportunities to engage with CRDF Global are available in the form of research grants, fellowships, business plan competitions, technical trainings, laboratory upgrades, and travel support to attend professional conferences and events.
Innovate Ukraine Energy Partnership
Innovate Ukraine is a funding competition which aims to support and develop the energy innovations which will aid the recovery and restoration of Ukraine.
Innovate Ukraine makes available up to £10m to support businesses to develop highly innovative, sustainable energy technologies and business models which can specifically support the recovery of Ukraine’s energy system.
The Innovate Ukraine competition is open to both UK and international participants.
Potential applicants can receive a full brief and access to the application portal by registering their interest via this website. These resources will only be available to those who have registered and will not be made available on the public site.
Gender Equality Partnerships grants
The British Council is launching new Gender Equality Partnerships grants. The grants enable higher education providers and non-for-profit research institutions in the UK and Ukraine to build partnerships and enable systemic change in the following priority theme:
Addressing women’s underrepresentation in higher education leadership (and all its related outcomes).
During the assessment of projects between Ukraine and UK priority will be given to partnerships that aim to reach an impact on the national level.
The Gender Equality Partnership grant expects to support a project with a value of up to £25,000, for a 12-month project period, starting from January 2024.
The deadline is 20 September 2023, at 23.59 UK time.