DUHN (German-Ukrainian University Network)

The DAAD supports the Ukrainian higher education system in three means:

• through scholarships for Ukrainian researchers, lecturers and students;
• programmes for the further development and internationalisation of Ukrainian universities;
• support for research and knowledge transfer.

After Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2022, the DAAD not only launched emergency aid initiatives, but also started programmes aimed at strengthening Ukrainian higher education institutions in the long term. One of such programmes is the German-Ukrainian University Network, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMFTR) with a total budget of €24 million until 2029.

From July 2025 to June 2029, 30 Ukrainian-German cooperation projects are being supported within the framework of DUHN. 32 German and 44 Ukrainian universities are involved in these projects. They are jointly developing double and joint degree programmes, certification pathways and individual courses in various fields, as well as designing academic exchange formats and putting them into practice.

DUHN focuses on establishing sustainable partnerships and modernising educational processes. Particular attention is paid to the mobility of teachers and students, especially digital mobility: scholarships are also available for online participation, allowing participants to maintain close ties with their Ukrainian universities while benefiting from cooperation with Germany.

An important component of DUHN is the development of management and administration competencies at Ukrainian higher education institutions: the training courses are held for staff – from administrative employees to deans and vice-rectors – in the areas of university management and internationalisation. This enables universities to strengthen their institutional capacity, use modern management approaches and integrate more effectively into the European educational space. The programme covers a wide range of target groups — students and graduates, postgraduates, teachers and administrators — providing each of them with relevant opportunities for development and participation in joint initiatives.

Applications to participate in DUHN were submitted by German state and state-recognised higher education institutions that, together with Ukrainian partners, form long-term cooperations and set high standards for joint teaching, learning and research.

In December 2025, the first meeting of the German-Ukrainian University Network took place in Berlin: more than 100 representatives of universities and authorities from both countries were present in order to mark this important step towards systematic, innovative and long-term Ukrainian-German cooperation in the field of higher education.