Ukraine belongs to the countries that export the most valuable thing, namely education. Until February 24, 2022, Ukrainian universities provided education to more than 84 thousand young people from 158 countries of the world, from all possible continents.
Yes, the war certainly forced foreign students to reconsider their life plans – some of them left Ukraine for a safer place to study at universities in other countries, but the majority, which pleases and inspires, continues to study in Ukrainian educational institutions. There are almost 52,000 foreign students left in our country! Their learning process takes place in different formats. They study mainly remotely, from home or in a mixed format. But they did not change their choice, they remain with Ukraine and believe in our higher education system and its future.
Moreover, there are those who, despite all the dangers, remained in Ukraine. And it's worth it. Especially considering that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the occupying country has been making every effort to displace and force foreign students to leave our country, or even to lure them to its universities. It is worth noting that they are a source of significant investment in the Ukrainian higher education system. They were promised extraordinary and amazing things: scholarships, preferential transfer conditions, discounts on tuition and accommodation, etc.
It is worth noting that foreign students are important for every state, because they provide stable inflows of funds not only to the budget of universities but also to the country's economy, contribute to integration into the world educational space, and influence the international image. And after receiving a diploma, these young people become ambassadors of the country where they studied.
The Ukrainian State Center for International Education (USCIE), which coordinates the admission of foreigners to higher education institutions of Ukraine, regularly conducts research on the education of foreign students in our country. We keep in touch with students, their teachers, and university administrations. This year, in the research materials (questionnaires and interviews), in addition to answers to traditional questions, we saw many pleasant words and wishes for Ukraine. In particular, we can mention such ones as "I love you, my beautiful Ukraine", "Ukrainians, you are incredible!", "I admire Ukrainian people and this country" and "Glory to Ukraine!". And during personal interviews, we learned about foreign students who, despite the danger, being able to evacuate to other countries, not only stayed in Ukraine, but also became volunteers, helped and are helping Ukrainians to fight for freedom and independence. There are quite a lot of such examples. Moreover, they talk about it modestly, without pathos, because they do not consider it something special: "After all, it is impossible to do otherwise. Ukraine is my second home."
"These were the most beautiful, unique and courageous days of my life"
Mohamed Bassam Khaled (Arab Republic of Egypt) is a graduate of the Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas. We first heard about him at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, when Russian troops entered the city of Bucha. "We have a missing student and haven't been in touch with him for a week! He is a volunteer, he has a car, he helps everyone, he takes people out of dangerous places," the teachers at the university sounded the alarm. Later it turned out that the boy was captured by the occupiers.
From the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Bassam helped to take people from the Kyiv region to the border with Europe. One day, an acquaintance asked Bassam to take his wife and three children away from the city of Bucha. The man had no contact with them for three days, besides, the woman was nine months pregnant.
Bassam agreed and set out on a route that he already knew quite well because he had helped other people many times. But, unfortunately, it was already too late because the occupiers' checkpoints began to appear on the roads.
"Due to the bad condition of the road, I could not get to Bucha at the agreed time," recalls Bassam. – Constantly tried to call the woman, but her phone was silent. When I arrived at the agreed place, I was shocked – the house of this family was completely destroyed. I asked local residents about the residents and found out that a woman and two children died, and another child was taken to Kyiv by the Red Cross organization in the morning."
The road back was scary and dangerous. Bassam saw shot cars and bodies of dead women, men, elderly people, and children. "These terrible scenes will not be erased from my memory for the rest of my life," he says. Mobile communication and the Internet were deliberately cut off, and Bassam did not know where he was. Suddenly he saw a road on which was standing destroyed Russian equipment, and a little further – several soldiers in camouflage. "I thought they were Ukrainian heroes, but it turned out to be Russian horror. And it was a shock for me. A tank stopped behind my car and blocked my way. They took me out at gunpoint and fired shots into the air, and my car was also shot with a gun," says Bassam.
While he was in a military captivity, he tried to remember everything he saw: he counted the cars that passed by, he remembered exactly which equipment was coming. Bassam was wounded in a military captivity. He ended up in the hospital, and managed to escape from there. He even took the guard's gun with him.
But with twelve stitches and wounds, you won't get far. Bassam was lucky – he came across a small village that was surrounded by forests on all sides, so the invaders did not know about its existence. "I stayed there for eight days, and it was the most beautiful, unique and courageous eight days of my life," he says. – There were 24 of us, eight of them women and six children aged 10 to 15. They were all wonderful people."
Gradually, fewer and fewer people remained in the village. They tried to break through to their acquaintances, to the territory under the control of the Ukrainian authorities. Bassam and others also decided to make their way to the nearest safe village. We walked about 30 kilometers through the forest at night. "In another village, we found brave Ukrainians, and we are talking about the military. We gave them the weapons we had and the information gathered on the road and in a military captivity. They understood who we are and that our information is important."
Military officials gave Bassam and his comrades a car that took them to Zhytomyr, from where he then went to Ivano-Frankivsk, and later went home to Egypt. "Thank God that we are alive. And Glory to Ukraine!" he says.
Bassam completed his studies at a Ukrainian university. It was difficult for him to tell this story now. "But the world must learn what the Russian occupation is," says the boy. He dreams of a future in which he wants to see happiness for his family and victory for Ukraine. Besides, he wants to return to our country again.
"Ukraine gave me a lot: the opportunity to study and be courageous"
Sam Sengupta (India) is a medical student at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. "The first week of the war was terrible. "I didn't know what to do when the siren went off," Sam recalls. – A rocket hit my friend's apartment and destroyed it, it was scary. We received information that the enemy was near Kyiv, the situation was uncertain, and when the Indian government again advised us to return home, we agreed to it."
Even at home, Sam constantly followed the events in Ukraine, told his compatriots about the war, and together with his brothers and sisters organized a collection of donations to support our country.
Sam stayed in India for only a few months. His university friend Vadim, a future doctor-surgeon, organized a team of volunteer doctors in Kyiv and invited Sam to join. He immediately agreed and returned to Kyiv.
The parents supported their son's decision: "They always said that life should be saved and that this is important to help people," he recalls. – At first it was difficult, because I had never been in such a situation before. We helped a lot of old women who did not have access to the necessary medicines, and wounded soldiers. I am still practicing at the clinic. And on weekends, I volunteer. In addition, I joined a volunteer group that collects food and items for the military and for people from de-occupied cities such as Kherson. I have been living in this mode for ten months. If not people like us, then who will help? And I know that we will win."
In the future, Sam dreams of becoming a dermatologist, he would like to work in Ukraine: "Because this country gave me a lot: the opportunity to study and be courageous. I want to thank you for that. I really like Ukrainians, their ability to fight, energy and positivity. I was impressed by mothers who protect their children, fathers who went to the front. And I also returned back to Ukraine. Just to be here and help these people."
"Foreign journalists and their audience were interested in learning about Ukraine, they did not expect to hear about such incredible and extraordinary stories of courageous resistance to the occupiers"
Ihab Khatib (Israel) is a graduate student of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University. On the eve of February 24, 2022, the Israeli embassy began evacuating its citizens. Ihab Khatib was one of its coordinators: he helped with plane tickets, escorted students to the train in Kyiv, organized evacuation by buses from other regions. He helped all Israeli citizens, but he firmly decided to stay in Ukraine. "I didn't go abroad, because I believe that I should fight for victory together with the Ukrainians," says Ihab. – Relatives took this decision hard at first, but still understood. I asked them to help us, to support Ukraine. This is my favorite country because it has given me everything. Besides, I really like nature. But people, of course, cause me special admiration!".
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ihab has been actively involved in volunteering in Ukraine. "I help both as a translator and as a volunteer, namely collecting humanitarian aid. Together with my friends, I turned to acquaintances abroad, who helped to collect both medical and military equipment," says Ihab.
He himself helps Ukraine not only by volunteering. From the first days of a full-scale invasion, it was very important to maintain an information front abroad. Therefore, Ihab gave comments to foreign journalists to show what is really happening in Ukraine.
"At first I was invited to comment on the situation for the Israeli state TV channel, then foreign journalists saw this interview and started contacting me," he says. – I explained that Russian propaganda is delusional. That it is not true that Russian-speakers are insulted in Ukraine, because I myself am a Russian-speaker, I studied and lived for a long time in Dnipro, and now in Ternopil, but I never faced problems because of the language. It was interesting to foreign journalists and their audience, they did not expect such stories of courageous resistance to the occupiers. I have contacts all over the world, and I use them to tell the world the truth about Russian aggression on the territory of Ukraine."
Ihab was in Ukraine, but he helped organize actions in support of our country in Israel. "My father is a school director," says Ihab. – He organized the Day of Ukraine for his students, where he told children about the country and how Ukrainians protect their Motherland. My friends and relatives went to rallies in support of Ukraine in Israel. I participated in the organization of rallies remotely from Ukraine, and many people came to participate in them. These were people of different citizenships, different religions. We also held rallies in Tel Aviv near the embassy of the aggressor near the embassy of the aggressor country, namely the Russian Federation. Anna Zharova, head of the Ukrainian diaspora in Israel, helps a lot in this. She organizes actions, we are in constant contact, and I see that she devotes all her time and strength to Ukraine."
When asked what he dreams about, Ihab answered quickly and without hesitation: "About the victory of Ukraine. I sincerely believe that it will come soon!".
"I constantly worked with military personnel. Some had severe injuries and some had no legs. It was really very difficult."
Uradi Mohamed Fouad (Kingdom of Morocco) is an intern at the Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine (Shupyk NHU of Ukraine). Like many of his fellow students, Mohamed left Ukraine at the start of the full-scale invasion. However, after a few months, he decided to return. "At first, my relatives did not want to let me go to Ukraine, they perceived it as suicide, and it was difficult to convince them," recalls Mohamed. "But for myself, I made a decision, bought a ticket to Budapest, and then took a train to the city of Kyiv."
In Ukraine, Mohamed had doctors he knew who told him that they were performing operations for wounded soldiers and offered to join their team The guy accepted this offer without hesitation: "For me, Ukraine is a second Motherland. Ukrainians helped me a lot when I lived and studied in Kyiv, opened many opportunities for me. That's why I decided to come back and help them."
I helped doctors in the operating room and intensive care unit. "I constantly worked with military personnel. Some had severe injuries, some had no legs. It was really very difficult," recalls Uradi Mohamed.
It was difficult not only mentally, but also physically: in order to get to the hospital on time, Mohamed woke up at five every morning and went to the subway – under any conditions, even to the sound of sirens. "Every day there were alarms five or six times a day," he says. – It was quite unusual to work in such conditions. And it's not easier in the hospital itself, because I saw the suffering of the soldiers and heard their scary stories."
"Regarding my dreams, I don't just dream about anything," says the boy. – This is Elon Musk who dreams of flying to another planet. As for me, I set specific goals for myself: to have a good family; victory and the end of the war; to help people. And to continue studying, to become a doctor."