Resources for Our Community Members Affected by the War in Ukraine
On February 24, 2022, military forces of the Russian Federation launched a full-scale armed assault against Ukraine. This invasion has resulted in the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, whole cities, and the deaths of innocent civilians. It has brought distress to Ukrainians both in the country and around the globe, including members of our Harvard community. The conflict has also created fear and uncertainty among students, staff, and faculty who are from Russia, Belarus and elsewhere in the region, among their friends and family, and indeed among all of us. The information on this page is intended to provide an overview of Harvard’s response, point to University resources available to those seeking assistance, and offer useful links for those looking for ways to learn more or get involved.
University Responses
President Bacow’s Statement on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
February 28, 2022
Let me begin by offering my thanks to the Davis Center and the Ukrainian Research Institute, its co-sponsors, and our panelists. Universities are built to bring people together, and technology has increased our capacity to draw audiences from around the world. This gathering exemplifies our convening strength—and its tremendous value.
On Friday, I wrote the director and executive director of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute of my deep concern about the capricious and senseless invasion of Ukraine. Since then, the situation has deteriorated further. Over the weekend, members of our community rallied at the heart of our campus and spoke clearly and forcefully against the crisis.
Now is a time for all voices to be raised.
The deplorable actions of Vladimir Putin put at risk the lives of millions of people and undermine the concept of sovereignty. Institutions devoted to the perpetuation of democratic ideals and to the articulation of human rights have a responsibility to condemn such wanton aggression.
Harvard will continue to support in whatever ways we can members of our community who face grave uncertainty. We will continue to share knowledge of Ukraine and advance understanding of its culture, history, and language. And we will continue to speak against cruelty, and to act with compassion as we hold to hope for resolution—and for liberation.
Today the Ukrainian flag flies over Harvard Yard. Harvard University stands with the people of Ukraine.
Thank you.
Opening remarks at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies and Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University event, Rapid Response Panel: Ukraine Under Attack.
Statements from Schools, International Centers, and Departments
- Harvard College: Statement to the Harvard Crimson
- Harvard Business School: Letter from Dean Srikant Datar
- Harvard Divinity School: Dean David Hempton on Ukraine Invasion
- Harvard Kennedy School: Letter from Dean Douglas Elmendorf
- Harvard Medical School: Message from the Dean
- Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute: HURI Statement on Russia's War Against Ukraine
- Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies:
- Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies: Statement
- Harvard Humanitarian Initiative: Scaling Up Our Support
- Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures: Statement on Russia’s Military Assault against Ukraine
Resources for Students and Scholars on Campus
Harvard Offices
- Harvard International Office: The HIO works in support of all international students and scholars at Harvard College, the graduate and professional schools, as well as those at the numerous research centers and affiliated teaching hospitals. They are best positioned to assist with questions pertaining to immigration requirements, visas, and related issues, and can help advise students concerned about the impact that the war in Ukraine may have on their visa status in the United States or their ability to travel abroad.
- Harvard Representation Initiative of the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program: The Harvard Representation Initiative provides legal consultations, representation and social service support to members of the Harvard community who are concerned about their immigration status. Our legal representation includes assistance with filing immigration applications, representing clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in Immigration Court, and beyond. Harvard community members with immigration questions are encouraged to schedule a free consultation. To schedule an appointment, please email hri@law.harvard.edu or call our office at (617) 495-6648.
- Harvard University Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS): CAMHS is a counseling and mental health support service which seeks to work collaboratively with students, Schools, and the University to support individuals who are experiencing some measure of distress in their lives. CAMHS also hosted Ukrainian, Russian, and Eastern European Student Support at CAMHS, in-person support groups on two dates in April for students affected by, or concerned with, the current events in Ukraine, Eastern Europe and Russia. Students who require emergency medical attention should dial 911; if you need to talk with a counselor right now about a mental health concern, call the CAHMS Cares 24/7 line at (617) 495-2042.
- Harvard Chaplains: The Harvard Chaplains, a professional community of more than thirty chaplains, represent many of the world’s religious, spiritual, and ethical traditions, and share a collective commitment to serving the spiritual needs of the students, faculty, and staff of Harvard University.
School-Specific Accommodations
The daily headlines can make it hard to meet daily deadlines. For information on academic accommodations or other resources, we encourage you to reach out to your School contact below:
- Harvard College: Individual Resident Dean
- Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: Danielle Farrell, Director of Student Services
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences: John Girash, Director of Graduate Education
- Harvard Extension School: Robert Neugeboren, Dean of Students
- Harvard Business School: Janice H. Hammond, Senior Associate Dean for Culture and Community
- Harvard School of Dental Medicine: Carrie Sylven, Director of Student Affairs
- Harvard Graduate School of Design: Janice Gilkes, Associate Dean for Student Affairs
- Harvard Divinity School: Steph Grayson Gauchel, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
- Harvard Graduate School of Education: Kevin Boehm, Director of Student Services
- Harvard Kennedy School: Melissa Wojciechowski St. John, Director of Student Services
- Harvard Law School: Lakshmi Clark, Senior Director of Student Affairs
- Harvard Medical School: Fidencio Saldaña, MD, MPH, Dean for Students
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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health:
- Colleen Cronin, Associate Director of Student Affairs
- Maritza Hernandez, Associate Dean for Student Services
Emergency Funding Options
The war in Ukraine has significantly disrupted international financial systems, which may make it difficult for those who depend on funding from home to continue to receive that support. It may also make it difficult to send money home. Students who are experiencing financial distress or are worried about potential problems should seek to take advantage of their Schools’ existing programs to provide assistance to those in need.
- Harvard College: Students should contact their financial aid officer or write to faoinfo@fas.harvard.edu to reach the officer on call
- Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: Financial Hardship Funding
- Harvard School of Dental Medicine: Students should explore the Student Emergency Fund page and contact Gardner Key, Director of Financial Aid, for more information
- Harvard Graduate School of Design: Students should contact Keith Gnoza, Director of Financial Aid, for more information
- Harvard Law School: Personal and Medical Emergency Funding
- Harvard Medical School: Medical Student Emergency Aid Fund
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Student Emergency Fund
Harvard Summer Stay in Washington, D.C.
The Center for Hellenic Studies (CHS), in partnership with the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies (CES), is accepting applications for its joint Harvard Summer Stay in Washington, DC initiative. This opportunity is open to Harvard College students impacted by the war in Ukraine and who wish to live in Washington, DC for the summer (May 20-August 20). Accepted students will receive a travel grant of $650, a $500/month allowance for incidentals, shared accommodation at the Center for Hellenic Studies’ DC campus, and weekday lunches.
Resources for Scholars Abroad
Resources
The invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the greatest refugee crisis in Europe since the end of World War II. Among those displaced by the war, many are professors, scientists, scholars, writers, and others affiliated with Ukraine’s approximately 400 institutions of higher education. Harvard is committed to finding ways to support to these and other academics whose lives have been disrupted by the war.
- Scholars at Risk: The Scholars at Risk (SAR) Program at Harvard is dedicated to helping scholars, artists, writers, and public intellectuals from around the world escape persecution and continue their work by providing ten-month-long academic fellowships at Harvard University. SAR at Harvard relies on the generosity of private donors and the Office of the President to carry out its mission. While the deadline for 2022 SAR fellowships has passed, if you have an emergency case to present, please contact SAR Program Director Jane Unrue.
- Fellowship opportunities for Ukrainians: In conjunction with the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, Austria (IWM), the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI) is offering fellowship opportunities for Ukrainian scholars, cultural figures, and public intellectuals who are now in an EU country. Intended to facilitate intellectual solidarity, the documentation of Russian aggression and Ukrainian experiences of war, and exploration of the Ukrainian cultural experience, these nonresidential fellowships are currently open for application on the IWM website.
- Dumbarton Oaks Research Fellowships: Home of the Humanities, Dumbarton Oaks is a Harvard University research institute, library, museum, and garden located in Washington, DC. Since 1940, it supports research in Byzantine Studies, Pre-Columbian Studies, and Garden and Landscape Studies in the form of fellowships and other awards, scholarly conferences, publications, and digital initiatives. We encourage scholars abroad to explore its programming, particularly in Byzantine Studies, which offers fellowships to enable historical, philological, art historical, archaeological, and theological research into the civilization of the Byzantine Empire from the fourth to the fifteenth century. Contact Dumbarton Oaks’ Fellowships and Grants or Byzantine Studies offices for more information.
- Harvard Law School Visiting Scholar/Visiting Researcher Program: Thanks to a generous donation, the Harvard Law School Visiting Scholar/Visiting Researcher (“VS/VR”) Program is able to offer financial support to visiting Ukrainian researchers displaced by the conflict. For more information about the VS/VR program, please visit Visiting Scholar/Visiting Researcher (VS/VR) Admissions and Apply to the Graduate Program or contact gpquery@law.harvard.edu.
- Harvard Medical School's Support for Ukraine Scientists: The Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI) at Harvard Medical School stands in solidarity with scientists in Ukraine, as well as scientists in Russia and Belarus who voice their anti-war position, risking oppression from the increasingly totalitarian regimes. To support these scientists, the department has opened funded visiting trainee positions for current PhD students and postdoctoral fellows. The department focuses on research in computational biology, computational genetics and genomics, and biomedical data science. See their website for application information.
News, Events, and Other Resources
Events
Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics: Tuesday, September 27, 2022: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Addresses Harvard Live from Ukraine
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AAU: A Conversation with President Zelenskyy
- On Monday, May 16, the Association of American Universities hosted a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on how America’s universities and Ukrainian officials and educators can work together to help rebuild and transform Ukraine’s decimated higher education sector. President Zelenskyy outlined his vision for Ukraine and spoke about the Ukrainian Global University, which brings together an international network of institutions to help displaced Ukrainian students and scholars continue their education and research. View the recording here.
- HURI: Events
- Davis Center: Russia’s War in Ukraine: Analysis, Events, and Resources
- Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures: News and Events
- Center for European Studies: Events
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Harvard Kennedy School: Upcoming Events: Ukraine
- Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs: Upcoming Events: Ukraine
- Harvard Law School: Upcoming Events
- Harvard Gazette: Events Calendar
- Dumbarton Oaks: From Kyivan Rus’ to Modern Ukraine: Virtual Conversations on History, Art, and Cultural Heritage series
- Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies: Events: Ukraine
- Harvard Club of Ukraine: Past event recording: The war in Ukraine: How it affects all of us and what we can do
News: Harvard Community Efforts and Responses
- 10/6/2023: Putin Helped Create the ‘Anti-Russian Ukraine’ He Feared (Davis Center)
- 8/25/2023: Ukraine’s Appeals to Europe Can Alienate Others (Davis Center)
- 6/16/2023: Kakhovka Dam Breach Unleashes Torrent of Risks and Ruin (Davis Center)
- 5/8/2023: A War With No End in Sight (Davis Center)
- 4/6/2023: It started the summer he first hunted Nazis (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/15/2023: Learning under fire: LabXchange resources now available in Ukrainian (LabXchange)
- 2/21/2023: One year later: How does Ukraine war end? (Harvard Gazette)
- 2/2/2023: Amid a ‘huge collective trauma,’ a Harvard program aims to train Ukrainian doctors (Boston Globe)
- 1/23/2023: Don’t give Russia an inch, former U.S. diplomat says (Harvard Gazette)
- 11/21/2022: Rushing to save her homeland — or at least its story (Harvard Gazette)
- 11/21/2022: Now Accepting Applications: Non-Residential Fellowships for Scholars from Ukraine (HURI)
- 11/6/2022: Rabbis on Opposite Sides of Justice (Davis Center)
- 10/31/2022: Are the West’s Sanctions on Russia Working? (Davis Center)
- 10/24/2022: Assessing the Impact of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Eight Months On (HURI)
- 10/16/2022: Russia's War Against Ukraine (updated) (Davis Center)
- 9/30/2022: Russia's Illegal Annexation of Ukrainian Territory: Experts Respond (HURI)
- 9/28/2022: Is Putin Bluffing on Using Nuclear Weapons? (Davis Center)
- 9/27/2022: ‘Be unstoppable, be true to yourself, but be just’ (Harvard Gazette)
- 9/22/2022: Surveying global damage rippling off Ukraine war (Harvard Gazette)
- 9/21/2022: Is war in Ukraine at a turning point? (Harvard Gazette)
- 8/31/2022: Ukraine-Related Courses at Harvard 2022-2023 (HURI)
- 8/30/2022: Introducing Ukraïnica: An Ever-Expanding Resource for Teaching Ukraine (HURI)
- 8/23/2022: Independence Day: 31 Years of Ukrainian Statehood (HURI)
- 8/1/2022: New Series: Volunteering for Ukraine (HURI)
- 7/28/2022: TCUP Brief 6: Inside Poland's Humanitarian Response (HURI)
- 7/6/2022: TCUP Brief 5: Counting Refugees in Poland (HURI)
- 6/30/2022: “We Should Side with Democracy:” Why the War in Ukraine is Existential for Baltic Journalists (NiemanReports)
- 6/28/2022: The Case for a U.S. Base in Georgia (Davis Center)
- 6/23/2022: Memories of air-raid sirens, bombed-out tanks near Kyiv (Harvard Gazette)
- 6/14/2022: TCUP Brief 4: When Did Russia's War Start? (HURI)
- 5/18/2022: Will rare U.S. unity on Ukraine lift Democrats? (Harvard Gazette)
- 5/16/2022: Moves by Russia, China, North Korea rekindle nuclear concerns (Harvard Gazette)
- 5/9/2022: TCUP Brief 3: Russia's War Crimes in Ukraine (HURI)
- 5/5/2022: Does Vladimir Putin Care What the War Has Cost Him? (Davis Center)
- 5/4/2022: Russia Is Repeating Its Brutal History in Ukraine (Davis Center)
- 5/4/2022: Ukraine war testing Irish neutrality (Harvard Gazette)
- 4/28/2022: Working to help homeless in less-welcoming land (Harvard Gazette)
- 4/22/2022: How war in Ukraine is reshaping global order (Harvard Gazette)
- 4/21/2022: New TCUP Brief: The Roots of Russia's Assault on Ukraine (HURI)
- 4/18/2022: Bacow Defends Harvard's Response to Ukraine Crisis Amid Calls for Further Action (Harvard Crimson)
- 4/14/2022: Introducing TCUP Briefs: Bite-Sized Summaries of Expert Insights (HURI)
- 4/15/2022: Don’t Look Away: Photojournalists Are Documenting the Brutality of Russia’s War in Ukraine (NiemanReports)
- 4/11/2022: Would Russia have invaded if it wasn’t just one man making call? Possibly (Harvard Gazette)
- 4/8/2022: HURI launches non-residential fellowships to support Ukrainian scholars (Harvard Gazette)
- 4/7/2022: Russian Oil’s Achilles Heel (Davis Center)
- 4/6/2022: George Shultz and Open Doors (Davis Center)
- 4/6/2022: Viewing Ukraine’s war-torn health care through a personal lens (Harvard Gazette)
- 4/5/2022: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Is the Result of Its Own Failure to ‘Denazify’ (Davis Center)
- 4/5/2022: In Putin’s War on Ukraine, Journalists Are Targets, Too (NiemanReports)
- 4/4/2022: When They Started Running (NiemanReports)
- 4/4/2022: After Ukraine, Can the Arctic Peace Hold? (Davis Center)
- 4/1/2022: "We're in Business Now": A New Era for Ukrainian Language Learning (HURI)
- 3/31/2022: Russian actions speak louder than withdrawal promises, analyst says (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/30/2022: The West Can Strengthen Zelensky’s Negotiating Position (Davis Center)
- 3/30/2022: Bearing witness to Ukraine war through eyes of refugees (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/29/2022: Web Archive Preserves Data Related to Russia's War on Ukraine (HURI)
- 3/28/2022: Covering The War in Ukraine: “The Putin Regime Doesn’t Want Eye Witnesses” (NiemanReports)
- 3/23/2022: New Non-Residential Fellowships to Support Ukrainian Scholars (HURI)
- 3/23/2022: Russia’s remaining weapons are horrific and confounding (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/23/2022: Dangers of journalism leave Nieman Fellows grief-stricken (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/22/2022: Ukraine War: People Are Fighting and Dying for Vladimir Putin’s Flawed Version of History (Davis Center)
- 3/22/2022: Finding ways to help Ukraine (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/22/2022: The End of Nord Stream 2: Germany, the United States, and EU Law (HURI)
- 3/21/2022: Reporting in Ukraine: “This War is Unpredictable and Deadly Like No Other” (NiemanReports)
- 3/18/2022: Finding exit to war in Ukraine (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/16/2022: Bacow discusses role of higher education institutions in 21st century (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/14/2022: How Russians see Russia (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/13/2022: What would be signs protests in Russia are making a difference? (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/12/2022: Is a Ceasefire Agreement Possible? A Negotiation Analysis of the Russia-Ukraine War (Davis Center)
- 3/10/2022: New from HURI: Books by Stanislav Aseyev and Volodymyr Rafeyenko (HURI)
- 3/10/2022: Russia’s punishment is a global event (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/10/2022: Opinion: Will Putin Turn the War in Ukraine into a Nuclear Crisis? We Can’t Rule It Out. (Davis Center)
- 3/9/2022: Podcast: Putin’s Unholy War (Davis Center)
- 3/9/2022: Interview: War in Ukraine: Soaring Gas Prices and the Return of Stagflation? (Davis Center)
- 3/8/2022: Harvard doctor assessing refugees in Poland sees deep psychological wounds (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/8/2022: Russia Shut Down Free Press during Ukraine Invasion. I’m Risking Jail to Tell the Truth (Davis Center)
- 3/7/2022: Putin’s iron fist vs. Zelensky’s moral clarity (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/7/2022: Russian attack, takeover of Ukraine plant ramps up nuclear threat (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/4/2022: Fighting for A Free Press in Ukraine — and Beyond (NiemanReports)
- 3/4/2022: Meet Russia’s Oligarchs, a Group of Men Who Won’t Be Toppling Putin Anytime Soon (Davis Center)
- 3/3/2022: Will China’s support for Russia hold as condemnation over Ukraine grows? (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/3/2022: The Limits of the Georgia Prism in Ukraine (Davis Center)
- 3/2/2022: It’s going to get worse before it gets better in Ukraine (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/1/2022: Why peace in Ukraine isn’t likely soon (Harvard Gazette)
- 3/1/2022: Link between Ukraine fighting, fossil fuels (Harvard Gazette)
- 2/28/2022: Scholars inside Ukraine describe country determined to fight back (Harvard Gazette)
Other Resources and Suggested Reading
- HURI: Russia's War on Ukraine
- Davis Center: Russia’s War against Ukraine
- CES: The Impact of Ukraine: Seismic Shifts and Aftershocks
- Harvard Kennedy School: Russia-Ukraine War: Insights and Analysis
- LabXchange: Resources Now Available in Ukrainian
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Harvard Library Resources
- Ukraine in the World: A Guide: An overview of Harvard Library's collections in Ukrainian literature, politics, history, and more.
- Database of Current Ukrainian Periodicals, Widener Library: Fully digitized, keyword-searchable issues of 41 periodicals currently published in Ukraine, archived from the early 2000s until the present.
- Digital Images Related to Ukraine: Harvard Library has collected and digitized over 30,000 images – photographs, posters, artworks – related to Ukraine. You can browse or search the database for specific keywords or place names.
- Save Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online (SUCHO): The digital content of Ukrainian cultural heritage institutions is now at risk. A group of librarians, archivists, researchers, and programmers, including Harvard affiliates and in partnership with HURI, are working together to identify and archive sites in danger.
- NiemanReports Archives: War in Ukraine
- Harvard Ukrainian Student Association