For most Europeans, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is above all destroyed cities, civilian casualties and millions of refugees.
In the West, people do not understand clearly that the future of Ukraine is, in fact, the future of their countries.
For Ukrainians, irrespective of their age, gender or profession, the war is a harsh reality.
Higher education institutions are certainly no exception to the grim realities of war, particularly one of the flagships – the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI).
As a matter of fact, Russia’s war raging in Ukraine did not begin on February 24, 2022 but in March 2014.
From the first day of the war, KPI staff and students have been fighting at the front. During the first seven years of the war, fourteen of them sacrificed their lives for the freedom of their Motherland. And four of them were posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine.
At present, the situation is difficult due to indiscriminate missile attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine and Kyiv.
A wave of 96 missiles and Iranian-made drones hit Ukraine’s energy facilities on November 15 alone. We are experiencing difficulties because of electricity outages. According to local authorities, about 45-50% of the critical energy infrastructure was seriously damaged by missile strikes. Russian terrorists seized control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
On November 23, Russian terrorists had fired about 70 cruise missiles at targets across the country and also deployed attack drones. Reportedly, the strikes killed 10 people and disconnected three nuclear power stations from the grid. The Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said supplies were cut to “the vast majority of electricity consumers”. All of Kyiv lost water, the capital’s mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, said.
The attacks by Russia complicate our University operations, although all this will never shake our staunchness, resolution to fight against Russian aggressors.
Founded in 1898, the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI) is one of the most prestigious, popular institutions in Ukraine, and one of the largest universities of science and technology in Eastern Europe.
With 125 years of experience of engineering education, KPI has proven itself as a high-quality and affordable destination for international students. Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute has 2,279 academic staff to support its 23,431 students across 24 institutes and faculties, offering 18 fields of study and more than 40 specializations, industry-ready skills through internships from application to graduation. KPI offers broad variety of programs ranging from pre-admission courses to PhDs.
Our University is recognized internationally for the academic achievements of its students. Its computer-science and engineering programs are some of the best in Ukraine.
KPI has been the first Ukrainian university to join the community of European universities, and it is fruitfully cooperating with 112 technical universities from 36 countries. KPI academics have participated in over 140 international projects – they have links with the United States, Sweden, Canada, Turkey and Hiroshima (Japan), among others. It is worth noting too that KPI is industry-focused, collaborating on research with companies.
The University has a history of turning out the pleiad of prominent figures, particularly in the scientific sphere. Yevhen Paton, inventor of electrical welding, was among the first to graduate from KPI, while other eminent alumni include Igor Sikorsky, Kyiv-born pioneer in aircraft design who studied engineering at KPI, and Sergey Korolyov, top-flight designer of guided missiles, rockets and spacecraft.