From Sanctuary Scholars to future leaders
When the war in Ukraine started in 2022, Mykhailo Pimkin remembers asking a friend to go to the nearest ATM with him and withdraw all the money he had in his account.
‘Inflation started to rise steeply and the exchange rate with Ukrainian hryvnia became really poor. I was scared to take out everything I had left, but each day it was worth less and less.’
Mykhailo had come to the University of Birmingham the previous year to study a foundation year preparing for a degree in International Business. Aged 17, he was too young to start his undergraduate studies straightaway.
‘My parents always dreamed that their children could study abroad. We did our research, looked at the rankings, and picked Birmingham based on the quality of the course,’ he says.
Polina Skichko also enrolled in a foundation year and initially intended to study English and Creative Writing. After taking a law module, however, she decided to pursue a different passion for her undergraduate degree.
The two met through the Birmingham International Academy and were supported by the University’s Student Services into the Sanctuary Scholars programme.
‘I went back home for the Christmas holidays and when I left Ukraine in January you could feel the build-up of war in the air, but when the moment actually came, we were shocked and lost,’ recalls Polina.
‘My parents and younger sister were back in Kyiv, hearing bombs dropping. Being here was terrifying because I couldn’t help them at all.’
As Sanctuary Scholars, Mykhailo and Polina received financial support, including reduced tuition fees, help with living costs and pastoral support for emotional wellbeing.
‘My father has an agriculture business in Ukraine and exports lots of grain through our seaports. Those get bombed often, so that has really affected his business and he has been less able to support with tuition fees, so the support from the University has been really important,’ says Polina.
During their time in Birmingham, the two have not only thrived in their studies, but also established a Ukrainian community, which has grown and flourished through their enthusiasm. Starting with a handful of friends they met during their Foundation Year, they revived the University’s Ukrainian Society, with more and more people joining each year through Welcome Week, societies fairs and through social media. Events are not only for Ukrainians, but also an opportunity to involve the wider community both in Birmingham, and by networking with similar societies at other UK universities.
An early highlight even saw the Birmingham Ukrainian society bringing together nine different universities to organise a video call with President Zelenskyy via the Ukrainian Embassy in London.
‘We’ve established something that will continue to support Ukrainian students and educate people about Ukrainian culture long into the future,’ says Polina.
Both Mykhailo and Polina feel a strong desire to contribute to the post-war rebuilding of Ukraine. Next year they will study in Amsterdam: Polina specialising in European Competition Law and Mykhailo focusing on International Business with Marketing.
‘Being at Birmingham, both of us are better off emotionally because we know we’re not alone and that people really do care about us and our country,’ adds Mykhailo. ‘The University helped us create a community here, and also supported us as individuals. We’re so grateful for the opportunities we’ve had and the friends we’ve made here.’
