Dear Ukrainian researchers and students,

This is a response to the war by my university. If that is of your interest, please, get in touch!

War in Ukraine - The University of Stuttgart expresses solidarity with Ukrainian universities and their researchers, employees and students

Dear Professors, Dear Employees, Dear Personnel and Students at the University of Stuttgart,

Last Thursday, February 24, 2022, the Russian military invaded Ukraine and began a war of aggression ordered by President Putin. Since then, it has been trying to occupy Ukraine, using all military means available to it, and to gain political power over a free country. This inconceivable attack is not only reprehensible under international law, but it is also an attack on free Europe. The news from Ukraine in recent days has certainly shocked us all. The Western community of states reacted promptly by issuing various sanctions. Last Sunday, in a special session of the Bundestag, the German government made a fundamental shift in terms of its security and energy policy that probably no one would even have thought possible just a few days ago. The state government of Baden-Württemberg has also responded to the situation: the Minister of Science, Research and Arts, Theresia Bauer, sent the attached letter to state universities last Sunday. In accordance with the Alliance of Science Organizations, and the political decisions being made by the federal and state governments, the Rectorate adopted the following resolution on February 28, 2002, published on March 1, 2022:

1. The University of Stuttgart declares its solidarity with academics, students and employees at all academic institutions in Ukraine and pledges its support, especially in terms of aid programs promised by the state government in Baden-Württemberg and various foundations. It is with deep sympathy, that the university expresses its commitment to providing a safe academic and humane haven, as well as personal assistance to refugee researchers.

2. The University of Stuttgart is reviewing its scientific relations with partners in the Russian Federation and will suspend these until further notice, insofar as this is justifiable in individual cases in terms of humanity and international law. This will also include research funds that benefit the Russian Federation. We will not be initiating any new cooperative projects in the near future.

3. The University of Stuttgart will strengthen its bilateral relations with scientific institutions in Ukraine at all levels of the university, faculties, institutes and central institutions.

4. The University of Stuttgart explicitly recognizes that many Russian scientists disapprove of Putin's policy of aggression and are still interested in a peaceful discourse with free science in Europe and who wish to continue this peaceful cooperation in the future. The University of Stuttgart would also like to express its solidarity with this group.

The resolution of the University of Stuttgart concludes with a reference to its long-standing and fruitful relations with partner universities in Ukraine, which benefit from an active exchange of researchers and students. The Donetsk National Technical University was named as one example, some faculties of which were moved to Pokrovsk north of Donetsk after 2014 due to the armed conflicts in the Donbas. Just a few days ago, the University of Stuttgart signed a new contract with this technical university promising interdisciplinary cooperation and aiming to expand scientific cooperation, in conjunction with the High Performance Computing Center at the University of Stuttgart and other participating institutes in the fields of engineering and simulation sciences.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (MWK), and the Ministry of Finance (FM) in Baden-Württemberg have already announced that public research funds will no longer benefit the Russian Federation and Russian institutions. Also, no bilateral scientific and research events are currently allowed to take place. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has informed universities that exchange programs and the funding of exchange programs for students, researchers and teachers as well as other university staff in both directions will be suspended until further notice. This also applies to activities in any event format (including online).

I strongly ask that all faculties, institutes and central institutions, including the Central Administration department, as well as all scientists, employees and students at the University of Stuttgart to support this attitude, including recommendations and decrees from the government, ministries and scientific organizations and to suspend any existing cooperations with Russian scientific institutions, with all due respect for those involved, until further notice. I would like to draw your attention specifically to point 4 of the resolution.

The Rectorate will continue to monitor the situation and developments in Ukraine, as well as in Russia and Belarus, and will provide you with further information in coordination with the Ministry of Science and the Alliance of Science Organizations in the coming days and weeks.

Yours faithfully,

Wolfram Ressel