Vital IT equipment support for our Ukrainian partner

In July 2026, a third donation of vital IT equipment for Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU) was delivered for onward transport to Ukraine. The equipment was donated by teams at the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Social and Political Sciences, and Edinburgh Global to provide support to KNU, our key international partner in Ukraine.

By donating used IT equipment that would otherwise be recycled, the University of Edinburgh is able to make a tangible difference in the lives of students and staff at KNU, helping them to continue to thrive despite the challenges they face. 

The equipment was transported to an NGO based in Kent, which coordinates transport to Kyiv alongside other donations and supplies. On their journey south, the Edinburgh Global team also stopped at Newcastle College University to collect additional IT equipment that they had gathered for donation. 

  • Man and woman holding Ukraine flag beside man and woman holding Scotland flag in front of warehouse
  • Staff loading boxes into a white van
  • Staff from Edinburgh Global beside a white van with boxes loaded inside the side door
  • Three women standing beside white van outside Newcastle College University

The NGO collects and arranges transport to a number of hubs in Ukraine, with medical supplies, clothing, IT equipment, and more. The donations have a direct impact on people there; they are vital to support infrastructure, businesses, healthcare systems, and internally displaced people, which are under the strain of war.

Principal’s medal for donation coordination 

The KNU Donation Team based in Edinburgh Global were recognised for their efforts in delivering vital IT equipment to Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Team Leaders Ian MacDougall and Michelle Beagan collected the Principal’s medal award on behalf of the team. 

Ian explained how the initiative began after a computing lab at KNU was destroyed by a Russian missile attack, creating immediate need to rebuild their IT infrastructure. He explained, "We were already working in close partnership with KNU and had also previously helped other partners with used equipment through our work with Council for at-risk Academics (CARA) so we could see a clear way to help. Until this point, the partnership was mainly focused on academic collaboration, but we realised practical help was needed, and we knew we could do it."

He added, "It's important to note that there is so much goodwill around the University for this and other good causes, which is really what made this project such a success, and sets an example of how we can pull together on projects that make a difference."

Principal’s medal winners 2025 
KNU donation team win multiple awards 

A strong institutional bond 

The donation project is part of a strong partnership with KNU. Since 2022, it has fostered collaborative research, created new opportunities for students and staff, as well as provided support to sustain learning during conflict. 

“Global partnerships can make a real difference by forging genuine, enduring connections between people. Our relationship with KNU has deepened, and with the UK's reassociation with Erasmus, we're excited to explore new opportunities during the KNU international team’s visit to Edinburgh this September (2026). It’s a promising time to discuss how we can further expand and strengthen our ties.”

Michelle Beagan, Senior Partnerships Adviser, Edinburgh Global 

A range of activities have built the bond between our institutions; from in-person and online seminars and workshops to seed funding for research proposals, and from skills and resource development to student and staff visits to Edinburgh.  

Key academic areas with shared activity include Chemistry, Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences, Languages and Cultures, and Geopolitics. In 2025 and 2026, Edinburgh hosted a joint summer school with KNU through the NICE programme (Network for Intercultural Competence to facilitate Entrepreneurship). 

Find out more about the partnership with KNU 

How to get involved 

There is ongoing need to support KNU and potential for new projects with a range of partner organisations. The team plans to continue coordinating equipment donations to support partners in Ukraine, Syria, Palestine and Rwanda. 

The team can accept donations of used equipment: 

  • Power banks in good condition 
  • Quality networking equipment (like servers or switches) 
  • UPS units (uninterruptible power supply) 
  • Wiped laptops in good condition  

If you can help with equipment donations, contact the Global Partnerships team: Global.Partnerships@ed.ac.uk 

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