Lancs Vice-Chancellor condemns war in ‘the Ukraine’

Lancaster University’s Vice-Chancellor, Andy Schofield, has released a video statement on the university’s stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The statement arrives a week after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24th and demands from students that the university address the conflict as a war.

At the beginning of the video and in the video’s transcript, the terminology “the Ukraine” was used.

The name “the Ukraine” was how Ukraine was referred to when it was a part of the Soviet Union. According to a Time article, referring to Ukraine by its correct name is important for recognising it as an independent sovereign state.

Speaking in the video, which can be found on the Student Portal, Schofield said:

“Over the past few days, I have, like many of us, followed the news about the Ukraine in disbelief. These will be emotions shared by staff and students alike, naturally appalled that the Russian leader is enacting the invasion of a sovereign democratic nation on our doorstep.

“It’s an act of illegal brutality, which is bringing misery to all involved, and at Lancaster University, I want to make perfectly clear that we condemn this in the strongest possible terms.

“Frankly, it’s hard to think of anything other than those caught up in the suffering in the war in Ukraine.

“As a University and as part of Lancaster community, it is a reminder of the fragility of the structures that allow civilisation to flourish. Yet a University is an example of a place where we must respond to and model how adversity and disagreement can be handled.

“At our graduation ceremonies in December, I was struck again by the line we often use about being a place where we build bridges and not walls. What does that mean in practice, though? In my own experience, I’ve seen how scientific shared goals have brought scientists together in common cause, transcending boundaries of war. I recall taking a visitor to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN who could not get over the fact that teams of scientists from nations at war were working together on a single experiment.

“Meanwhile, here at Lancaster, our sanctuary bursary and fellowship programmes continue to support students and scholars who face persecution and barriers to free academic pursuit in their own countries.

“With every new generation of students, we bring together in Lancaster people from all over the world, including from Ukraine and from Russia. There is a great richness in that diversity.

“I recognise that this is a very distressing time for many, so it is heartening to see our community pull together with events such as the protest held by students on campus this week.

“Please know that our students and staff who’ve been directly affected can be assured of our support, and I would encourage you to continue to check for communications with information about what is available.

“Thank you.”

The university has since apologised for this error and has amended the transcript.

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