From Kyiv to Dublin via Brno

Iryna and her son were forced to flee their village close to Kyiv at the beginning of March 2022.

After arriving in Czechia, Iryna was able to secure a temporary research position at the Masaryk University in Brno. Although there was no funding available to support her research, she chose to immerse herself in work to better cope with leaving life in Ukraine behind. 

Once she found out about MSCA4Ukraine, Iryna decided to take yet another leap and apply for a fellowship at the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Ireland.

Although she had never been to Ireland before and knew no one in the country, in May 2023 Iryna and her son once again packed their bags to start a new chapter in Dublin. 

Supporting the needs of Ukrainian women abroad

Iryna’s research topic emerged as a direct result of her own experience and what her compatriots have endured since the start of Russia’s war of aggression. 

“My research project  aims to provide evidence-based health profiles and to identify the health needs of Ukrainian women who settled in Czechia and Ireland.”

The main goal of the project is to collect information about the health-related consequences of forced migration such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as coping strategies to alleviate those issues. 

The research is intended to help policymakers in the host countries develop optimal social support and health services by better understanding the health profiles of the displaced women and their coping mechanisms. 

The findings of the project could also help Ukrainian authorities identify the healthcare needs of people during their reintegration process back in Ukraine. 

Aside from an excellent professional opportunity, her MSCA4Ukraine fellowship also allows Iryna to continue to teach remotely at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv.

About MSCA4Ukraine

MSCA4Ukraine, funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, is part of the EU’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to the need for action to support displaced researchers from Ukraine.

It is enabling 125 fellows to continue their work in Europe, helping to safeguard Ukraine’s research and innovation system and the freedom of scientific research at large.