The KSU team presented the results of the BURN project at the final meeting

On September 30, the team from Kherson State University presented the outcomes of their work during the third day of the final meeting for the EU Erasmus+ KA2 BURN project — "Boosting University Psychological Resilience and Wellbeing in (Post-)War Ukraine." Within the framework of the "QUALITY PANEL MONITORING" session, participants were briefed on the qualitative and quantitative achievements of the implemented initiatives.

Special emphasis was placed on the operational context of the project. The KSU academic community continues to navigate the severe consequences of occupation, forced displacement, loss, and the prolonged traumatic impact of the war. Participants in the educational process include individuals who have survived captivity and torture, as well as students who continue their studies from temporarily occupied territories. These realities underscore the critical need for systemic psychological support.

The project implementation team at KSU comprised Associate Professors and Trainers Ruslana Bilous and Larysa Tyor, Lecturer and Doctoral Student Mariia Pocheketa, Professor Anzhelika Kolli-Shamne, Master's Student Liudmyla Ostryzhniuk — Head of the KSU Center for Psychological Resilience and Wellbeing, and fourth-year Psychology undergraduate Daria Pavliuchek — Head of the student club established under the BURN initiative. A vital contribution was also made by students who actively engaged in the project's activities.

Research achievements were highlighted as part of the project’s deliverables: findings were presented and validated at an international psychological congress, two international conferences, and a roundtable discussion. A total of 15 academic papers were published, 12 of which appeared in journals indexed in Scopus and/or Web of Science (Quartiles 1–3).

In collaboration with Phil Langer, Professor at the International Psychoanalytic University in Berlin, joint research was conducted on distress prevention resources, time orientations among students with traumatic experiences, and the resilience of Ukrainian refugees. The findings have been published in The New Educational Review and Acta Neuropsychologica.

Participation in the BURN project, alongside specialized training and clinical internships, enabled the development of systemic psychological support and the implementation of trauma-informed approaches aimed at preserving and restoring the mental health of the university community.

Kherson State University expresses its sincere gratitude to the organizers and institutional partners from Ternopil, Kryvyi Rih, and Melitopol universities, the Horlivka Institute of Foreign Languages, and all European partners for their continued support and collaboration. We extend our appreciation to the KSU BURN team for their significant contribution to strengthening the resilience and wellbeing of our community!

Working together toward victory!