On June 10, 2026, the ETH Zürich campus hosted the international conference “Learning Together: Reconstruction and Resilience in Ukraine,” which served as a vital platform for discussing Ukraine’s future recovery. The event brought together representatives from the scientific community, government agencies, businesses, international organizations, and civil society from both Switzerland and Ukraine.
Among the participants was Olesia Tarasenko — Director of the Swiss representative office of Business Woman magazine, President of the Swiss-Ukrainian Association VIDNOVA, and Advisor to the Chairman of the Federation of Employers’ Organizations of Ukraine.
The conference went far beyond traditional discussions on the physical rebuilding of destroyed infrastructure. Central themes included human capital development, strengthening community resilience, creating modern cities, implementing digital solutions, supporting innovation, and establishing effective mechanisms for international partnership.
Participants paid special attention to education, science, professional training, and the role of academic institutions in the post-war recovery process. These areas currently define the long-term competitiveness of the state and its ability to adapt to new challenges.
A significant signal of the conference was the high level of interest from Swiss partners in supporting Ukraine. Representatives of academic institutions, businesses, and non-governmental organizations demonstrated their readiness to contribute to joint projects aimed at the sustainable development of Ukrainian communities and economic recovery.
According to Olesia Tarasenko, the successful reconstruction of Ukraine is impossible without investing in people, education, science, and entrepreneurship. Human capital remains the country’s key resource, and effective cooperation between the state, business, the education sector, and civil society is a prerequisite for creating a modern and competitive Ukraine.
The “Learning Together: Reconstruction and Resilience in Ukraine” conference once again confirmed that the international partnership between Ukraine and Switzerland is reaching a qualitatively new level. Such platforms create opportunities for exchanging experience, building new professional networks, and launching joint initiatives capable of making a significant contribution to Ukraine’s recovery process.
Olesia Tarasenko expressed her gratitude to the organizers — the URIS (Ukrainian Research in Switzerland) network — and the event partners for the high level of conference organization and the opportunity to join the international dialogue on Ukraine’s future, its resilience, and development in the face of modern challenges.
Author: Olesia Tarasenko
Photo: from the author’s archive