In-person participants of the conference
(Photo credit: Anastasiia Drobot @ph.anastasiia.d)
Nord University Business School successfully hosted the international UKRAINETT+ conference “Managing Societal Crises: Challenges and Coping Strategies,” bringing together over 100 academics and practitioners from Norway, Ukraine, and abroad to discuss the multifaceted challenges societies face during times of crisis. The event, which took place from the 16th to 17th of September in Bodø (Norway), was organized in a hybrid format and focused on important areas such as business, economy, governance, law, linguistics, migration, politics, sociology, and education with a special emphasis on crisis management strategies during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Organized by The Norwegian Network for Research on Ukraine (UKRAINETT) and Nord University Business School, the conference addressed the pressing issues of conflict, economic instability, and societal resilience. It explored the current and future challenges of the Russian war in Ukraine and discussed the possible scenarios and strategies to ensure a secure future for Ukraine and the whole of Europe.
Key Themes and Discussions
The conference featured a wide range of topics, that were divided into the following parallel sessions:
- Business, economy and governance during crises: Exploring the frameworks that governments and businesses can use to make critical decisions under high-pressure circumstances.
- Sociology and migration in the time of war: Highlighting how Ukraine and similar countries are adapting to the realities of prolonged conflict and societal disruption.
- Linguistics and humanities – impact of the war: Discussing how the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has influenced language, culture, and identity, particularly emphasizing democratic values.
- Eurointegration and the influence of war on politics and law: Discussing the role of international organizations, foreign governments, and non-governmental actors in crisis relief and post-crisis recovery.
- Universities’ reaction to societal crises (a part of the TURBO project: https://site.nord.no/turbo/): Addressing the role of universities in managing societal crises, including new approaches and programs for internally displaced people and refugees and possible collaboration with different actors.
Opening Remarks
The conference was kicked off with an opening address by Professor Terje Andreas Mathisen, Vice-Dean of Nord University Business School, followed by welcome speeches from Research Professor Aadne Aasland, UKRAINETT+ Leader, and Professor Anatoli Bourmistrov, Ukraine Projects Lead at Nord University.
Distinguished Speakers
The conference welcomed notable speakers, including:
- Lisa Coll, the president and CEO of Eurasia Foundation, provided an insightful keynote address on the role of digitalization reforms in managing societal crises.
- Andrii Dligach, Doctor of Science in Economics and a Professor at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, discussed Ukraine’s business climate and economic reforms: from recovery to growth.
Key Outcomes
One of the major outcomes of the conference was a series of recommendations for strengthening collaboration between universities, businesses, governments, and international institutions to develop more effective crisis response and recovery strategies.
During the parallel sessions, 40 papers were presented and discussed.
The conference provided good opportunities for networking between scholars and practitioners across different fields.
Looking Ahead
The event highlighted the critical importance of continued support for Ukraine and finding new solutions to face the challenges of migration, politics, economic stagnation, etc.
We hope that this conference provided a good platform for further research and collaborative projects, which will contribute to the global conversation on crisis management and recovery.
The keynote speeches of the conference were live-streamed and are available via the link https://www.nord.no/en/events/conferenceseminar/ukraine-conference-managing-societal-crises-challenges-and-coping-strategies.
If you have questions about the conference or suggestions for further UKRAINETT+ conferences, please contact Associate Professor Olga Iermolenko at olga.iermolenko@nord.no and/or Researcher Valeriia Melnyk at valeriya.melnyk@nord.no.
We are looking forward to the next UKRAINETT+ conference in Bergen in 2025!
