On May 14-15, 2026, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy together with Nova Ukraine, Cornell University, and Roblee Historic Preservation will host a two-day Symposium “Universities in the Cultural Heritage Preservation and Recovery Process”, along with the presentation of the NaUKMA Research Center for Heritage Preservation and Recovery.

The Center is being established at NaUKMA in collaboration with Nova Ukraine, Cornell University, and Roblee Historic Preservation as an academic hub for research, education, and advocacy in historic preservation and heritage conservation.

The Center will provide a locus for academics, communities, and local and international scholars to conduct innovative research, teaching, and outreach in the heritage field. From an educational perspective, the Center will also support the development of a new bachelor’s program in archaeology at the Department of Archaeology at NaUKMA, aimed at training a new generation of specialists in cultural heritage protection and management.

The Symposium

The symposium will bring together Ukrainian and international scholars, policymakers, cultural institutions, and NGOs to discuss current challenges in heritage preservation and recovery. A central roundtable will address the role of universities in cultural heritage preservation and recovery, with particular attention to how academic research can contribute to evidence-based strategies and inform broader policy and institutional initiatives that shape policies and politics.

The second day of the symposium will feature a series of lectures presenting international perspectives on heritage preservation, followed by a discussion reflecting on how these experiences may inform future work in Ukraine.

The initiative is urgent given the ongoing damage to cultural heritage in Ukraine caused by war, as well as the long-term need for sustainable recovery models. The Center will also support the development of a new Bachelor’s program in Archaeology at NaUKMA, aimed at training specialists in cultural heritage protection and management.

The symposium is designed as a starting point for long-term collaboration and strategic planning for the center’s development over the next several years.