Ukraine–US university partnership: a unique humanitarian commitment in wartime

Uniting as international collaborators, we examine a Ukraine–US university partnership advancing international study and humanitarian commitment amid wartime. This practice article analyses the development of this collaboration in conditions of war and globalization, asking: What early experiences and understandings of this interinstitutional partnership are associated with faculty contributions, development, and initial outcomes? Six faculty collaborators describe partnership building, research contributions, and joint programming within a crisis leadership context. As partners from Virginia Tech, US, and National Technical University, Ukraine, we reflect on the initiative’s emerging 4-year trajectory, drawing on scholarship in crisis leadership, international partnerships, and education in conflict zones. Grounded in shared leadership and dialogic practice, we present four illustrative snapshots from six faculty insiders, including the Ukrainian author’s perspective on contractual and programmatic development. The narrative is framed through lenses of partnership development, crisis leadership, motivational climate, and resilience. We conclude with challenges, limitations, and implications for sustaining international collaborations in conflict contexts.