This case study presents a preliminary snapshot of experiences lived by a group of university academics who fled their home country of Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion which began on February 24, 2022, availing themselves of temporary supports provided by the University of Manitoba (UM) in Manitoba, Canada.
The purpose of this qualitative study was to consider challenges faced and resilience factors employed by university scholars displaced by war seeking temporary refuge at Canadian universities. What prompted these scholars to apply for this one-year opportunity? What challenges did they encounter and how did they overcome them? What internal and external resources were most helpful in these early days? Insights gleaned hopefully shed light on resources helpful to many fleeing traumatic situations.
This qualitative study is informed by appreciative inquiry as an interpretive lens, focusing on participants' publicly articulated experiences in ways that support agency and build trust, while still allowing for candid discussion of difficult aspects and ongoing challenges. (Hung, et al., 2018).
Ethical approval was not sought for this preliminary study, relying instead on publicly available materials which included scholars' public presentations, public interviews with local media, and scholars' public social media posts. Analysis also draws on reflexive accounts of our two co-authors, both of whom were displaced scholars. Any illustrative accounts of displaced scholars other than the authors are composites designed to protect anonymity and represent common themes. Thematic qualitative content analysis was used.
The authors declared that AI was not used in any part of this study.
Findings identify challenges and coping mechanisms. Challenges and coping are logistical, linguistic, cultural, physical/geographical, psychological and identity related and are followed by advice to others in similar positions through the scholars' own experience. In practical terms, the study points to both concrete/physical elements and psychosocial elements to assist in community integration of displaced people and leads to further in-depth studies.
This study emerged in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine which began on February 24, 2022. Many of Russia's targets were neither military bases nor Ukrainian defense facilities but rather civilian infrastructure such as electricity grids and railroads (Stern & Korolchuk, 2026), including destruction of more than 360 educational facilities, and damage to more than 3,000 educational facilities by early 2023 (Shevchenko, 2023, para 6). By fall 2023, more than 5 million Ukrainians had been internally displaced and more than 8 million Ukrainian refugees had moved out of the country, mostly across Europe (UNHCR, 2023). Canada, a country long enriched by multiple waves of Ukrainian immigration (Kondrashov, 2008) joined other counties responding to the unprovoked war against Ukraine (Government of Canada, 2023),
One support measure the Government of Canada offered displaced Ukrainians was the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program (CUAET). 1,189,320 Ukrainian nationals and their family members applied to this program with 916, 975 applications approved as of March 23, 2024, (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2022). The CUAET program is a special temporary residency program, which, unlike a refugee program, allows temporary residents to stay in Canada for up to three years with access to basic settlement services (Government of Canada, n.d.) including language classes, job-search supports, mental health supports, housing navigation, and immigration information. 298,128 Ukrainians are registered as having come to Canada through CUAET, of whom 30,000 had arrived in Manitoba as of March of 2025 (Dyck, 2025).
The University of Manitoba (UM) responded to Russia's attack on Ukrainian universities by joining the Scholars at Risk (SAR) framework allotting twenty, one-year academic stipends (one million dollars cost to UM) to assist Ukrainian scholars in their research and teaching. As of September 2023, eighteen stipends had been allocated to scholars in various UM university institutes, offices and departments. Most scholars came directly to UM from Ukraine; others arrived from places abroad. Off-campus housing support was offered through the Province of Manitoba if required (University of Manitoba, s.d.).
As part of the larger Manitoban community, scholars were also able to avail themselves of grassroots volunteer resources many of which were centralized and coordinated through the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) (Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba Provincial Council, n.d.). Other local community organizations, churches, and businesses offered different supports including language training classes, an informal local cultural adaptation mentorship program (Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba Provincial Council, n.d.), vouchers for dental work, and a worker-employer matching website and other programs. Unprecedented numbers of newcomers were welcomed across sectors (government, non-governmental, and community).
Our analysis lies at the intersection of critical reflexive migration studies and peace and conflict studies, considering basic human needs, critical feminism, and transnationalism to analyse the distinctions between the Ukrainian and Canadian social contexts and inform further analysis of the scholars' identity renegotiation and community involvement. John Burton (1990) furthered Abram Maslow's understanding of basic human needs (Maslow, 1953), noting human needs are often concurrent rather than pyramidical. Both Maslow (1953) and Burton (1990) name basic human needs as: safety and security, belongingness/love, self-esteem, personal fulfillment, identity, freedom, distributive justice and participation. Others, including Lauren Park (2010) advise that understanding these needs assists in understanding human motivation for decision and action.
Critical feminist research considers the centrality of gender in the ways women's and others' realities are organized and influenced by social relations and social structures (Wigginton & Lafrance, 2019). What are the push-pull factors for self-identified men and women leaving their home country during war, a time of many restrictions on movement and migration? What is sought and what left behind? How is an individual's movement impacted differentially according to gender identity and intersecting factors? How do the transnational aspects, for those who maintain connections with dear ones in Ukraine, bolster or challenge their new lives? While transnational relationships can provide a sense of belonging and connection, regular contact with those in strife at home can negatively impact the newcomer who cannot ameliorate the situation and efforts to support those at home strain the newcomer's own resources (Kim, Urquia, Villadsen, & Merry, 2021).
The scholars of focus were fully qualified university lecturers in their home country, Ukraine, most originating from eastern or central Ukraine (Thompson, 2022), some total newcomers to North America. Some were twice displaced by the war - first following Russia's military actions in Donbas in 2014. (See, for example, Khamedova, 2023.) While a few arrived in Manitoba with their children, others left adult military aged sons behind, causing them significant distress (Cole, 2023). Ironically, for some, their forced migration was not only an urgent necessity but also fulfilled long-held dreams previously hindered by visa denials. Some joined relatives already established in Winnipeg. Below, scholars' lived experiences are categorized focusing on challenges, coping strategies, and related scholar recommendations.
Even though several scholars were quite proficient in English, the main teaching language at UM, all individuals encountered challenges and expressed concerns about their language proficiency and long-term employment prospects. Language classes were as scarce as time to learn. Notably, research indicates two key factors predicting migrants' success in the Canadian labor market: 1) proficiency in either English or French, Canada's official languages, and 2) recognition of educational credentials (Wilkinson & Garcea, 2017). Even those with recognized English proficiency felt challenged to teach and write in English at the university level. Beyond language, yet connected, scholars often referenced difficulties adapting to intercultural differences, humor, and work culture. For instance, an unfamiliar kind of systemic formality at UM seemed to contrast with the unstated casual dress code at the UM and many Canadian universities. To cope, some scholars who were able noted choosing to work mostly with English-speaking colleagues, seeing language as an extension of culture. Others preferred to interact with a broader multicultural community, cognizant of important connections between language, new cultural connections, and integration, particularly with work collaboration. Strong English comprehension was a link here, also. Further, coming from a more monocultural and ableist system, scholars appreciated greater diversity amongst their colleagues. While the differences were welcomed, they also required shifts in thought and action requiring flexibility and willingness to adapt.
In addition to the emotional, societal climate in the Winnipeg-based university, it was also necessary to adapt to the physical climate. Winnipeg has four distinct seasons; summer temperatures can reach plus 40 degrees Celsius; winter can be as cold as minus 40 degrees Celsius. Winter is officially December 21 to March 21; however, temperatures can dip to-10 Celsius in October (Economic Development Winnipeg, 2023). While Ukraine's weather varies across the country, the climate is generally much more temperate than that of Manitoba (World Bank Group, 2021). Connecting with new people can be challenged by the more extreme climate and more individualistic culture in Canada. Additionally, a notably unreliable transit system and low focus on pedestrians (Bernhardt, 2019; Hamid, 2023) in a spread-out landscape, makes it is hard to shop for groceries, hard to go to events, etc. While Winnipeg seems to “roll up the sidewalks” at nightfall, Ukrainian streets usually team with individuals and families in all times and weather. Geography and climate impact how people spend time with each other.
Beyond navigating the roadways in cold weather, further logistical roadblocks to settling even temporarily in Winnipeg were noted. Locating housing was difficult, as was enrolling children in education and daycare systems that are neither standard across Canada, nor akin to those in Ukraine. Scholars, like many Manitobans (Levine, 2022), also bemoaned the frustrations of accessing the Canadian healthcare system and lack of associated resources.
Work-related logistical challenges were numerous. Having come to the UM from a variety of international programs, scholars often took on work outside their area of specialization. This was sometimes due to lack of openings in their specialty, sometimes due to challenges with teaching in English, and sometimes because people arrived after classes had started. Related financial challenges also arose. For example, Winnipeg has high taxes, a scarcity of affordable housing, high utility costs and somewhat costly transportation. While difficult to find affordable housing for one year, if one considered staying longer, finding permanent housing, employment, and accessing the necessary documentation to secure the stay was worrisome.
Some female scholars, de facto single parents, reported feeling pressure disproportionate to that of their male colleagues. Helping children adapt to the strange new environment while pursuing a demanding academic career far from familial supports compounded adaptation difficulties. All the challenges related to housing, professional struggles, residency, etc. were exacerbated by having to compete for positions with individuals with spousal support. The gendered price of women's success is felt ever more acutely while existing in a state of precarity in a new country without long-term job security, linguistic skills, and familiarity with the local cultural context (Boyd & Pikkov, 2005).
Psychological challenges were quietly pervasive, including survivor's guilt and deep concern for the well-being of friends, colleagues, and family members in Ukraine, far from Canada's relative peace and security. Scholars also identified a kind of unspoken competition among newcomers, likely stemming from their trauma experiences and perceptions of resource scarcity. Some scholars, particularly those parenting alone, were torn between gratitude for their children's safety, and torment of leaving behind male partners, some on the frontlines in Ukraine. For many their emotional, psychological, and intellectual focus remained in Ukraine. While Canadian and other official news channels seemed almost irrelevant to the scholars, social media, friends, and family provided a constant stream of Ukrainian news. It is hard to settle when one's emotional and energetic focus is split apart.
Personal identity is in constant state of negotiation, influenced by various environmental factors (Cook-Huffman, 2015). Through experiences of forced migration, scholars were compelled to reconcile their pre-existing knowledge of the world with the new multicultural environment. Very much connected with their sense of self, along with other relationships, the question of when or whether to return home permeated the participants' narratives. Some scholars had been granted leave to represent their universities abroad. Others resigned their jobs, giving up job security for an unknown, but possibly more stable situation in Canada, an opportunity paradoxically granted by the war at home. This choice meant scholarly aspirations might not materialize in the competitive western academic environment. Some sought safety and perhaps better future opportunities for children, a seemingly more stable situation, at least in the short term. Choosing between one's own self-fulfillment, the potential worsening of economic and social status, and the hope that the next generation will be able to make up for the losses is a struggle for many highly qualified migrants and refugees. Close to the core another question loomed: How long can I remain in Canada and still be a patriotic Ukrainian?
Community engagement helps foster a sense of belonging (Burton, 1990). While depth of interactions with the diaspora varied widely, scholars expressed gratitude for the large Ukrainian diaspora's support in their settlement process, and even in their decision to come to Canada. Some immersed themselves into diaspora-connected activities including volunteer work and cultural activities while others preferred to build a wider multi-cultural circle of friends. While interested in the history of Ukrainian migration to Canada and diasporic preservation of Ukrainian culture, scholars were also eager to share about modern Ukraine, including its ongoing resilience withstanding the Russian invasion. One individual also emphasized the importance of learning about the painful, previously hidden history of Indigenous peoples in what is now Canada. The full extent of engagement between newcomers and local community cannot be measured at this time; however, scholars often expressed appreciation of cultural diversity and willingness to engage with the unfamiliar. Friendships formed with diverse others, with informal mentors proving instrumental as noted by (Nedashkivska, 2018)).
This study is limited by being focused on a small number of people in a specific context. Its strengths lie in the qualitative data that it shares, providing insights into a experience of people displaced by war to a very different geographic, cultural milieu.
The study identifies additional supports helpful for the adaptation of newcomers displaced by war, based on the experiences of the study group:
- 1)
accessible language training for newcomers of all abilities;
- 2)
professional mentorship programs to facilitate career adaptation and development;
- 3)
readily accessible mental health supports; and
- 4)
additional financial supports, particularly for single parents.
Scholars profusely expressed gratitude for the supports offered them while also identifying areas where more would be helpful as shared in comments below. Their advice to those considering a similar journey follows:
- 1)
seek out information from reliable, official resources rather than relying on social media;
- 2)
foster tolerance and acceptance of alternative perspectives and ways of being, even amongst one's peers;
- 3)
be flexible in adapting to professional and other status changes;
- 4)
embrace new learning opportunities.
This preliminary study highlights challenges and resilient responses of scholars who have fled their war-torn home, Ukraine, finding temporary security at a university in central Canada. Challenges and concerns related to basic needs such as a safe housing, employment, engagement with community, being valued as a community member, finding one's sense of self (identity), self-actualization. Other related challenges included language proficiency, employment security, and certain psychological difficulties, which in some ways echo challenges for earlier migrants, particularly basic needs with some gender associated disparity in needs and needs fulfilment.
This study also provides insights into the resilience demonstrated by the scholars who actively sought employment beyond what that offered them. They were generally delighted to learn about new cultures, building awareness, connections and communities - vital connections in uncertain times, and associated with resilience. The extent of involvement within the local community varied among scholars; however, relationships with people from a variety of cultures was important and, in most cases, volunteering in their new home in some capacity helped build that sense of belonging. Maintaining their transnational connections brought immeasurable richness to lives, with a complexity that might only be truly understood by other recent newcomers. Furthering the two-way transnational connections, newcomers valued sharing information about present day Ukrainian culture with the receiving community. Scholars' own struggles and observations helped identify what might facilitate future newcomers' transitions.
The maximum three-year program offered by SAR program may suffice for some to pursue permanent residency (PR); however, PR applicants are evaluated based on various criteria, including education, work experience, language proficiency, age, and provincial connections (Government of Manitoba n.d.; Government of Canada n.d.). The simplified conditions provided by the CUAET for visa holders in Manitoba concluded in 2024, necessitating Ukrainians to apply through regular, more onerous channels (Government of Manitoba, 2024).
As of February 2026, some scholars had returned to their universities in Ukraine while many remain in Winnipeg as Russia's war against Ukraine continues. Those returning to Ukraine, gained new experiences and personal and professional connections, hopefully continuing to build bridges and increase two-way knowledge exchanges between Canada and Ukraine.
When their SAR placement ended, some scholars received second- and third-year extensions through other visiting scholar programs, providing an opportunity to settle and further develop language skills, Canadian teaching experience, and proficiency in conducting research in English. Some found work outside the UM in other environments, some academic, some not. Despite their contributions to the competitive academic environment the potential to secure long term academic employment remains a significant challenge. Such is the plight of many highly skilled migrants who continue to wrestle with disillusionment, and lower socio-economic status (Hari & Nardon). Future studies will involve in-depth interviews with newcomers themselves and key members from receiving communities to do a broader, deeper assessment.
We all maintain the hope and belief that the war must soon end and peace and justice for Ukraine prevail. We look forward to learning more about important aspects of identity, connection and resilience from and with those who have returned as well as those who have stayed, becoming permanent members of our Canadian community.