16-23 February 2026
Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium
During the period from February 16 to 23, 2026, Associate Professor at the Department of Media Production and Publishing Kateryna Balabanova and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Advertising and Public Relations Iryna Kuznietsova participated in the Erasmus+ academic mobility program in Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium. The lecturers took part as invited speakers in the framework of the international workshop “Ukraine at War: Journalism Workshop,” which was held at the Institut des Hautes Études des Communications Sociales (IHECS).
The workshop focused on analyzing the war in Ukraine, the transformation of the media system under the conditions of a full-scale invasion, and rethinking the role of journalism during an armed conflict. Faculty members and students of journalism programs from universities in Sweden, Portugal, Germany and Belgium took part in the program, ensuring a broad international academic context for discussion. The program combined lectures, master classes, students’ practical work, screenings of documentary materials and meetings with international experts.
Within the framework of the workshop, students prepared their own analytical materials on Ukraine and the war, choosing various research perspectives — from the transformation of the media environment to the humanitarian dimension of the conflict and the international response. Kateryna Balabanova and Iryna Kuznietsova provided academic supervision for the preparation of these materials, helping students gain a deeper understanding of the historical, political, and cultural context of the events. The discussions addressed complex issues related to distinguishing patriotic journalism from propaganda, balancing freedom of speech with wartime restrictions, the risks of censorship in the context of national security, as well as the problem of psychological fatigue among audiences constantly exposed to the news cycle. As a result, the Ukrainian experience was integrated into the broader European academic discourse.
Participation in the programme demonstrated that Erasmus+ educational initiatives not only serve as a platform for academic exchange, but also facilitate in-depth intercultural dialogue and the integration of the experience of a country at war into the European intellectual space. The stay in Brussels contributed to establishing new academic contacts, expanding professional dialogue and deepening international cooperation.
The visit took place at the invitation of IHECS as part of the Erasmus+ international mobility project and was funded by the European Commission.
