BY DAKOTA TAIT
The University of Newcastle says it will provide support to students and staff affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
Students are being encouraged to access personal and academic support through the University, and staff through the Employee Assistance Program.
Vice-Chancellor Alex Zelinsky made a statement to staff on Monday, saying his parents were Russian-Ukrainian refugees and he's been personally saddened by the events in Eastern Europe.
Professor Zelinsky said his son Misha had also been in Kyiv, reporting for Australian and international media.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Mark Hoffman says the University has a large Ukrainian community, and they deserve solidarity.
"We have quite a number of staff and students, who were actually born in the Ukraine," Mr Hoffman said.
"We don't have any, strictly speaking, international students, but we have students who were born in Ukraine and are now starting at the University of Newcastle."
"It's very distressing for them to see what's in the media, they're likely hearing from friends and family in the Ukraine, and it would be extremely distressing for them to hear what's happening to their homeland, the place they left not so many years ago."
