Report on the Activities of the Office of Equality, Inclusion, and Safe Environment
of the National Aerospace University
"Kharkiv Aviation Institute"
(Reporting Period: October – December 2025)
The National Aerospace University "Kharkiv Aviation Institute" affirms a modern model of academic culture founded on respect for human dignity, equal opportunities, inclusivity, and the psychosocial safety of every participant in the educational process. Operating in a frontline region, the University consistently demonstrates that even amid heightened security challenges, fostering a welcoming, barrier-free, and protected educational space remains an integral component of institutional resilience and higher education quality.
The educational and social mission of the University extends beyond the purely professional training of engineering and scientific personnel. The University builds an environment free from any manifestations of discrimination, bullying, hate speech, and sexual harassment, integrating best European practices for quality assurance (ESG) and the values of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To institutionalize this area, the Office of Equality, Inclusion, and Safe Environment was established at the University in October 2025, designed to unite preventive, analytical, human rights, and psychological efforts into a single effective mechanism.
This report summarizes the key outcomes of the organizational establishment and practical activities of the Office of Equality, Inclusion, and Safe Environment from October to December 2025, demonstrating the consistency of managerial decisions in protecting human rights, supporting the mental health of the academic community, and developing the University's partner interactions.
1. Establishment, Organizational and Legal Framework, and Management Structure of the Office
The Office of Equality, Inclusion, and Safe Environment of the National Aerospace University "KhAI" (hereinafter – the Office) was established in October 2025 by decision of the Academic Council of the University and enacted by Rector's Order in accordance with the Regulation on the Office (QMS KhAI-OR-P/001:2025 dated 23.10.2025), the Statute of KhAI, and the Code of Ethics.
The Office operates on a voluntary basis under the general leadership of the University Rector and the direct coordination of the Center for Strategic Development and Public Positioning. The organizational structure of the Office united the University's key advisory, human rights, and educational initiatives, including the Commission on Counteracting Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Supporting Equality (established pursuant to Rector's Order No. 505 dated 29.10.2025), the School of Gender Knowledge, and the Mental Health Room.
During October – December 2025, a scheduled meeting of the Office was held to form its personnel composition, engaging University staff, representatives of student self-government bodies, the Council of Young Scientists, and specialists from psychological and legal services.
2. Monitoring of the Safe Educational Environment and Response to Appeals
One of the core tasks of the Office since its inception has been implementing a transparent, accessible, and safe institutional mechanism for responding to any manifestations of discrimination, bullying, mobbing, hate speech, or sexual harassment in close coordination with the Commission on Counteracting Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Supporting Equality (Rector's Order No. 505 dated 29.10.2025). To protect the rights of participants in the educational process and strictly adhere to principles of confidentiality and personal data protection, continuous monitoring and recording of appeals have been introduced.
During the reporting period (October – December 2025), no official complaints or appeals regarding cases of discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying, mobbing, or violations of the equality principle were submitted to the Office or the Commission on Counteracting Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Supporting Equality. The absence of recorded complaints attests to the high level of academic culture and mutual respect within the university community, as well as the effectiveness of the preventive, educational, and informational work initiated by the Office jointly with structural subdivisions, academic group curators, and student self-government bodies.
At the same time, to ensure continuous readiness for rapid response during the reporting period, communication channels with the Office and information on the composition of the Commission on Counteracting Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Supporting Equality were published on the official University website; informational and awareness-raising work was conducted among students and staff regarding their rights and action algorithms in case of threats to the safe environment; and psychological support for participants in the educational process was provided in preventive and educational formats.
3. Educational and Analytical Activities of the "School of Gender Knowledge"
Within the framework of implementing the Gender Equality Policy and fulfilling the preventive, educational, and scientific functions of the Office, the School of Gender Knowledge of the National Aerospace University "KhAI" commenced its work. Its activities in 2026 were aimed at fostering a culture of mutual respect, critically rethinking gender stereotypes, increasing the gender sensitivity of the academic community, and engaging undergraduate students, postgraduate students, and staff in relevant socio-humanitarian discussions.
In accordance with the approved Action Plan of the School of Gender Knowledge for the Fall Semester of 2025, a series of open lectures was organized and held in blended (offline and online) formats:
- On November 6, 2025, an open offline lecture titled "Changes in the Images of a Real Man in Modern Mass Culture" (lecturer – Doctor of Cultural Studies, Professor K. V. Kysliuk) took place, during which participants discussed the transformation of socio-cultural models of masculinity and the role of media and mass culture in overcoming gender prejudices;
- On December 3, 2025, an open online lecture titled "Women in Modern Transformations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" (lecturer – Doctor of Legal Sciences, Professor N. Ye. Filipenko) was held, dedicated to the legal, social, and institutional aspects of ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men in Ukraine's security and defense sector.
In addition to the educational and lecture component, preparatory analytical work on monitoring the gender balance of the University's staff and academic personnel was initiated during the reporting period.
4. Psychosocial Support and Mental Barrier-Free Environment
Under martial law, an important focus of the Office's work became creating a safe and supportive environment for students, staff, and the city community. At the initiative of the University leadership and the Center for Strategic Development, a Mental Health Room was equipped and launched within the University's protected space as a hub for mental barrier-freeness and psychological recovery. Jointly with the University's psychological service, a thematic Mental Health Week was organized and held, featuring stress resilience trainings, emotional relief practices, and educational meetings for students and employees.
Simultaneously, implementing the principle of partnership with civil society, the Office established cooperation with the public initiative "Palms of Peace" ("Dolonky Myru"). Based in the University's safe spaces with the participation of student activists, a series of social, creative, and educational-rehabilitation events were conducted for children and youth of Kharkiv and affected communities in the region, aimed at overcoming the psychological consequences of war and fostering a culture of peace and mutual support.
5. Compliance with Quality Assurance Standards (ESG) and UN Sustainable Development Goals
The Office's activities throughout 2025 were directly aimed at fulfilling the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG), particularly regarding building a safe learning environment, systematic student support, transparency of appeal review procedures, and developing an inclusive academic culture.
The measures implemented by the Office made a significant contribution by the University toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 4 (Quality Education) – by ensuring equal, inclusive access to education and psychological support in a protected space even in a frontline region;
- SDG 5 (Gender Equality) – by initiating staff gender balance monitoring, overcoming gender stereotypes, and operating the School of Gender Knowledge;
- SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) – by implementing an inclusive language policy, mental barrier-freeness, and support for vulnerable population groups and children from affected communities;
- SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) – by establishing institutional mechanisms to counteract discrimination, bullying, and violence (specifically the work of the Office and the Commission on Counteracting Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Supporting Equality) and building partnerships with civil society.
6. Concluding Section
The results of activities for October – December 2025 testify to the successful institutional establishment of the Office of Equality, Inclusion, and Safe Environment at the National Aerospace University "Kharkiv Aviation Institute." Within a short timeframe, a comprehensive regulatory, organizational, and infrastructural foundation was formed at the University to protect the rights of participants in the educational process: the Regulation on the Office (QMS KhAI-OR-P/001:2025) was approved, the Commission on Counteracting Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Supporting Equality was established (Order No. 505 dated 29.10.2025), the School of Gender Knowledge was launched, the Mental Health Room was equipped, Mental Health Week was held, and partnerships with public initiatives were forged. The absence of recorded complaints during the reporting period confirms a healthy moral and psychological climate in the academic community and the effectiveness of preventive work.
To further develop the policy of equality, inclusion, and a safe educational environment in 2026, the Office identifies the following priority tasks and recommendations for the University's structural subdivisions:
1. Ensure the systematic continuation of educational, awareness-raising, and analytical activities of the School of Gender Knowledge, complete the gender balance analysis of University personnel, and introduce an internal certification system for faculty and administrative staff, taking its results into account during appraisals and talent pool formation.
2. Initiate the University's accession to the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program "How Are You?" ("Ty Yak?") and the inter-university community "How Are You?", expanding the functionality of the Mental Health Room to conduct regular stress resilience trainings and psychological support sessions for students and academic group curators.
3. Deepen coordination between the Office, the Commission on Counteracting Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Supporting Equality, student self-government bodies, and curators to continuously monitor the safe educational environment and conduct anonymous surveys of the academic community.
4. Develop partner cooperation with non-governmental and charitable organizations, as well as ensure the population of English-language informational resources of the Office for integration into international educational networks.