Research at +1° C: The Unspoken Reality of Ukrainian Academia at ICLTE 2026

As we prepare for the 6th International Conference on Language Studies, Translation and Education (ICLTE 2026), the organizers and the IATELS Board have received a series of emails that shift our focus from academic theory to the raw reality of human survival.

While much of the world discusses the future of AI and digital pedagogy, our colleagues at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU) and other Ukrainian institutions are fighting a battle to simply remain connected.

The Letters from the Frontline of Education

The messages we are receiving are not typical conference correspondence. They are dispatches from a catastrophe:

• “Survival Mode”: Academicians report power outages lasting 60–70 hours.
• The Cold Reality: With no heating and temperatures in apartments dropping to +1 ° C, recording a presentation or joining a Zoom link is not just a technical challenge—it is a feat of extreme endurance.
• The Academic Spirit: Despite the “catastrophic situation” caused by continuous bombings, these scholars are not asking for pity; they are asking for continuity. They are asking if their research can still be part of the global dialogue, even if they cannot physically (or digitally) be present.

Beyond the Screen: A Call for Global Awareness

This is the “Soft Infrastructure” of resilience we often discuss at IATELS, but in its most painful, literal form.

When a professor tries to stabilize an internet connection in a freezing room to share a study on linguistics or pedagogy, they are defending the very idea of civilization and progress.

“We are very sorry, but we really cannot record the video… The temperature in our apartments is +1 ° C, so it is just impossible.”

These words should resonate in every lecture hall and research center worldwide. The tragedy in Ukraine is not just a headline; it is the systematic attempt to freeze the intellectual and social heartbeat of a nation.

The IATELS Response: Solidarity in Action

To our colleagues from our partner universities, and all those struggling in Ukraine:

1. Guaranteed Publication: IATELS confirms that all accepted abstracts and papers from our Ukrainian colleagues will be published in the Book of Abstracts and reviewed for our further publication projects to be published by Springer, regardless of their ability to join the live sessions. Your voice will not be silenced by a power cut.
2. Flexible Participation: We recognize your “guaranteed participation” as a triumph. For those who cannot join, we will hold your space in the program as a tribute to your dedication.
3. Academic Awareness: We are sharing these stories to ensure the international community understands that Education is an act of resistance.

A Message to the Global Community

As we gather in the comfort of our heated offices and stable networks for ICLTE 2026, let us remember the cost of the knowledge being shared.

We call upon our international partners to stand in solidarity with the scholars of Ukraine.

Their effort to continue their work under the threat of bombings and freezing temperatures is a testament to the power of the human spirit.