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Since 2008, we have been running an extremely successful Eastern European project. We equip universities in countries of the former Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries with animal-free teaching tools such as films and computer simulations as well as hardware in the form of laptops and projectors. In return, they stop all harmful animal use in their curricula by contract.

In Soviet times, universities had to follow a strict schedule of in parts extremely cruel animal experiments. The collapse of the USSR and the independence of the individual states gave university teachers more freedom to design their curricula. The poor economic situation in many former Soviet countries meant that many experiments were no longer done simply because the animals were too expensive. Only frogs and stray dogs were available almost unlimited and free of charge. They just needed to be caught.

In this time of change, there is great potential for replacing animal experiments in higher education with animal-free teaching methods. Thus, animal lives can be saved with relatively simple means. Many teachers are open to modern computer-aided education. Mostly, there is only a lack of information and financial resources. In cooperation with InterNICHE, we provide help on both levels.

Unfortunately, this project is not possible in Germany, because it’s not lack of money and information that’s the problem, but the lack of will of the people responsible.

In order to prevent misuse and to have a certain amount of control over the intended use of the donated materials, each institute is usually visited three times. On the first visit, the humane teaching methods are presented in order to arouse interest. Teachers who wish to cooperate must then submit a list of all animal experiments that they carry out, and which need to be replced. We then select and obtain the humane teaching tools. The software is ordered and the hardware is bought on site. On the second visit, the contract is signed and the materials are handed over to the university. About a year later, a control visit takes place, to see how the donated materials are used. Our Ukrainian project manager, the biologist Dimitrij Leporskij, is in constant contact with all teachers, e.g. to find solutions if any problems arise.

Since the beginning of the project in 2008, we have made contracts with the heads of 78 departments in 29 cities mainly in Ukraine, but also in Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. By this, we help saving around 60,000 animals from an agonizing death every year. We also funded the development of Russian and Ukrainian educational films and computer simulations, and initiated public awareness through press conferences and media reports.

Project overview

Year

City

Country
*

University / faculty

Department

Number of vertebrates

Number of invertebrates

2008

Sumy

UA

Agronomics / Veterinary

Physiology

900

 

2008

L‘viv

UA

Polytechnical University

Pharmacology

225

 

2008

Ivano-Frankivsk

UA

Medicine

Pathophysiology

228

 

2009

Kyiv

UA

Veterinary

Anatomy, Surgery, Pathophysiology

60

 

2009

Simferopol

UA

Biology

Physiology

565

30

2009

Simferopol

UA

Sports

Medical-biological basics

434

 

2009

Dnipro

UA

Medicinen

Physiology

1,840

 

2009

Odesa

UA

Biology

Physiology

960

 

2009

Odesa

UA

Biology

Genetics

56

 

2009

Odesa

UA

Biology

Hydrobiology

62

50

2009

Odesa

UA

Biology

Zoology

15

75

3/2010

Odesa

UA

Medicine

Physiology

1,000

 

3/2010

Odesa

UA

Biology

Biochemistry

105

 

3/2010

Simferopol

UA

Medicine

Physiology

1,400

 

3/2010

Simferopol

UA

Biology

Zoology

120

380

3/2010

Dnipro

UA

Biology

Physiology

1,387

 

3/2010

Dnipro

UA

Biology

Zoology

463

3.078

12/2010

Kharkiv

UA

Biology

Zoology

135

1.375

12/2010

Lutsk

UA

Biology

Physiology

215

 

12/2010

L‘viv

UA

Medicine

Pharmacology

3,150

 

12/2010

Melitopol

UA

Biology

Physiology

664

30

12/2010

Poltawa

UA

Pedagogical University

Biology, Botany

982

 1.200

12/2010

Simferopol

UA

Agronomics

Plant protection

120

650 

12/2010

Simferopol

UA

Veterinary

Anatomy and Physiology

125

 

05/2011

Ternopil

UA

Medicine

Physiology

1,600

 

05/2011

Vinnitsa

UA

Medicine

Physiology

1,391

 

04/2012

Kharkiv

UA

Biology

Biochemistry

116

 

04/2012

Kharkiv

UA

Pedagogical University

Botany

220

260

04/2012

Melitopol

UA

Pedagogical University

Zoology

45

85

04/2012

Simferopol

UA

Medicine

Pathophysiology

1,400

 

04/2012

Ternopil

UA

Technology

Biotechnical Systems

287

 

09/2012

Odesa

UA

Medicine

Surgery

181

 

12/2012

Donetsk

UA

Medicine

Physiology

5,240

 

01/2013

Vinnitsa

UA

Medicine

Histology

245

100

01/2013

L‘viv

UA

Medicine

Immunology

238

 

02/2013

Ternpopil

UA

Medicine

Clinical Pharmacology

105

 

04/2013

Chernivtsi

UA

Medicine

Physiology

1,540

 

04/2013

Bishkek

KIR

Medicine

Physiology and Pathophysiology

1,463

 

06/2013

Tashkent

USB

Medicine

Physiology

650

 

10/2013

Ternopil

UA

Medicine

Histology

234

30

10/2013

Donetsk

UA

Medicine

Pathophysiology

675

 

11/2013

Simferopol

UA

Medicine

Histology

341

127

01/2014

Kharkiv

UA

Biology

Zoology

493

7.108

05/2014

Bishkek

KIR

Biology

Physiology

210

 

05/2014

Bishkek

KIR

Biology and Chemistry

Biology and Biodiversity

260

9

05/2014

Osh

KIR

Medicine

Natraul sciences, Biochemistry, Pathophysiology and Pharmacology

700

 

10/2014

Naryn

KIR

Medicine

Physiology and Anatomy

345

 

10/2014

Naryn

KIR

Biology

Life Sciences

345

 

12/2014

Sumy

UA

Agronomics

Virology, Anatomy

283

80

03/2015

Rivne

UA

Water anagement

Health and Physio Therapy

710

 

03/2015

Rivne

UA

Life Sciences

Biology

525

255

03/2015

Kiyiv

UA

Medicine

Pathophysiology

1.350

 

03/2015

Kyiv

UA

Human Development

Biomedical Technologies

320

430

05/2015

Pinsk

BEL

Biotechnology

Biology

1.460

 

06/2015

Barnaul

RU

Biology

Zoology and Physiology

361

60

04/2016

Gorki

BEL

Agronomics

Agroecology

383

 

12/2016

Kryvyi Rih

UA

Pedagocics

Physiology and Human Hygiene

155

295

12/2016

Kyiv

UA

Medicine

Physiology, Biophysics and Biochemistry

720

 

12/2016

Zapoizhzhia

UA

Medicine

Normal Physiology

710

 

02/2017

Kazan

RU

Veterinary

Obstetrics, Surgery

0

0

05/2017

Minsk

BEL

Ecological Medicine

Radiobiology, Immunology

760

 

02/2018

Zhytomyr

UA

State University

Ekology, Nature Management and Human Biology

735

60

05/2018

Kyiv

UA

Veterinary

Surgery and Pathophysiology

340

 

05/2018

Belgorod

RU

Agronomics

Morphology und Physiology

 0

08/2018

Rostow am Don

RU

Veterinary

 

0

0

12/2018

Bryansk

RU

Natural Geology

 

 0

01/2019

Zaporizhzhia

UA

Medicine

Pharmacology

50

 

12/2019

Donetsk

UA

Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology

Biophysics and Physiology

140

 

12/2019

Kaliningrad

RU

՚School of future՚

Zoology, Physiology and Human Hygiene

0

0

02/2021

Odesa

UA

Agronomics

Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biochemistry

156

0

09/2021

Kharkiv

UA

Pedagogical University

Ecological Bioethical Centre

24

44

10/2022

Kyiv

UA

Technology and Design

Technology and Design

40

0

04/2023

Odesa

UA

Agronomics

Innternal Medicine and Diagnostics of animals

80

0

10/2023

Kyiv

UA

Technology and Design

Industrial Pharmacy

132

0

10/2023

Poltava

UA

Agriculture

Agriculture and Agrochemistry

20

290

03/2024

Kyiv

UA

Technology and Design

Biotechnology, eather and fur

33

0

07/2024

Kyiv

UA

Dentistry

Pathophysiology

625

0

Gesamt

 29

5

 

 78

43,667

17,212

* UA = Ukraine, BEL = Belarus, KIR = Kyrgyztan, RU = Russia, USB = Uzbekistan

In order to equip one department with humane teaching tools, we calculate average costs of 2,000 euros. We depend on your donations to fund this project.

Numerous facets of the project

  • More information on the different aspects of our Eastern Europe project can be found on our multilingual website in English, German, Ukrainian and Russian. more >>
  • Since there is a shortage of good teaching materials in the languages of the respective countries, we have created a number of high-quality German teaching films dubbed into Russian, a Russian-language film with an accompanying textbook on intestinal physiology, and a simulation program on pathophysiology. more >>
  • With press conferences and information stands at congresses in Ukraine, promote humane education both in general public and the scientific community. 
  • By supporting school competitions in Russia and Belarus, we encourage the younger generation.

8 August 2024
Dr Corina Gericke V.D.M.

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