Eastern Europe Project

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 73 departments in 29 cities mainly in Ukraine, but also in Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. By this, we help saving around 57,000 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

* 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 trilingual website in German, Ukrainian and Russian. An English version is under construction. 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 >>
• We funded the production of a Russian video about the positive developments in higher education in the former Soviet Union. more >>
• With press conferences and information stands at congresses in Ukraine, promote humane education both in general public and the scientific community. more >>
• By supporting school competitions in Russia and Belarus, we encourage the younger generation.

29 June 2023
Dr Corina Gericke V.D.M.

Related Topics

Education and Training

Animal testing and animal-free methods in surgery courses

Education and Training

Animal experimentation in higher education and animal-free teaching methods