By Charlotte Tybjerg Sørensen, Communications Officer
Photo collage by Cirkeline Kappel, AAU

Natialiia Varha will be a part of the research project: ‘The Junctures of change in Ukrainian youths’ transitions’. The project will explore the transitions of young Ukrainian refugees during the first two-three years of stay in Denmark, under the direction of associate professor Kathrine Vitus.

Nataliia Varha is a doctor of Sociological Sciences. Since 2012 she has been associate professor of the Sociology and Social Work Department of Uzhhorod National University. She has more than 15 years of experience in scientific, research, and educational work. Her scientific interests are primarily migration of adults and young people, including labor migration and iillegal and shadow employment of migrants in Ukraine.

In March 2022 the Russian invasion in Ukraine forced Nataliia Varha to leave her country and become a refugee in Denmark, where she now holds a permit for temporary residence and work.  In the first months of her stay, she worked as a carer at the nursing home Peder Lykke Centret in Copenhagen.

- I liked the job there, but I am very grateful for the opportunity of being able to continue my scientific and research activities at Department of Sociologi and Social Work. It allows me to gain experience and expand my research interests and merits, says Nataliia Varha.

In the project Nataliia will make invaluable contributions to the project, due to her broad Ukrainian network and relations in both Denmark and Ukraine, and her language skills.

- By being able to interview the young people in their mother tongue and understanding the cultural background for their answers, we will have the best fundament for the validity of the study, Kathrine Vitus says. She adds:

- Nataliia’s English skills are good and we communicate easily, as she will also be able to do with our Masters’ students.

Contact:

Frederikskaj 10B, Bygning C
2450 København SV

Email: nava@socsci.aau.dk