Philipp Schwartz Initiative - Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: Brückenstipendium for Dr. Olena Gayevska

       Dr. Olena Gayevska

Dr. Olena Gayevska is a philologist, comparative literature scholar, and language instructor (Ukrainian and Japanese). She is currently affiliated as a researcher with the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg under the Philipp Schwartz Initiative of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Brückenstipendium March-June 2026). Since 2024, she has also been teaching at the University of Tübingen and continues her scholarly affiliation with the Institute of Philology at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, her alma mater, where she held the position of Associate Professor. Her scholarly trajectory has been shaped by international exchange, followed by relocation to Germany in March 2022.

Dr. Olena Gayevska holds a PhD in Philology with a specialization in Comparative Literature. Her dissertation, “Typology of Neoromanticism in the Works of Yosano Akiko, Lesya Ukrainka, and Willa Cather,” reflects her long-standing interest in comparative cultural studies and typological analysis. Her academic interests include comparative literature studies, with a particular focus on Ukrainian, Japanese, and American literature. She is especially interested in exploring intersections between language, identity, and culture in literary and discourse practices. Dr. Olena Gayevska’s current research explores how experiences of migration – particularly in the contexts of Ukraine and Japan – are reflected, negotiated, and reimagined in modern literature, with a focus on the dimensions of cultural entanglements, displacement and memory.

In addition to her work in literature and philology, Dr. Gayevska has a distinct academic and practical interest in inclusion, psychology, educational science and digitalization of learning. She holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and focuses particularly on the social inclusion of children with special educational needs. Her engagement in this area is driven by both scholarly inquiry and personal experience. Recognizing the need for accessible resources and professional guidance, she founded an independent educational platform aimed at supporting parents and professionals working in inclusive educational environments. Through this initiative, she promotes evidence-based practices, interdisciplinary collaboration, and empathetic approaches to inclusion in educational settings of Ukraine, advocating for a more just and responsive society.

Dr. Olena Gayevska spent several months as a researcher at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, describing the experience as a valuable opportunity to resume her academic work in a welcoming and supportive environment, with the support provided by the fellowship of Philipp Schwartz Initiative (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation) for researchers at risk, and under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Gesine Drews-Sylla, Managing Director of the Institute of Modern Languages and Chair of Slavistics Department. She was particularly impressed by the Colloquium sessions organized in collaboration with several leading German research universities. These regular online and onsite meetings brought together researchers from diverse institutions to present their work, exchange ideas, and engage in collaborative dialogue. “It was truly inspiring,” she notes, “to witness such a high level of intellectual exchange and cooperation across institutions. The culture of joint scientific advancement and open discussion is something I deeply admire and hope to contribute to in my own work.”

The Philipp Schwartz Initiative was launched by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation together with the German Federal Foreign Office. It enables universities, universities of applied science, and independent research institutions to grant threatened researchers fellowships for research stays in Germany.