Portrait: Natalia Mishyna, from Ukraine to Strasbourg, a story of successful reconstruction
Profile: Constitutional Law Professor, Odessa, Ukraine
Situation: Forced into exile in spring 2022
Current location: Strasbourg, France
We wanted to better understand the individual journey of our researchers, the difficulties they encountered, as well as the advice they wish to share with other scientists in exile. It is in this context that we conducted an interview with Natalia Mishyna, constitutional law professor from Odessa, Ukraine.

A Reconstruction Journey
Forced into exile in spring 2022, Natalia found in Strasbourg not only a new place to live, but also the opportunity to rebuild her career and integrate into the European scientific community.
The impact of the seminar (la vidéo)
Before the seminar: Mistrust towards opportunities outside academia, particularly due to gaps in French language skills.
After the seminar: "I haven't noticed how and when, but I'm not afraid a lot to go out of academia now."
The seminar, explains Natalia, immediately resonated with her longstanding curiosity about career paths outside traditional academia. "Even if I would be in Ukraine, this would be enormously interesting for me," she shares, highlighting the universal appeal of exploring diverse professional pathways.
A Concrete Action Plan
Natalia has developed a 12-18 month strategy:
Short term: International organizations (Council of Europe)
Medium term: French market in parallel with improving French language skills
Professional support: Hiring a career consultant
She now understands that while finding a "perfect match" may be a long journey, such positions exist. Consequently, she has expanded her job search beyond fellowships and postdoctoral opportunities to include NGO and corporate job listings.
Her Advice to Researchers in Exile
Natalia's message to other researchers in exile facing uncertainty is clear and powerful: "Consult the specialists." She emphasizes that she hadn't realized the existence of such specialized support and the structured methodology available to help academics transition to other sectors.
"If you feel you need advice, look for the specialists and follow their advice," she encourages.
Crucial Psychological Support
Beyond practical tools and methodologies, Natalia deeply appreciated the psychological support offered by the seminar. The team, all PhD holders who had made similar career transitions, provided a understanding and empathetic atmosphere.
"It was like talking to relatives, but nice relatives, the ones who can really help, the ones who really care," she shares with emotion.
A Transformative Experience
The seminar, for Natalia, was truly a "life-changing experience". It instilled in her the confidence to pursue her dreams without compromise.
"If you have a dream, just try to reach the dream, but only with the specialists," she advises, crediting the seminar with providing her both the tools and the psychological strength necessary to take the leap.
Natalia's journey underscores the immense value of initiatives like the online Euraxess seminar, which not only equip scientists in exile with practical skills, but also offer the crucial emotional support and encouragement needed to rebuild their professional lives in a new environment.
Euraxess and ABG: A Strategic Partnership
This collaboration perfectly illustrates the European mission of ABG and its positioning as an expert in supporting researchers towards employment. The partnership with Euraxess allows ABG to:
Extend its expertise beyond French borders
Develop methodologies specific to researchers in forced mobility
Strengthen its position as a key player in professional integration in Europe
Create synergies with the European ecosystem of researcher support
The success of journeys like Natalia's validates ABG's approach and opens new perspectives for supporting European scientific talents in professional transition.
Contact and Information
Dr. Kristina BerkutHead of Training and International Cooperation
Association Bernard Gregory
kristina.berkut@abg.asso.fr
239 rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris
www.abg.asso.fr
Find out more
Collaborate with ABG for your European project
ABG has been increasingly active at the European level and is recognized as "Euraxess Career Development Center" since 2017. It is a partner in several European projects (COFUND, ITN/Doctoral Networks, Interreg, Erasmus, etc.). Discover our actions in favor of the recruitment and career development of researchers and associate ABG to your projects. The call for projects MSCA Cofund is open until June 24th, 2025 and Doctoral Networks will open on May 28th, 2025.
Highlights of the Euraxess Seminar for Scientists in Exile
The Euraxess Seminar for Scientists in Exile, facilitated by ABG, was held online from May 19-22, bringing together for the first time in this format international researchers based in different European countries. This initiative was specifically aimed at researchers in exile situations, across all disciplines, aspiring to rebuild their professional careers in Europe, outside the academic sector. Discover in this article the key moments of this seminar, the participants’ feedback, as well as the advice from the speakers for international researchers.
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