A/ProfOlga Oleinikova

International Recognition

Oleinikova's interdisciplinary research is recognised globally, with several international governments and agencies using her publications to inform their policy and reform across migration, decentralisation and democratization. The Ukrainian government and pro-democracy NGOs used her work in developing the Ukrainian national anti-corruption legal framework. Her work has contributed to planned decentralization reform in Ukraine and to the migration report by the Ukrainian Embassy in Canberra. In 2019, the Government of Ukraine tabled her individual research and SITAD’s collaborative research on Ukrainian migration to Australia, in its New Migration Strategy developed in partnership with the UN Migration Agency. In 2020 Oleinikova joined the Committee of the Ukrainian government-run research fund as an expert, where she reviews and advises on the best projects for Ukrainian government research funding. She does similar work for the Croatian government research national fund.

The international recognition and interest in Oleinikova's work is evident from her 20+ international talks, including fully funded talks and invited keynotes at the University of Oxford, WZB Berlin Social Science Research Centre, Nanyang Technological University, Visa University in Singapore, and University of Sydney. She was invited to complete Research Fellowships with the three prestigious institutions: Charles University (2023/2024); University of Oxford (2018/2019) and WZB Berlin Social Science Research Centre (2014/2015).

Representatives of The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) consult with Oleinikova on Ukraine’s state of democracy and ongoing political developments, and recently about the state of war-related Ukrainian arrivals in Australia. Most recently, a consultation session with DFAT focused on the challenges faced by the newly arrived war-affected Ukrainian migrants to Australia, based on the research project she lead as CI and industry report I co-athored “Language, agency, and displacement: Ukrainian war refugees in Australia” (2023).

Community-led research

Several of Oleinikova's latest research projects focus on migration, refugee education, and employment, fostering collaborations among diverse stakeholders, including large multinational corporations, NGOs, and local governments (e.g., City of Sydney Council). Oleinikova is recognised within academic, industry, and community sectors for her exemplary community-centred approach. By embedding diversity and inclusion at the heart of her projects, she has effectively demonstrated the integration of diverse forms of knowledge – including disciplinary, contextual, and lived experience – to advance the field. Her leadership of diverse research teams, including individuals with refugee backgrounds, and the ongoing management of the educational exchange program for Ukrainian students and academics (UTS/SITAD Visiting Fellowship Program) funded by the top Ukrainian Studies Foundation (USFA) in Australia, underscore her commitment to and advocacy for this inclusive approach for impact.