SAMS news room

In our ACES Stars series, we meet alumni from our Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree in AquaCulture, Environment and Society (ACES-STAR) and find out how the course helped to shape their careers.

Since graduating from ACES in 2018, Yuliia Buhlak has been challenging the status quo in fashion by starting up a business that has been recognised by Marie Claire magazine, among others.

The entrepreneur founded Fiskin, a brand of luxury accessories made from genuine fish leather, in her native Ukraine shortly before the war interrupted her plans. She had to flee the country with her then three-year-old daughter Sonia to Norway, where she decided to restart her business from scratch.

She has since returned to Ukraine to relaunch Fiskin, working on creating products, collaborating with international partners, and preparing the brand for rising investments and expansion into the Scandinavian, UK, and US markets.

Since returning to Ukraine this year, Fiskin has grown rapidly. It was selected as one of the Top 10 start-ups by the EIT Founders2Founders program, included in the Top 30 startups at IT Arena – the largest tech event in the region with over 6,000 attendees – and recognised by Marie Claire as one of the top three sustainable fashion designers and a Sustainable Discovery of the Year.

Yuliia said the high standards required by ACES and the networking and industry insights gained on the programme have helped her in her Fiskin venture.

“ACES supported me at a moment when I needed clarity, structure, and adaptability,” she said.

“Because we moved every six months and I studied alongside classmates from more than 20 different countries, ACES taught me how to work across cultures, stay flexible, and navigate new environments with confidence.

“It also strengthened my critical thinking. I learned how to filter information, recognise what is accurate, and understand the real environmental impact of aquaculture – how our actions influence fish populations and how different farming systems affect marine ecosystems.

“These skills still shape my approach to sustainability today.

“ACES also set a very high standard of quality. It taught me to work precisely, communicate clearly, and make decisions based on evidence – principles that continue to guide me in my career.”

The application window for the ACES-STAR 2026 intake opens from 6th - 30th January here!