A Horizon Europe office has been opened in Ukraine on the basis of the National Research Foundation. The project is funded by the European Commission. It will facilitate greater participation of Ukrainian innovators in the European research area. It will also facilitate integration between the scientific communities of the EU and Ukraine.
“We are in the midst of a full-scale war, but it is during such crises that innovations and technologies are born that can change the situation not only on the battlefield, but also in various industries. Science, innovation and technology take on a new meaning and should become a trend in our society. We want children at school to start respecting and falling in love with this field and to realise that there are prospects here. Our task is to ensure that Ukrainian intellectual property products play an important role in the development of the European Union. We will do this by reforming legislation, changing processes and creating opportunities for research institutions and scientists,” said Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology Development and Minister of Digital Transformation.
The Horizon Europe office was opened within the framework of the Horizon Europe programme. This is the largest EU programme for funding science and innovation, with a budget of EUR 95.5 billion for the period of 2021-2027. Its main goal is to support scientific research, promote the development of innovative technologies and overcome global challenges, as well as increase Europe’s competitiveness and expand scientific cooperation. One of the programme’s innovations is the opportunity for scientists to collaborate within missions and multilateral partnerships. This helps to increase the effectiveness of research.
In June 2022, Ukraine joined the programme and became an associated country. As a result, Ukrainian researchers and innovators were able to participate in competitions and programmes on an equal footing with partners from EU member states and were eligible for funding. The key indicators of the programme in Ukraine include:
- over UAH 26 million in funding received in 2021-2023;
- 97 project agreements concluded;
- 130 participants from Ukraine;
- 18.5% of successful grant applications.
From now on, Ukrainian scientists will have even more opportunities. The Horizon Europe office will allow Ukrainian researchers and innovators to cooperate more effectively at the European level and integrate more quickly into EU research activities and initiatives.
With the opening of the office, the National Research Foundation will become a point of grant issuance. This is important for creating a sustainable innovation ecosystem. The office will develop proposals to improve the state policy in the field of science, research and innovation. It will also help to adapt and harmonise Ukrainian legislation in this area with EU standards.
