On May 15, 2024, the General Assembly of Science Europe took place in Brussels. The General Assembly is a strategic platform for policy-making, agreeing on common priorities, sharing experiences and strengthening partnerships between member organizations. Executive Director of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU) Olga Polotska participated in the event remotely.
Science Europe and its member organizations have demonstrated unwavering solidarity with the Ukrainian people since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion. The participants of the Assembly reaffirmed their determination to support Ukrainian research, including through cooperation with the NRFU which in 2022 became a full member of Science Europe.
Support for Ukraine remains among the priorities of SE. This is confirmed by constant activities of Science Europe in supporting Ukrainian researchers and their integration into the European Research Area, as well as the involvement of Ukrainian representatives in joint initiatives and events.
In her speech at the General Assembly, the Executive Director of the NRFU provided an update on the initiatives implemented to support Ukraine and the NRFU, and thanked the European partners for their continued solidarity, attention and practical assistance which helps to strengthen the Ukrainian research ecosystem despite the difficult wartime situation.
During the General Assembly, Mari Sundli Tveit, the President of Science Europe, and Lidia Borrell-Damián, Secretary General of Science Europe, assured of continued support for Ukraine and the NRFU in 2025. The key areas of further cooperation were identified:
- increase in the visibility of Ukrainian researchers and the NRFU activity in the ERA;
- additional support opportunities for Ukrainian researchers in dialogue with RPOs that are members of Science Europe;
- support the development of NRFU’s institutional capacity by sharing the best practices with members of Science Europe;
- further international collaborative programmes with the participation of NRFU aimed at Ukraine’s integration into the European Research Area.
Participation of the NRFU in Science Europe demonstrates Ukraine’s active integration into the international research community and opens up new opportunities for Ukrainian research at the European level.
