The military aggression on the territory of Ukraine has affected every Ukrainian citizen and all the spheres of the country’s existence. The R&D sector is no exception. Since the beginning of the war, it has suffered unprecedented losses, including losses in human, infrastructural and financial resources.
At the same time, Ukraine’s R&D capacity, both at institutional and individual levels, is at risk in view of public R&D budget cuts and destroyed research infrastructure. According to the latest survey of 2,000 Ukrainian scientists, 38% have been forced to relocate internally and 15% have left abroad. In addition, almost three quarters are struggling to carry on their work for various reasons (damaged research infrastructure, electricity and water cuts, moral impact etc.)
Since the beginning of its functioning, the National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU) has launched 5 calls (2 in 2020 and 3 in 2021, 2 of which remain unfinished because of the war). All the calls were held on the bottom-up basis. The competitive selection was aimed at identifying the best research projects (excellent science) with an emphasis on supporting research of early-career researchers. The NRFU has supported 216 projects (under 2 calls in 2020) with a 1–3-year implementation period. The winners of the call completed in 2021 were 57 projects with a 2-year implementation period.
In early March, 100% of the 2022 granting budget allocated to the National Research Foundation of Ukraine was redirected to cover the defense needs. Thus, none of the selected projects could be financed and implemented. For 2023, the allocated budget makes 60.5% of the total sum necessary to finance the selected projects and the projects of the new and suspended calls.
Raising non-budgetary funds will enable the NRFU, first of all, to renew the financing of the most in-demand research and developments at this time, as well as, but not exclusively, to provide grant support to projects based on the results of new calls, which in its in turn, will contribute to increasing efficiency of the functioning of the national economy in the war and post-war times, harmonious transition to knowledge economy, and the preservation of the research potential of Ukraine for the future.
SUPPORT UKRAINIAN RESEARH
Every contribution, no matter how small or large, will enable the NRFU to continue to deliver direct support to meritorious researchers working in Ukraine, to continue its work to establish world-class competitive research grantmaking in Ukraine’s research system, and to integrate Ukraine into the global research community.
