On 25 February, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted Law No. 10218 aimed at advancing national research infrastructure and strengthening support for young scientists.

The Law abolishes the provision that previously allowed academies of sciences not to hold elections for their heads. From now on, leadership elections will be mandatory in all scientific institutions without exception.

Key Provisions of the Law

The adopted legislation provides for:

• harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with European Union standards concerning the activities of research infrastructure entities;
  
• identification and classification of national research infrastructure facilities;
  
• modernization of regulations governing the consolidation of laboratories and research centers to ensure more efficient use of research and development funding.
  

According to Serhii Babak, Chair of the Committee on Education, Science and Innovation, maintaining modern scientific infrastructure is often beyond the capacity of a single institution or university. Therefore, pooling efforts, coordinating activities, and jointly using equipment and resources is a more practical and effective approach.

Support for Young Scientists

The Law also introduces important measures to enhance support for early-career researchers. In particular, it:

• clarifies the status and powers of Councils of Young Scientists;
  
• expands grant support opportunities for young researchers through the National Research Foundation of Ukraine;
  
• formally establishes the concept of a “postdoctoral researcher,” creating an additional mechanism for supporting scientists at the early stages of their academic careers.
  

The adoption of this Law is expected to contribute to the modernization of Ukraine’s research system, strengthen integration into the European Research Area, and create more favorable conditions for the development of young scientists.

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