The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has approved the lists of winners of the competition for research projects by young scientists and the main competition for fundamental and applied research projects, including a dedicated support instrument for higher education institutions (HEIs) located in frontline regions.

The approved projects are recommended for funding starting in January 2026.

Key Innovations of the MES Research Project Competitions under the New Regulations

The updated competition framework introduces several significant changes:

• Research themes are strictly aligned with the priority areas of the WINWIN Strategy for the Digital Development of Innovations in Ukraine until 2030 and are aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defense capability and technological sovereignty;
  
• A 40% increase in the total competition funding within the 2026 state budget;
  
• An additional UAH 100 million allocated to support projects from frontline and border-region HEIs and research institutions;
  
• An increase in the maximum project budget to UAH 4.5 million;
  
• For the first time, 100% funding of winning projects based on the research team’s justified request;
  
• For the first time, funding starting in January, ensuring the retention and development of human capital;
  
• Maximum alignment of competition formats with the EU Framework Programme Horizon Europe;
  
• Each project evaluated by three independent experts, with automatic conflict-of-interest checks;
  
• Clear requirements regarding academic integrity and the use of artificial intelligence;
  
• The abolition of the formal use of bibliometric indicators, with a shift in focus toward project quality and expected results.
  

Overall Selection Results

As a result of the competitive selection process, funding support will be provided to:

• 258 projects under the main competition, including 78 projects within the frontline support instrument;
  
• 99 projects under the competition for young scientists.
  

In total, 357 projects submitted by 75 higher education institutions and research organizations were selected as winners.

Leading Universities

Main Competition

• Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv — 19 projects;
  
• V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University — 13;
  
• National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” — 11;
  
• Sumy State University — 11;
  
• National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute” — 11;
  
• Lviv Polytechnic National University — 10;
  
• National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine — 7;
  
• National Technical University “Dnipro Polytechnic” — 6.
  

Competition for Young Scientists

• National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” — 9 projects;
  
• Sumy State University — 9;
  
• Lviv Polytechnic National University — 8;
  
• National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute” — 6;
  
• Ivan Franko National University of Lviv — 5;
  
• West Ukrainian National University — 4;
  
• Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv — 4;
  
• National Technical University “Dnipro Polytechnic” — 4.
  

Regional Distribution of Winners

Main Competition

• Kyiv — 60;
  
• Kharkiv Region — 62;
  
• Sumy Region — 36;
  
• Dnipropetrovsk Region — 29;
  
• Lviv Region — 19.
  

Competition for Young Scientists

• Kyiv — 22;
  
• Lviv Region — 14;
  
• Sumy Region — 12;
  
• Kharkiv Region — 12;
  
• Dnipropetrovsk Region — 9.
  

Special Focus on Frontline and Border Regions

Within the main competition, a separate support instrument for institutions operating in frontline and border regions was introduced for the first time.

As a result:

• 78 projects from such institutions were supported;
  
• The total funding allocated to these projects exceeds UAH 100 million.
  

Frontline Projects: Regional Distribution

• Kharkiv Region — 29;
  
• Sumy Region — 20;
  
• Dnipropetrovsk Region — 11;
  
• Odesa Region — 5;
  
• Zaporizhzhia Region — 4.
  

Frontline Projects: Leading Universities

• Sumy State University — 16 projects;
  
• V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University — 9;
  
• National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute” — 6;
  
• Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics — 4;
  
• Oles Honchar Dnipro National University — 3;
  
• National Technical University “Dnipro Polytechnic” — 3;
  
• Sumy National Agrarian University — 3.
  

Important Notice

In accordance with the requirements of the Law of Ukraine on the State Budget, taking into account the proposals of the Scientific Committee of the National Council of Ukraine on Science and Technology, and the provisions of the draft Cabinet of Ministers resolution on the specifics of considering institutional evaluation results in funding allocation, the Scientific and Expert Council of the Ministry of Education and Science has recommended that certain projects be funded subject to the successful completion of an extraordinary institutional evaluation of the respective HEIs in the relevant research fields.

The deadline for submitting documents for the extraordinary evaluation is 19 January 2026. In the event of a successful evaluation, funding for these projects will commence in April 2026 in full.

Next Steps

Information on the results of the competitive selection will be communicated to project leaders and institutions through electronic cabinets and relevant MES orders. Funding for the supported projects will be provided in full, in accordance with approved requests, starting from January 2026, in compliance with budgetary legislation.

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