Official Opening of the Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine
On December 20, 2023, the Horizon Europe Office was officially opened in Ukraine. This initiative aims to facilitate the implementation of new scientific and innovative projects and integrate Ukraine into the EU and the European research area. The office is established based on the National Research Foundation of Ukraine through cooperation between the European Commission and the Ukrainian government.
The primary responsibilities of this office include:
- Providing information support to Ukrainian scientific organizations regarding collaboration opportunities in the field of science and innovation and assisting in finding partners for projects in the EU and worldwide.
- Increasing awareness of success stories and working on specific issues related to project implementation in Ukraine.
- Providing consultation on policies related to Ukraine's integration into the European research area.
It's worth noting that Horizon Europe is the European Union's framework program for research and innovation for the years 2021–2027. With a total budget of over 95.5 billion euros for all participants, it is the largest and most prestigious scientific grant program in the EU. The program focuses on overcoming global challenges for the economy and industrial capacity of the EU, emphasizing close collaboration between science and innovative businesses.
Mikhael Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister for Innovations, Development of Education, Science, and Technology, Minister of Digital Transformation, stated, "We are in a full-scale war, but during such crises, innovations and technologies emerge that can change the situation not only on the battlefield but also in various industries. Science, innovation, and technology take on new meaning and should become a trend in our society."
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has made fundamental efforts to enable Ukrainian scientists to submit projects to the Horizon Europe program since its launch in Ukraine in the spring of 2021. In 2023, the full regulatory support for the opening of the Office was promptly implemented.
"Horizon Europe is not just a financing program. It is an opportunity to make scientific breakthroughs, unite talented scientists and businesses to address global challenges. And during a war, innovations and technologies can literally change the course of events on the battlefield. Therefore, the opening of the Office is an event that opens up new prospects for our country. And, of course, it is another step on the path of our integration with the EU," commented Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.
Over almost three years of the Horizon Europe Framework Program, 970 Ukrainian organizations have applied, 109 of which have already received funding decisions totaling over 40 million euros. For comparison, in the previous Horizon 2020 Framework Program, 174 organizations from Ukraine participated in six years, signing 240 grants totaling 44.5 million euros.
Despite the full-scale war with Russia, Ukraine has exceeded expected success indicators during the implementation of Horizon Europe. For instance, Sumy State University is now one of the leaders in terms of funding received under the Horizon Europe program, with a funding amount of 777.4 thousand euros under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
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