On March 20, 2026, the team of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine held working meetings with the staff of the Institute of Mathematics and the Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The meetings were attended by Deputy Minister of Education and Science Denys Kurbatov, Director General of the Directorate for Science Development Hryhorii Mozolevych, and MESC expert on research infrastructure development and management Heorhii Vasyliev.

During the meetings, the key steps of the transformation of Ukraine’s scientific sector were presented, along with detailed results of the state attestation and the parameters of the new science funding model. In total, 317 research institutions and 139 higher education institutions were evaluated.

Funding allocation is carried out according to a unified formula that takes into account: externally attracted research funding (50%); the size of the institution (25%); the share of young researchers (15%); and international publications in first-quartile journals (10%).

The mechanism of coefficients was also discussed. For fields with high demand for research infrastructure, a coefficient of up to 1.3 is applied. For institutions located in frontline or relocated regions, the coefficient is up to 1.15. Basic funding is provided for a five-year period until 2030, with annual updates of performance indicators.

Institute of Mathematics of the NAS of Ukraine

The formula-based calculation of the institution’s funding amounts to UAH 13.16 million, which represents a 26% increase compared to the previous year. This has enabled an increase in researchers’ salaries, with the average bonus reaching approximately UAH 4,500 per month. Particular attention was given to the internal distribution of funds: 65% allocated to departments; 20% to the development of research infrastructure; and up to 15% to institutional development. The use of performance indicators to determine departmental contributions and incentive payments was also discussed.

Main Astronomical Observatory of the NAS of Ukraine

For the Main Astronomical Observatory of the NAS of Ukraine, funding in 2026 amounts to UAH 7.3 million, which is a 25.2% increase compared to the previous year. The average monthly bonus per researcher is approximately UAH 3,900. The funding volume is determined using a formula-based approach with an increased coefficient for experimental research, resulting in funding levels 1.1–1.3 times higher than the baseline.

This decision takes into account the high cost of research infrastructure and ensures greater resources for institutions working with experimental facilities. The share of funding allocated to researchers’ bonuses follows the same logic—typically 65–70% of the total funding.

The meetings made it possible to clarify the application of the new model at the institutional level and to align approaches to the use of funds in 2026.

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