National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU) and the Dutch Research Council (NWO) launch the second funding round of the “NWO Hop-On Call for Proposals for Researchers Based in Ukraine 2025: NWO-NRFU Partnership Initiative”. The initiative aims to support Ukrainian researchers in enhancing professional contacts and network strengthening with colleagues in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

About the Call

The “NWO Hop-On Call for Researchers Based in Ukraine 2025” offers ongoing NWO projects the opportunity to add a qualified researcher from Ukraine to their project team. The initiative is intended to support Ukrainian researchers in expanding their professional network within the Dutch academic world. Project teams can contribute with advice, mentorship and other forms of guidance.

Funding and terms of application

Dutch PIs can apply for funding to pay for an appointment of one researcher in Ukraine for 6 to 24 months. Maximum costs for one Ukraine-based co-applicant amount to:

• € 1,250 per month (including material costs)
• € 375 per one researcher – maximum costs for materials (full time equivalent workload)

Ukrainian higher education institutions or research institutions may receive a maximum of two grants per institution in this Call.

The budget available for this Call is € 480,000.

Requirements for Ukrainian researchers:

Researchers who meet the following criteria are eligible to participate:

• hold a research degree obtained or recognized in Ukraine (minimum of a PhD or equivalent);
• have the main place of employment as an associate professor/professor or (principal/leading/senior) researcher at a Ukrainian public research organization or a higher education institution that is registered and functioning in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine;
• are based and working in Ukraine.

The grant provides financial support of one Ukraine-based research partner. Applications can be submitted to NWO by Project leaders of specified ongoing NWO research projects. To be able to spend a NWO grant in Ukraine, the beneficiary’s Ukraine-based research partner must always act as co-applicant.

The applications must include:

• a scan-copy of the PhD (or equivalent)/Doctoral diploma;
• an official certificate verifying the co-applicant’s position and main place of employment at the Ukrainian public research organization/higher education institution (in Ukrainian);
• a letter of support signed by the head (or authorized representative) of the Ukrainian public research organization/higher education institution, confirming that the legal entity will support the co-applicant’s participation in the Call and implementation of the project on its basis, and confirming that the co-applicant is working and based in Ukraine (on the official letterhead, in English) (sample);
• CV of a Ukrainian researcher (in English).

Application

As in the first round, the ‘first come, first served’ principle applies.

• Applications can be submitted continuously from 20 January 2026
• The deadline is 23 June 2026 at 14:00:00 CET, or until the budget has been exhausted.
• The applications are submitted only by Dutch PIs via the online application system ISAAC.

Applications must reach NWO at least 2 months before the intended start of the Ukrainian co-applicant’s participation in the ongoing NWO research project.

Information session and Matchmaking event

We are pleased to invite Ukrainian researchers based in Ukraine to begin searching for potential partners in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for participation in this initiative. Prior to the opening of the call, NWO and the NRFU will organize the following events:

• Online information meeting

 2 December 2025. Time – 15:30–16:30 CET. During the meeting, representatives of NWO and the NRFU will give a short presentation on this call and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Registration is required at the link: https://cutt.ly/Xtrz3aHV

• Matchmaking event

15 December 2025. Time – 15:30–16:30 CET. The event will bring NWO projects and Ukrainian researchers together. Registration is also required for this event at the link: https://cutt.ly/itrz3CF6

You can learn more about the initiative at NWO website at the link: https://cutt.ly/Vtrz8xD4