On November 12, 2025, in Kyiv, to strengthen the synergy between the EU’s Erasmus+ Programme and Horizon Europe, Svitlana SHYTIKOVA, Coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine, took part in the dissemination event “Research and Innovation as a Driver of Ukraine’s Integration into the Global Research Area”, organised by the National Research Foundation of Ukraine and the National Horizon Europe Office in the framework of the World Science Day for Peace and Development.

The participants were welcomed by representatives of the Government of Ukraine and the European Union, including Denys Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine; Serhii Babak, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science and Innovation; Carole Manssél-Blanchard, Head of Unit RTD 03 for International Cooperation in Europe and the Americas at the European Commission; Lidia Borrell-Damián, Secretary General of Science Europe; and Yehor Pyvovarov, Policy Officer on Science and Innovation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine and a regular contributor to the outreach activities of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine.

They unanimously acknowledged the remarkable resilience of Ukrainian scientists and researchers who continue their work despite the ongoing full-scale war. EU representatives also emphasised the European Union’s firm and continuous support for Ukraine.

Welcoming remarks were also delivered by Oleksandra Antoniuk, Chair of the Scientific Committee of the National Council of Ukraine on Science and Technology, and Olha Polotska, Executive Director of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine. They expressed gratitude to the European Union for its steadfast support, which accelerates Ukraine’s integration into the European and global research areas.

The working part of the event focused on several key topics, including:

• Integration of Ukraine into the European and global research areas and the synergy of European programmes.
  Eva Kosinska-Lange, Policy Officer at the European Innovation Council (RTD A3), presented opportunities for Ukrainian researchers and entrepreneurs within EIC initiatives. Tobias Stüdemann, Director of the Representation of Freie Universität Berlin in Eastern Europe, spoke about smart international partnerships.

• Support instruments within calls of the European Research Council (ERC).
  Janka Matray, Scientific Officer at the ERC Executive Agency, presented ERC funding schemes, the latest updates, and additional support programmes.

Participants also learned about successful cases of Ukrainian researchers funded by the National Research Foundation of Ukraine (e.g., Professor Mykhailo Slyvka of Uzhhorod National University; Olha Zvirko of the Karpenko Physico-Mechanical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) and by Horizon Europe (e.g., Professor Stepan Zaichenko of the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, project U_CAN; Roman Yatsyshyn, Rector of Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, and Khrystyna Lesiv, Head of its International Relations Office, project UNCAN-CONNECT).

The event was summarised by Olha Polotska, Executive Director of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, who encouraged researchers to apply for the growing number of upcoming calls, despite the wartime challenges. Over 250 participants joined the event both onsite and online.

After the official programme, participants had the opportunity to network and discuss new project ideas and research topics, including possibilities for participation in newly launched calls of the EU’s Erasmus+ Programme, announced by the European Commission during the event.

The team of the National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine expresses sincere gratitude to colleagues and partners from the National Research Foundation of Ukraine and the National Horizon Europe Office for their resilience, dedicated work, cooperation, and synergy.