Help portal for refugees

Whether it’s information about accommodation, basic information or medical care, with the “Germany4Ukraine” help portal, the Federal Government offers Ukrainian refugees a central, trustworthy online support platform. The portal provides information in Ukrainian, Russian, English and German and helps refugees with entry, finding their feet and gaining an overview of all available support options.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is a grave breach of international law with no justification whatsoever. As a consequence, Former-Federal Research Minister Stark-Watzinger suspended all science and research cooperation with the Russian Federation. She pledged her solidarity to the people in Ukraine.

BMBF initiative “Wiederaufbau Ukraine”

We at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) stand firmly by Ukraine’s side and support the country in times of war and in its recovery. In the period immediately after the Russian attack in February 2022, support primarily focused on measures to cushion the dramatic consequences of the war. As a result, more than 220,000 Ukrainian pupils have enrolled in schools in Germany and more than 1,000 Ukrainian researchers have come here since February 2022. In the medium and long term, however, other instruments are now gaining significance – ones which effectively counteract the brain drain from the country and which support the preservation and development of scientific potential and the rebuilding of the country’s science system. Up to €24 million have been earmarked for measures to support cooperation with Ukraine until 2028.

German-Ukrainian research cooperation

There are few other countries with which Ukraine maintains such close relations in science and research as it does with Germany. This is in part thanks to our shared history of more than 30 years of cooperation between the BMBF and the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science. Our regular bilateral funding activities have allowed us to launch many joint cooperation projects and establish research networks. Cooperation continues even in times of war, and it is being developed with a view to the future. Research cooperation with Ukraine also continues in the field of energy and hydrogen. This is now being intensified so as to ensure the rapid (re)construction of a sustainable energy system.

Cooperation for Ukraine’s reconstruction 

In addition to funding scientific projects, we also support the modernization, internationalization and digitalization of Ukraine’s research and higher education system. Rebuilding the country’s war-torn research landscape is an enormous undertaking. However, it also offers the opportunity to push forward reforms and restructuring processes and to revitalize the Ukrainian science system in line with shared European values. We therefore plan measures that are designed to help improve the prevailing conditions for research and innovation in Ukraine, (re-)establish research capacities and infrastructures and offer young scientists attractive prospects for staying in or returning to Ukraine.

Four German-Ukrainian Cores of Excellence

The open-topic funding call “Richtlinien für Zuwendungen für den Aufbau Deutsch-Ukrainischer Exzellenzkerne in der Ukraine” (Regulations governing funding for the establishment of German-Ukrainian Cores of Excellence in Ukraine) aims to establish four German-Ukrainian research groups in Ukraine. Excellent Ukrainian scientists and researchers working abroad will have the opportunity to set up working groups to conduct world-class research, in partnership with German research institutions. The intention is to permanently establish centres of scientific excellence that act as important bilateral bridges for cooperation and drive “brain circulation” between both countries. From the twelve blueprints submitted by German-Ukrainian teams, the best four project outlines were selected to receive funding. Starting in June/July 2024, these projects will each receive up to €2.5 million for a maximum four-year implementation phase.

For a united Europe

Ukraine sees its future in Europe, in the EU. Ukraine’s EU candidate status and its association to the Horizon Europe research framework programme open up new prospects for intensifying German-Ukrainian research collaboration. At the same time, the bilateral science cooperation that has developed systematically between Germany and Ukraine will also be beneficial for activities at European level.

Europe supports Ukrainian researchers

In order for Ukraine to benefit from the European association agreements, the Portal ERA4Ukraine was launched on 22 March 2022, in consultation with the member states on the European Research Area and Innovation Committee (ERAC). This portal is designed to serve as a central platform to provide information and support for researchers from Ukraine. More than 125 displaced researchers from Ukraine have already received support from the MSCA4Ukraine fellowship programme, part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, which has a budget of €25 million. A further €10 million have been provided in a second round of funding. Together with the ERC4Ukraine initiative, the European Research Council (ERC) also publishes job opportunities for displaced researchers from Ukraine.

In addition to these initiatives, Ukraine became a full member of the COST funding programme in March 2022, which promotes networking activities between researchers across Europe. Researchers employed at Ukrainian institutions can participate in COST actions and networking activities, irrespective of their physical location.