On July 31, Kropyvnytskyi city hosted the second day of the information event ‘Grant opportunities of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine and support tools within the Horizon Europe Programme’ organized by the National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU). The event was a logical continuation of an active dialogue between representatives of the Ukrainian scientific community, government, research and innovation sectors on the effective use of available domestic and international funding opportunities.
Specialists of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine department of the NRFU provided detailed information on current calls of the Horizon Europe Programme, paying special attention to the priority research areas and typical challenges faced by Ukrainian applicants. In particular, a practical tour of the Funding and Tenders Portal was conducted, which is the main tool for searching for calls for proposals and submitting project applications under the Programme. Participants received step-by-step recommendations on how to navigate the platform, search for relevant calls, prepare project proposals and form consortia.
The speakers paid special attention to the substantive analysis of the key areas of the Horizon Europe Programme, such as Cluster 1 Health, Cluster 4 Digitalization, Industry and Space, Cluster 5 Climate, Energy and Mobility, as well as EU Missions such as Cancer, Climate Neutral and Smart Cities, Restore our Ocean and Waters, and Adaptation to Climate Change.
In the second part of the event, experts of the NRFU were focused on the national opportunities for researchers, in particular, they were informed about the peculiarities of participating in calls for proposals of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine. They discussed the organizational and legal aspects of applying, the stages of competitive selection, project evaluation criteria, and grant support during the implementation phase.
The event aroused great interest among the participants, who actively participated in the discussions, asked numerous questions and received comprehensive and professional answers. Such interest demonstrates the growing need of Ukrainian researchers for quality information and methodological support in attracting grant funding.
At the end of the event, Igor Taranov, Head of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine, thanked all participants for their activity and wished them success in preparing and submitting project applications and winning the grants.
Informal networking took place at the end of the meeting, during which participants had the opportunity to discuss specific challenges in grant management, establish professional contacts, and share their own experience of participating in calls for proposals.
National Research Foundation of Ukraine held an information event in Kropyvnytskyi: Day 1
On July 30-31, 2025, the National Research Foundation of Ukraine held an on-site information event ‘Grant opportunities of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine and support tools within the Horizon Europe Programme’. This time, the event took place in the Kropyvnytskyi city and gathered about 150 participants who joined both in person and online.
The event was opened by Olga Polotska, Executive Director of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, who welcomed the audience and thanked everyone for their interest in the programs supporting research and innovation. Serhiy Sheremet, Deputy Head of the Kirovohrad Regional Military Administration, also made a welcoming speech. He emphasized the importance of such events for Ukrainian scientists, researchers, and innovators who continue to work and develop their ideas despite the difficult circumstances. Yehor Pyvovarov, Policy Officer for Research and Innovation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, concluded the welcoming remarks by wishing participants an productive work, new acquaintances and joint projects.
The Agenda of the first day was rich and informative. In the first part, the participants were introduced to the main aspects of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, the opportunities offered by the Horizon Europe Programme for Ukrainian researchers, as well as the activities of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine at the NRFU. The European Research Council (ERC), an important instrument for supporting basic research under the Programme, was presented separately.
In the second part of the event, the speakers focused on topical issues, including the NRFU’s strategy for open science, legal and financial aspects of participation in the Horizon Europe Programme, the WIDERA component, Cluster 3 “‘Civil Security for Society’, and grant opportunities for business. Representatives of the NRFU’s Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine presented in detail the mechanisms for attracting Ukrainian participants to the Programme, drawing attention to the practical aspects of project submission and partnerships.
The event was aimed at a wide audience: representatives of higher education institutions, research institutions, small and medium-sized businesses, government agencies and non-governmental organizations. At the end of the day, an active Q&A session and networking between the participants and Office’s specialists took place, which created additional opportunities for sharing experiences and establishing new contacts.
NRFU and Science Europe combine efforts to develop the research ecosystem in Ukraine
The National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU) and the European association Science Europe have announced the launch the series of online webinars, which will take place from September 2025 to February 2026. The initiative aims to support the Ukrainian scientific community, Ukraine’s research ecosystem, and strengthen the capacity to manage innovative projects in the context of post-war reconstruction.
Since the start of the full-scale war, members of Science Europe have been systematically supporting Ukraine, particularly in the field of science and innovation. The new series of webinars is a logical continuation of the partnership with the NFRU, which aims to introduce modern approaches to science management and develop research infrastructure.
The planned webinars will cover three strategically important areas:
Ensuring a good balance between bottom-up calls, mainly for basic research projects, and top-down calls for applied research projects.
Developing and implementing effective monitoring tools within the project life-cycle and beyond with an emphasis on the (potential) impact of the project.
Practices and policies that integrate Open Science principles into both evaluation procedures and project implementation.
Webinar dates:
September 19, 2025 –Balancing bottom-up and top-down research funding
November 25, 2025 – Developing and implementing monitoring tools for R&D projects
February 20, 2026 – Open Science policies and practices of research funding organisations
All webinars will be held online from 10:00 to 11:30 Central European Time (11:00-12:30 Kyiv time). To participate in the webinars, please fill out the registration form.
The language of the webinars is English (simultaneous translation will be provided).
On July 24, 2025, an online training webinar was held on the opportunities for participating in Horizon Europe calls for proposals in the context of the Hop-On Facility call. The event was organized by Olga Sulema, head of the national contact point for the Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area (WIDERA), together with the Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine.
Nataliia Didenko, Deputy Head of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine, addressed the participants with a welcoming speech. She noted that Hop-On is an effective tool for expanding the participation of Ukrainian organizations in international projects, and the webinar is a great opportunity to learn more about its mechanisms and practical application.
During the webinar, participants were provided with detailed information about the Hop-On Facility call, which allows institutions from widening countries, including Ukraine, to join already funded projects under the Horizon Europe Programme. The speaker talked about the conditions for participation, the application procedure, the evaluation criteria, and the potential benefits for Ukrainian participants. Particular attention was paid to the scientific or innovative contribution that a new consortium member must demonstrate in order to become a full partner in an existing project.
The webinar aroused interest among representatives of the scientific community and became another step towards Ukraine’s more active integration into the European research area.
European Innovation Council to provide €20 million to support Ukrainian deep-tech startups
Department Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine of the NRFU informs that the European Innovation Council (EIC) has announced the launch of a new call for Ukrainian start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises in the field of high technology (Support for the Ukrainian tech SMEs and start-ups (HORIZON-EIC-2025-UKRAINIANTECH-01). EUR 20 million will be allocated to support the development of breakthrough technologies in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, cybersecurity, etc.
The funding is a continuation of Seeds of Bravery initiative and is aimed at supporting companies that are ready to scale up and enter European markets (from TRL 4 to TRL 6-7). SMEs will be able to receive grants of up to €500,000 to bring their developments to the stage of practical application. Special attention will be paid to start-ups led by women.
The application process will start on 12 August, with a deadline of 26 November 2025.
On 17 July 2025, Kyiv hosted the international meeting ‘Global Ukrainians: Challenges and Opportunities’, a large-scale event that brought together Ukrainian leaders from around the world, representatives of government agencies, diplomatic missions, international organisations and civil society. The event became an open platform for discussing the challenges faced by Ukrainians abroad and identifying new opportunities for strengthening cooperation between the diaspora and Ukraine. The event was held in a hybrid format – with offline participation in Kyiv and online broadcasting, which ensured the involvement of an even wider range of participants from different countries.
The forum was attended by Ukrainian MPs, government officials, heads of institutions, representatives of international organisations, Ukrainian communities abroad, as well as activists, entrepreneurs and experts implementing significant initiatives in their countries.
The programme of the meeting was built around three key thematic blocks:
‘Global Ukrainians: Challenges and Opportunities for Interaction with the State’ – discussion of effective models of cooperation between Ukraine and the diaspora, mechanisms for involving Ukrainians from abroad in the process of rebuilding the state.
‘Ukrainian Women of the World: Those Who Stayed and Supported, and Those Who Returned and Created’ – stories of women’s leadership, social entrepreneurship and examples of resilience in the face of war.
‘Opportunities for Ukrainian Women in the Public and Business Sector’ – a discussion on new tools, support programmes, funding for initiatives and involvement of women in active community development.
In the third section, Igor Taranov, Head of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine at the NRFU, joined the discussion. In his speech, he presented to the participants the wide range of opportunities offered by the Horizon Europe Programme for representatives of the public and business sectors, including participation in international projects, research consortia, start-up initiatives, and cross-sectoral cooperation. It was emphasised that the Programme is not only for researchers – it is also available to activists, entrepreneurs, innovators working to address current social and technological challenges.
The event aroused great interest among the participants and became an opportunity to establish new partnerships, share experiences and jointly find solutions to help overcome the challenges of war, migration, integration and state reconstruction.
The meeting was organised by the World Ukrainians Association and the International Staff for Assistance to Ukrainians, with the support of the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights and the Business Woman Club.
The European Commission held a training on the preparation of applications for participation in the Horizon Europe Programme
On 7, 9 and 11 July 2025, a three-day Horizon Europe Proposal Writing Camp for Ukraine, organised by the European Commission as part of the Service Facility in Support of the Global Approach to Research and Innovation, took place online.
The training was attended by 44 participants from Ukraine, who were selected by the European Commission on a competitive basis among 237 applicants. The event was also attended by representatives of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine of the NRFU.
The purpose of the training was to introduce the key principles of preparing successful project proposals for Horizon Europe calls, in particular, in the sections on Excellence, Impact and Implementation.
The training also covered the following topics:
general overview of the Horizon Europe Programme;
how to analyse call for proposals;
requirements for the Excellence, Impact and Implementation sections;
preparation of the impact section and description of measures to maximise it;
budgeting: eligible costs and calculations for individual work packages;
presentation of project budgets and discussion.
The training programme combined theoretical sessions with practical exercises. Participants worked in groups under the mentorship of experienced trainers, working through examples of competitions and developing project proposals in response to real-world challenges.
The training was part of the European Commission’s support for Ukrainian researchers as part of its Global Approach to Cooperation in Research and Innovation.
Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine expands international cooperation: a meeting with the NCPs of the Republic of Lithuania
On 8 July, the team of the Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine held an online meeting with representatives of the National Contact Points (NCPs) of the Republic of Lithuania. The meeting was an important step in establishing international partnership and strengthening cooperation within the framework of the Horizon Europe Programme.
During the meeting, the parties presented their activities and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and Lithuania. In particular, attention was focused on the following opportunities:
joint participation in Horizon Europe calls for proposals, in particular in the MSCA and WIDERA components;
development of new research areas and thematic priorities;
promotion of research results at the national and European levels;
organisation of joint events with the participation of Ukrainian and Lithuanian researchers;
interaction between the NCPs of both countries for effective support of scientists;
search for partners to form consortia;
coverage of successful cases of Ukrainian-Lithuanian cooperation.
The partnership between Ukraine and Lithuania offers unique opportunities to strengthen the research potential of both countries. Due to geographical, cultural and academic proximity, as well as common priorities in research and innovation, cooperation within the Horizon Europe Programme has great potential. Lithuania, as an EU member state, ensures deep integration into the European scientific community, while Ukraine, as an associated country, demonstrates a high level of interest in developing innovations and engaging in international projects.
The meeting was held in an atmosphere of open dialogue and constructive exchange of ideas. Both sides expressed their readiness to further develop cooperation by promoting the active involvement of Ukrainian and Lithuanian researchers in the Horizon Europe Programme.
Specialists of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine of the NRFU joined the training for the NCP
On 8 July 2025, an online training for the Ukrainian network of National Contact Points (NCPs) of the Horizon Europe Programme – Horizon Europe NCP Training Ukraine – took place. The event was organised by the European Commission within the framework of the Service Facility in Support of the Global Approach to Research and Innovation specifically for representatives of Ukrainian NCPs.
The training was aimed at raising the professional level and developing the competences of the national contact points, as well as strengthening their capacity to provide high-quality advisory support to potential participants and applicants of the Horizon Europe Programme from Ukraine.
The participants were welcomed by Frederik Sondergaard, Project Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, and Igor Taranov, Head of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine at the NRFU.
The event was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which underscores the importance of inter-institutional cooperation in the implementation of the Programme’s instruments in Ukraine.
The training was conducted by experienced experts: Manfred Spiesberger (CSI), Matthias Wurch (GSF), Sander van der Molen (Civitta).
During the training, the participants got acquainted with:
key information resources for the effective work of the NCP;
practical advice on promoting the Programme and advising potential applicants;
new opportunities for Ukrainian organisations within Horizon Europe.
Particular attention was paid to practical exercises in groups, during which participants worked out real-life scenarios of consulting and searching for suitable calls for proposals.
The final part of the training was devoted to a question and answer session, where participants were able to ask specific questions to the experts, discuss challenges in the work of the NCP and share their experiences.
Representatives of the NCP network highly appreciated the level of the event and expressed interest in continuing this type of training.
The training will contribute to deepening awareness of the European Commission’s support instruments, expanding international cooperation and strengthening the role of the NCPs in supporting Ukrainian applicants for participation in the Horizon Europe Programme.
Specialists of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine of the NRFU continue to provide online consultations on participation in the Horizon Europe Programme
On 07 July, specialists of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine of the NRFU held an online consultation for Myron Kapral, head of the Lviv branch of the M.S. Hrushevsky Institute of Ukrainian Archaeography and Source Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. At the beginning of the meeting, the parties traditionally introduced themselves and Mr. Myron described the scope of his research interests and concerns.
The enquirer was interested in issues related to applying for European Research Council (ERC) grants, namely the requirements that affect the evaluation of applications by experts (in particular, ethical criteria, risk assessment, etc.), as well as financial issues (researchers’ remuneration rates, features of the LUMP SUM funding scheme, etc.)
As a result, Office’s specialists provided answers to the inquirer’s questions, described in detail the stages of evaluation of the submitted application, as well as the specifics of the application budget.
We would like to inform you that Office provides online and offline consultations upon request. To agree on the consultation, official requests should be sent to the email address of Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine of the NRFU: horizoneurope.info@nrfu.org.ua.
Accept use of optional cookies to offer you a better browsing experience?
