How should Ukrainian research and universities move forward after the war? Dozens of experts from across Europe and Ukraine gathered in Brno on 17 September to discuss this question. The event brought together academics, researchers, politicians and representatives of funding institutions, and set out concrete steps for mapping and developing Ukraine’s research infrastructure through lectures and panel discussions.
The first part of the conference provided a broad overview of the state of research and higher education in Ukraine. This was followed by the Voice of Ukraine session, where representatives of the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and the researchcommunity described the situation from their perspective and outlined their most pressing needs. The final part focused on initiatives presented by partners of the RIFF project – Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine – highlighting European support for Ukrainian universities and research.
Opening the conference, MU Vice-Rector Radim Polčák welcomed the guests on behalf of the Rector and the university leadership. He thanked the European Commission for its support through the Horizon programme and acknowledged the work of the university teams who organised the event.
Ukrainian research is fighting for the future
The Ukrainian ambassador to the Czech Republic, Vasyl Zvarych, thanked the Czech Republic for its support of Ukrainian science, research and education. In his words, fighting the Russian aggression is not only a war for independence and territorial integrity, but also a war for knowledge, truth and the future of the young generation. He praised the solidarity of the Czech Republic, which gives Ukrainian children and young adults the chance to study, and appreciated the cooperation that has enabled more than 1,500 Ukrainian researchers to continue their work despite the war.
He also mentioned that according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science, over 3,500 schools and universities have been destroyed or damaged. “The reconstruction of Ukraine is not only about repairing bridges and hospitals, but above all about rebuilding the human capital – the minds, institutions and scientific community,” Zvarych said, adding that Ukraine must be fully integrated into the European Research Area and that its future should be green, digital and innovative.
He concluded by reminding the participants that Ukraine is not only a beneficiary of the solidarity of others but also an active contributor to European research and education. “Missiles can destroy buildings, but they cannot destroy knowledge. Bombs can break walls, but they cannot extinguish curiosity,” he said, adding that working as a team and sharing knowledge will make the whole of Europe stronger.
Czech schools help Ukraine preserve knowledge and identity
The fact that the war in Ukraine has affected millions of children and hundreds of schools was also highlighted by the Czech Deputy Education Minister Václav Velčovský. He mentionedthat the Czech Republic has shown its ability to respond quickly by integrating Ukrainian pupils into Czech schools. According to the Deputy Minister, various actors – the state, municipalities, universities and NGOs – have irreplaceable roles in supporting the recovery of Ukraine. The Czech Republic, he said, has proved it is ready to provide long-term support to the Ukrainianstate and its people.
“Since the beginning of the Russian aggression, the Czech Republic has been assisting Ukraine not only in military matters, but also through the ‘soft power’. I think this project and this conference are some of the tools in this category," he said, adding that despite budget constraints, the Czech government recently approved a programme of continuous assistance to Ukraine.
Ukraine and its research live despite the war
Masaryk University Vice-Rector Radim Polčák reminded participants that the very existence of Ukraine and the fact that its research is still ongoing is a small miracle. “Despite huge losses and the destruction of universities, laboratories and schools, Ukrainian science remains alive and active. It is crucial for the academic community in Europe to help maintain scientific capacity within Ukraine – not just through publications and grants, but by creating an environment that allows scientists to remain in the country and contribute to the rebuilding of society.”
Ukrainian research and education are miracles of resilience
The real miracle, Ambassador Zvarych noted, is not only the survival of Ukrainian research but also the very existence of Ukraine, which Russia is trying to erase. “I want to ask you to see Ukrainian researchers in the same way as soldiers – as heroes. They work under extremely difficult conditions and yetthey still achieve results,” he said, reminding the audience that even during the war, education and research remain a priority for the Ukrainian government, which allocates nearly five billion dollars a year to these two areas.
Aid for Ukraine must not wait for the war to end
Jan Mrkvička from the NGO People in Need called for action in the opening session of the conference, stressing that we cannot simply wait for the war to end. People in Need is currently supporting children’s education through “metro schools” in Kharkiv, repairing damaged houses before the onset of winter, helping people displaced from frontline areas in transition centres, and providing psychological support. The NGO also focuses on water, energy and heating – developing smart, decentralised solutions in partnership with the EU to strengthen infrastructural resilience.
It is also helping with economic recovery, including by supporting war veterans to set up businesses. “Over the past year, we have managed to provide support to more than one million people. Most of our local staff of 300 people are Ukrainian, which allows us to work closely with local communities,” he said and concluded his talk by inviting conference participants to visit an exhibition at the event venue that gave insight into the work of People in Need in Ukraine.
The RIFF project
The three-year Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine project has a budget of just under two million euros. It does not focus on building new laboratories but rather on mapping and understanding the Ukrainian research environment. The aim is to identify which teams and disciplines have the most potential, and to develop frameworks and tools to support them in an effective way. “Infrastructure is not just about equipment:it is all about people, their knowledge and expertise,” explained the main conference organiser Ondřej Hradil from Masaryk University.
The project consortium consists of fourteen partners from the European Union and Ukraine, with the involvement of other institutions, including the Ukrainian Ministry of Education. The project seeks an even representation of regions and disciplines to reflect the diverse needs of the whole of Ukraine and has three main objectives: to create an EU-style “map” of Ukrainian research infrastructure, to build a research community, and to strengthen the country’s own research and development capacity. “The project is not only about technical matters but also about community and culture. Its purpose is to create bridges between institutions and people in Europe and Ukraine and help build an environment where researchers learn from each other. I hope that in three years we will have more than just records: I am hoping for a strong network of scientists and institutions that trust each other and work together towards a common future,” concluded Hradil.
Masaryk University has been supporting Ukraine for a long time. After the outbreak of the war, it admitted nearly 500 students from Ukraine under the emergency admission procedure and hired more than a hundred employees from Ukraine. It also organised a donation drive of supplies, a Concert for Ukraine and other support events.