UNESCO presents an Action Plan for the recovery of the science sector in Ukraine

On July 3, Kyiv hosted the "Science and Innovation for Ukraine's Recovery" conference to present UNESCO's action plan to support Ukraine's scientific ecosystem. It is based, in part, on the results of the Science at Risk project.

The Action Plan is a strategic document to support Ukrainian scientists, restore research infrastructure, and establish science as a key element of the state's post-war recovery. It is based on the results of a study conducted as part of the Science at Risk project.

The study examined the main challenges and needs of Ukrainian science: funding, retention of scientific personnel, state of infrastructure, international cooperation, etc. Based on dozens of in-depth interviews, the study identified problems, potential solutions, and key issues for consideration. 

The research was conducted by Anastasiia Lutsenko, Igor Lyman, Evgen Nikolaev, and Grygoriy Riy.⠀

The action plan, which was formed partly based on the study, was presented by Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Antenna in Ukraine. It provides for a set of measures for 2025-2026, including:

— strengthening the scientific infrastructure;

— support for young researchers;

— development of international scientific cooperation;

— deeper integration of Ukraine into the European and global research space.

Among the speakers at the conference were Oksen Lisovyi, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine; his deputy, Denys Kurbatov; Stanislav Dovgyi, President of the Junior Academy of Sciences; Kyrylo Beskorovayny, co-founder of the Science at Risk project; and others.

The participants discussed key challenges, including the need for stable funding, retaining talent, strengthening institutional capacity, and developing scientific education. They also emphasized the central role of science and innovation in the country's recovery and reconstruction.

UNESCO will continue to work closely with national institutions and international partners to implement the Action Plan and mobilize the support needed to make science a driver of Ukraine's recovery. And Science at Risk will continue to research the state of Ukrainian science, document the stories of scientists during the war, and contribute to developing policies that will ensure the sustainability and development of Ukraine's scientific ecosystem.