Research and education are not a post-war agenda - they are part of Ukraine`s recovery today

It was our privilege to organise the only event at #URC2026 dedicated to research, highter education and innovation.

Together with colleagues from the European Commission, Germany, Poland and Ukraine, we explored how science, universities and international cooperation can contribute to a resilient, competitive and European Ukraine.

One message resonated throughout the discussion: recovery is about people as much as it is about infrastructure. Investing in researchers, students, academic institutions, and evidence-based policymaking is essential for Ukraine's long-term resilience and EU integration.

Several themes stood out:

• Research provides the knowledge needed for informed policymaking: from energy and climate to market reform and EU alignment.
• Capacity building is a long-term investment. Education, student exchange and research cooperation create the next generation of leaders who will shape Ukraine's future.
• Ukraine is not only receiving support, but it is contributing expertise, innovation and experience to European cooperation.
• Science must remain a cornerstone of reconstruction, helping transform today's brain drain into tomorrow's brain circulation.

We were particularly pleased to announce the