University of Vienna hosted the 1st Ukrainian–European Science Diplomacy Forum

University of Vienna hosted the 1st Ukrainian–European Science Diplomacy Forum

 

For the first time, senior representatives of the Ukrainian government, the European Commission, UNESCO, national research foundations, major European research organisations, funding agencies, leading universities, and Ukrainian science diaspora networks convened at the University of Vienna to advance a shared agenda on science diplomacy, recovery, resilience, and international research cooperation.

Held on 12 March 2026, the 1st Ukrainian–European Science Diplomacy Forum brought together more than 100 participants from 12 countries and over 60 academic, governmental, and international institutions, marking one of the most comprehensive high-level gatherings dedicated to strengthening scientific cooperation between Ukraine and Europe.

The event took place against the backdrop of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, which has caused significant disruption to the country’s research system. Universities have been damaged, laboratories relocated, and many scholars forced to continue their work abroad. At the same time, Ukrainian academics — both those who remained in the country and those working across Europe — have sustained research activity and institutional cooperation, developing new international partnerships and diaspora-driven scientific networks. The Forum demonstrated how these crisis-driven collaborations are evolving into a structured model of science diplomacy, positioning Ukraine not only as a country rebuilding its research infrastructure but also as an active contributor to Europe’s knowledge ecosystem.

The Forum was organised by the Ukrainian Science Diaspora in Austria (USciDA) in partnership with European and Ukrainian institutions under the leadership of Dr. Oleksandra Romaniuk (Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, University of Vienna) as Chair and Dr. Oksana Illnar-Vusyk (Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna) as Co-Chair, with Dr. Khrystyna Levchenko (Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna) as a member of the organising team. The initiative reflects the ongoing engagement of University of Vienna scholars in strengthening European–Ukrainian academic cooperation and supporting sustainable research partnerships.

Why Science Diplomacy Matters for Ukraine: Institutional Perspectives

The official opening featured high-level institutional representatives, including H.E. Vasyl Khymynets, Ambassador of Ukraine to Austria; Alexander Wojda, Head of Department for Scientific Cooperation at the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs; Martina Schubert, Deputy Director of the Vienna School of International Studies; Rainhard Kloucek, President of Paneuropa Austria; and Alfred Praus, President of the Ukrainian–Austrian Association.

This was followed by a session bringing together key actors shaping Ukraine’s research and innovation landscape. Contributions included Denys Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine; Olga Polotska, Executive Director of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine; Yurii Petrushenko, representing the President of Ukraine’s Fund for the Support of Education, Science and Sports; and Oleksandra Antoniuk, Chair of the Scientific Committee of the National Council for the Development of Science and Technology.

The European and international dimension was reflected in contributions by Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Antenna in Kyiv, and Jan Marco Müller from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, highlighting the multilateral frameworks supporting Ukraine’s integration into the European Research Area.

Three Panels, One Shared Agenda

The programme combined institutional perspectives with three thematic panels addressing key dimensions of European–Ukrainian scientific cooperation: the Ukrainian Science Diaspora as a strategic bridge in Europe; multilateral science diplomacy and global research alliances; and scientific cooperation across diplomacy, heritage, arts, and culture.

The first panel brought together leaders of Ukrainian science diaspora networks from across Europe — including representatives from Austria, Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland — reflecting the growing organisational reach of a community that now comprises 17 networks across Europe.

The second panel focused on multilateral scientific cooperation and featured representatives of major European research and policy institutions, including the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, IIASA, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Austrian Federal Ministry for Women, Science and Research, the DLR Project Management Agency, and the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance.

The third panel addressed scientific cooperation across diplomacy, heritage, arts, and culture, bringing together scholars and institutional representatives from KU Leuven, the Vienna School of International Studies, the University of Krems, the University of Vienna, the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM), the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, and the Ukrainian Science Diaspora in Austria.

From Dialogue to Policy

Beyond discussion, the Forum has already moved into an implementation phase. A dedicated working group of Ukrainian and European scholars formed during the event has begun developing two policy briefs on science diplomacy and EU–Ukraine research cooperation. The group is currently drafting concrete recommendations aimed at strengthening institutional collaboration, supporting displaced researchers, and advancing Ukraine’s integration into the European Research Area.

Further information:

- Forum Folder with programme and speakers (pdf)

- Press release (pdf)

- Forum Website https://uscida.at/forum/

 

Contact:

Dr. Oleksandra Romaniuk is an Elise-Richter Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Vienna and Principal Investigator of a FWF-funded project affiliated with the Department of English and American Studies. She received her PhD in Applied Linguistics from South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University (2015), later nostrified by the University of Vienna (2024)