Tag: Ukraine

The Centre for International Projects “Euroosvita” has released its 20th edition of the national academic ranking of higher education institutions, Top 200 Ukraine 2026, in accordance with the recommendations of the IREG Observatory on Academic Ranking and Excellence. The Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI) remains among the national elite in third place for two consecutive years, followed by Sumy State University at fourth and Ivan Franko National University of Lviv at fifth.

 

The ranking is based on a set of global and national indicators measuring university performance, including:

·        quality education;

·        scientific research activities;

·        global reputation;

·        innovation potential; and

·        participation in world university rankings and scientific projects.

 

This year’s ranking results reflect Kyiv Polytechnic’s strong and stable leadership among top-tier Ukrainian institutions as well as its high level of educational, scientific and international activities. In fact, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute is steadily strengthening its national and global standing through long-term innovation strategies.

 

https://euroosvita.net/?p=558

Recently, Orla Feely, President of the CESAER association (Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research) and President of University College Dublin (UCD), welcomed Anatolii Melnychenko (pictured left), Rector of the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, and Sergii Garbar, Head of the International Projects Office at Kyiv Polytechnic’s International Collaboration Department, to discuss the strengthening of partnerships.

 

In particular, the meeting focused on fostering resilient research and education ecosystems, as well as sharing expertise and best practices, discussing the future of Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, and strengthening EU–Ukraine cooperation in research, education, and innovation.

 

Reportedly, CESAER looks forward to continuing and strengthening the collaboration with its highly valued Member in Ukraine, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. In a more uncertain and challenging geopolitical context, strong academic alliances such as CESAER are more vital than ever.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/strengthening-partnerships-yesterday-at-share-7475911821858787329-kkFN/?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAAAT4658Bx0WxESHlPYprckRFB0DFXBXwuxg&utm_campaign=copy_link

On 26 June 2026, the International Collaboration Department staff and member of the National Contact Point of Horizon Europe for Cluster 5 “Climate, Energy and Mobility” at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI) joined the webinar organised by the League of European Research Universities (LERU), an association of leading European research-intensive universities that share the values of high-quality teaching within an environment of internationally competitive research.

 

Held under the theme “LERU Talks – AI and research grants: is the system doomed to collapse?”, this event served as a discussion forum connecting the worlds of universities and science policymakers, and bringing this interaction to a wide audience. More than a thousand participants registered for this webinar, showing how timely and important this discussion was.

 

Increasingly advanced AI models are profoundly changing how researchers develop research grant proposals and how reviewers assess them.

 

Two experts of University College London, namely Geraint Rees, Professor of Cognitive Neurology and Vice-Provost for Research, Innovation and Global Engagement, and James Wilsdon, Professor of Research Policy and Executive Director of the Research on Research Institute (RoRI), engaged on questions such as:

·        What kinds of challenges are arising from these developments?

·        Is the grant-funding system due for a complete overhaul?

·        How are universities and funders dealing with these challenges?

 

According to Geraint Rees, AI is seen as something that is running through everything people do, like electricity. Regarding grant applications, he thinks the obvious way to reduce AI usage is to reduce reliance on asynchronous text-based approaches. “What AI can do for researchers is to help them identify potential collaborators, potential teams they might not have thought of,” he said.

 

From his viewpoint, the underlying problem is that there is not a reliable way to detect whether an LLM or a person has written text.

 

James Wilsdon remarked that he would use an AI agent to facilitate the application process and help to develop a meaningful proposal.

 

Looking ahead, Geraint Rees believes future agentic AI models will augment grant office services, extending their reach and capability, rather than replacing them. However, humans with expertise, empathy and agency will always be required in research universities.

 

He also alluded to the fact there are academic disciplines for which AI literally has close to zero use as the output is subpar, and any potential future use predicates on promise that machines would get better. During the discussion, one of the attendees at this virtual event commented that the side effect might be a further marginalisation of Humanities and Social Science disciplines vis-à-vis other, more AI-attuned disciplines. Geraint Rees responded that an alternate perspective would be that Humanities and Social Sciences may become “more important” topics as STEM knowledge is commoditised by LLMs.

 

Special thanks are due to Dr Katrien Maes, LERU Engagement Ambassador / EDI and sustainability specialist, for moderating the discussion.

The Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI) has been named the recipient of the 2026 Organisational Supporting Friend of IEEE Member & Geographic Activities (MGA) Award.

 

This award is provided to those institutions that support the development of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) — the world’s largest technical professional organisation — and encourage its initiatives and volunteerism through their practices.

 

The IEEE recognised Kyiv Polytechnic for 35 years of sustained support to the IEEE and the IEEE Ukraine Section, enabling international conferences, fostering scientific excellence, and advancing IEEE’s mission across Ukraine.

 

The award marks significant international recognition of Kyiv Polytechnic’s role as a university that advances engineering education and science, strengthens academic partnerships, and proudly represents Ukraine on a global technological stage.

 

Congratulations to the entire community of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute on this prestigious international award!

 

https://mga.ieee.org/awards/recipients

On 22 June 2026, Orgalim (Europe’s tech industries) and CESAER (Europe’s universities of science and technology) co-hosted the webinar titled “It takes (Pillar) Two to Tango: Collaborative Research the next Horizon Europe.”

 

Bringing together representatives from industry, academia and the European Commission, including the International Collaboration Department staff and member of the National Contact Point of Horizon Europe for Cluster 5 “Climate, Energy and Mobility” at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), the event served as a platform to discuss the future governance of collaborative research under FP10 and its relationship with the proposed European Competitiveness Fund (ECF). Speakers explored how Europe can strengthen innovation, close the competitiveness gap with global rivals and ensure that excellent research is translated into industrial deployment and societal impact.

 

The webinar commenced with welcome addresses from Ulrich Adam, Director General of Orgalim, and Matthias Björnmalm, Secretary General of CESAER.

 

According to Ulrich Adam, Pillar Two (Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness) is where excellent research can move in step with technological development, industrial needs and ultimately deployment in the market and in society. “At a time when Europe is seeking to strengthen its competitiveness, resilience and technological leadership, a strong and well-funded collaborative research programme is more important than ever,” he said.

 

Matthias Björnmalm emphasised the need for ambitious and well-funded programmes, collaborative research at scale and governance arrangements informed by excellence, expertise and a clear understanding of outcomes. “We are facing growing pressure to close the innovation gap with global competitors while preserving its strengths in excellence, openness and trust,” he observed. “Universities of science and technology play a central role in this effort by generating frontier knowledge, training talent and building long-term capacity through collaboration with industry and society.”

 

Delivering a keynote speech, Manuel Aleixo, Cabinet Expert in the Cabinet of European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva, pointed out that Commission’s proposals for FP10 and the ECF are designed to place research and innovation at the heart of European competitiveness. While maintaining continuity with Horizon Europe, the proposals seek to improve coherence between research, innovation and industrial deployment, helping innovators move more effectively from knowledge creation to market impact. “We are aiming to provide much better possibilities in the innovation-to-investment journey,” he stated.

 

Presenting a joint vision from industry and academia, Laure Dulière, Orgalim Manager for Energy, Climate and Innovation, and Louise Drogoul, Senior Adviser for Innovation and Sustainability at CESAER, highlighted the need for two strong and distinct programmes that would tango. While FP10 should continue supporting collaborative research and innovation, the Competitiveness Fund should help ensure successful deployment and market uptake. The key challenge, they argued, lies in creating an effective interface between the two. They summarised by explaining that the EU needs both programmes: a strong FP10 where innovation and research happen, and a deployment instrument under the Competitiveness Fund that helps bring results to market and that both industry and academia need more coherence, not more confusion. With this in mind, FP10 and the ECF should remain distinct, but they must not be disconnected.

 

Lisa Ericsson, Head of KTH Innovation and CEO of KTH Ventures, believes Europe does not lack excellence, talent or entrepreneurial ambition. From her viewpoint, the challenge lies in scaling innovation and turning breakthrough research into globally competitive companies and value chains. Universities have a critical role to play, not only through research and education but also by creating spin-offs, supporting deep-tech entrepreneurship and strengthening regional innovation ecosystems. “As such, FP10 can be more than a tool for generating knowledge for existing industry and actually support future industries to be created,” she noted.

 

As Magnus Madfors, Ericsson Head of Technical Regulations, put it, “Europe has excellent research and excellent framework programmes but where we fail is in bringing our innovations successfully to market.” Collaborative research remains one of Europe’s strengths, but research alone is not enough. To improve competitiveness, Europe must become better at deploying and scaling the innovations it develops. Research, standardisation, intellectual property, regulation and market uptake must all work together as part of a broader innovation ecosystem.

 

During the discussion, speakers repeatedly stressed the importance of strong stakeholder involvement in programme design and implementation. Industry, universities and research organisations all highlighted the value of being involved early in priority setting, ensuring that future research programmes remain aligned with Europe’s technological, industrial and societal needs.

 

Closing the event, Ulrich Adam underlined both the scale of challenges ahead and the importance of continued collaboration across the research and innovation ecosystem. “A strong Pillar Two, with a stable and ambitious budget and the right governance model, is one of the keys for Europe can address this challenge,” he concluded. “It takes an entire village to raise a child.”

 

The Orgalim team would like to thank Federica Boledi, Orgalim Policy Manager, for moderating the discussion, and its partners at CESAER for their collaboration in organising this event.

 

Watch the full recording of the webinar here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ywJpTUXm4

The second in-person meeting of the Task Force Institutional Analytics of the CESAER association (Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research) took place in Vienna on 1–2 June 2026, kindly hosted by Technische Universität Wien (TU Wien).

 

The meeting brought together colleagues from leading universities of science and technology across Europe, including a representative of the International Collaboration Department and the National Contact Point (NCP) of Horizon Europe for Cluster 5 “Climate, Energy and Mobility” at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, for exchange on key developments in institutional analytics, including rankings, AI, alliances, and next-generation metrics. On 2 June, the programme featured a dedicated workshop on Next Generation Metrics 2.0.

 

Peter Ertl, Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation and International Affairs at TU Wien and Co-Chair of the CESAER Workgroup Dual-use, Defence and Space, welcomed participants and provided brief opening reflections.

 

Peter Elspass, Head of the President’s Staff Department of University Development & Controlling at Leibniz University Hannover and Chair of CESAER Task Force Institutional Analytics, provided an update on the ongoing work. Touko Närhi, Advisor for Benchmark & Higher Education at CESAER, presented the draft position paper on performance assessment of alliances’ work, pending a Board decision. In particular, its proposed principles included added value before output with a focus on what alliances enable that individual universities, bilateral partnerships or short-term projects could not achieve alone. Another proposal called for connecting project-level reporting and monitoring from the outset, building on evidence generated through Erasmus+, FP10, the European Competitiveness Fund, the European Institute of Innovation & Technology, relevant national and regional partnership plans, institutional reporting, and EHESO tools.

 

Wesley Siqueira, QS Product and Research Advisor, gave a presentation on the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability framework and methodology, focusing on current approaches as well as the role and use of AI. His presentation was followed by open discussions with members of the Task Force about data sources, the design of metrics, and challenges in measuring universities’ sustainability performance, among others.

 

During the sixth item on the agenda, “AI in institutional research,” Allan Hanbury, Emanuel Sallinger, and Elisabeth Ackerler of TU Wien gave a presentation themed ‘From static observation to dynamic development: a new approach to shaping a future- and skills-oriented research landscape’.

 

The session then continued with a contribution from Stephan Zimmermann, ETH Zurich, who shared insights into the use of AI-based approaches to connect and analyse different institutional and research-related data sources — moving from static observation to dynamic insights. Addressing major challenges for the graph in the ETH database, he acknowledged that not all courses had a detailed description of their contents, and not all publications contained abstracts. Alexander Nebel, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), provided additional examples from the EPFL approach. The session also featured impressive visualisations that brought the data to life.

 

Jelena Brankovic, Co-Chair of the CoARA Working Group TURN (Thinking Critically about University Rankings Network), gave an online presentation on working group’s activities, and its engagement with rankings. She underlined that today rankings often miss what matters most, particularly community engagement, local impact, and the civic mission of universities.

 

The Next Generation Metrics 2.0 workshop opened the discussion on a possible update of CESAER’s 2020 white paper Next Generation Metrics. The aim was not to review the full report in detail, but to use it as a starting point for identifying what remains relevant, what has changed since 2020, and what kind of follow-up work would be most useful for CESAER members.

 

Participants briefly revisited the main logic of the 2020 report before moving into a scoping discussion on the possible direction, scope and level of ambition of a Next Generation Metrics 2.0 workstream. The discussion helped to identify where CESAER members see the greatest need for updated thinking, better interpretation of metrics, practical guidance or policy messages. “Much has changed since then — in the landscape of AI, alliances, and performance assessment — and there is appetite among members for updated thinking and practical guidance,” Johan Blaus, Senior Advisor on Collaboration and Partnerships at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and Co-Chair of the Task Force, wrote on LinkedIn.

 

It was announced that CESAER Annual Meetings (CAM) 2026 would take place from 21 to 23 October 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal, hosted by Técnico Lisboa.

 

A huge shout-out to TU Wien (Peter Ertl, Christina Kroneder, Karoline Rasl, Elisabeth Schludermann, Silvia Klettner and Sabine Neff-Kolassa) on the warm hospitality — including a memorable, yummy evening at Heuriger Kierlinger in the Viennese hills.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/wesley-siqueira_qsrankings-qswur-sustainability-ugcPost-7467565717438156800-3VYz/?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAAAT4658Bx0WxESHlPYprckRFB0DFXBXwuxg

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/peter-elspa%C3%9F-104537385_thank-you-all-for-this-insightful-meeting-share-7468026657908408320-mBc2/?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAAAT4658Bx0WxESHlPYprckRFB0DFXBXwuxg

Davis Richardson (pictured second right), Founder and CEO of America-Ukraine Strategic Partners, visited the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), together with representatives of the US-Ukraine Business Council.

 

During the meeting, its participants discussed the potential areas of cooperation between Kyiv Polytechnic and American partners, particularly support for innovative startups and technological projects within university’s innovation ecosystem, the launch of joint education, scientific and investment initiatives, as well as the expansion of international partnerships.

 

Special attention was paid to prospects for cooperation with American universities, specifically the University of Texas at Dallas, academic exchange programmes, and the creation of new opportunities for professional networking among budding engineers.

 

Other fields of interest included the exchange of expertise and technologies, the participation of students in international innovation projects, and collaboration with the US technology sector and mainstream investment community.

 

The meeting marked the important first step forward in identifying areas of cooperation and preparing a forthcoming memorandum in terms of partnership.