Tag: Ukraine

The delegation of the US Embassy in Ukraine, led by Jonas Stewart, Public Affairs Officer at the Public Diplomacy Section, took part in the inauguration of a photo exhibition on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the 1776 Declaration of US Independence. The event opened another chapter in the over 30-year history of cooperation between the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and American institutions.

 

Displayed in the State Polytechnic Museum, the exhibition traces important milestones in the Ukrainian-US partnership, including visits from government officials, among them US Secretaries of State; joint educational and research projects, and laboratories; collaboration with technology companies such as Boeing and Amazon Web Services; as well as meetings with NASA astronauts and prominent scientists, particularly those awarded Kyiv Polytechnic’s honorary doctorates.

 

The American diplomats also toured the exhibition in the Aviation and Astronautics Section of the museum, spoke with students, and recognised the resilience of Kyiv Polytechnic’s staff, who continue advancing science at this challenging time.

 

In addition, representatives of the university administration and the US delegation discussed prospects for the expansion of academic exchanges, the establishment of new research centres, and the modernisation of laboratories.

 

Watch a video for more information about the visit and history of the above cooperation here:

https://youtu.be/V5X_qyzkH7A

Organised by the Centre of Research on Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU), in collaboration with three National Contact Points of the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, a training seminar took place in Kyiv on 30 April 2026. The theme of the seminar was “First Steps towards Participating in Horizon Europe Programme: From Registration to Formulation of Project Concept”.

 

Designed for those just beginning their journey to Horizon Europe, the seminar covered the key stages, from an introduction into the programme to the drafting of a project proposal.

 

The event was held in a hybrid format — online via Zoom and in person in the NASU Grand Conference Hall — which enabled to draw a large attendance, including researchers, educators, and representatives of the innovation sector from various regions of Ukraine.

 

In the opening presentation, Karyna Shakhbazian, Head of the National Contact Point (NCP) for “Legal and Financial Aspects,” gave an overview of the Horizon Europe programme: its structure, types of projects, eligibility criteria and funding. Special attention was paid to opportunities available to Ukrainian institutions.

 

The practice session on the first steps forward to participation was conducted by Maryna Gorokhovatska, expert at the NCP for “Research Infrastructures” and Ukraine’s representative to the EU Programme Committees. The attendees learned how to use the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, how to register an organisation, obtain a 9-digit Participant Identification Code (PIC), define the role of the Legal Entity Appointed Representative (LEAR) in the appointment process on the portal, and search fruitfully for partners. This knowledge and understanding were solidified through practical exercise tips.

 

Sergiy Shukayev (pictured second right) of the NCP for Cluster 5 “Climate, Energy and Mobility,” based at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), provided a presentation on the next stage – developing a project concept. Participants considered how to properly formulate project objectives, propose creative solutions, justify the expected impact and ensure the quality of outcomes.

 

Angela Piatova (pictured second left), Head of the KPI-based NCP for Cluster 5 “Climate, Energy and Mobility,” provided further insights into the structure and requirements of project applications. She detailed the sections of an application, evaluation criteria, common errors and the usual pitfalls. Participants also did a practical exercise to solidify their understanding of the material.

 

The most exacting issues of budgeting were highlighted by Tetiana Popova, Head of the NCP “Legal and Financial Aspects”. She explained the basic principles of cost planning, the structure of the budget, and requirements for sound financial justification, followed by a practice session as well.

 

Giving the seminar’s agenda a plug, Anton Nanavov, Deputy Head of the Research Department for International Affairs at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU), shared the experience to make successful applications for funds from Horizon Europe grant funding. Specifically, he noted that on the average KNU researchers submitted between 45 and 50 applications a year, and 10% of them were successful. By comparison, KPI researchers submit annually some 60 applications, with one in 15 being successful, according to Professor Shukayev.

 

The seminar concluded with a Q&A session, offering participants the opportunity to get individually further clarifications and good tips from the experts.

 

Overall, the event marked an important step in raising awareness among the Ukrainian scientific community in terms of the opportunities offered by Horizon Europe and facilitated their developing practical skills in drawing up competitive project proposals.

When Ukrainian sculptor Serhii Minakov set out to create ‘Into the Future’ – a towering steel artwork featuring a young man and woman inside a globe – he encountered a problem familiar to anyone who has tried to weld complex sculptures: how to make a strong, clean joint when access is possible from only one side.

 

Traditional arc welding works like a charm when a joint can be reached from both sides and any excess metal ground away. Yet for the non-standard junctions typical of sculptural steelwork, that approach is impossible. Conventional brazing – using a lower-melting-point filler metal to bond parts without fully melting them – requires a precise, narrow gap between surfaces, something almost impossible to guarantee across the many angles found in artwork.

 

At present, Dr Yevgenia Chvertko of the Department of Welding Technology at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI) and her colleagues of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine have developed a technique that blends welding and brazing – with results striking both aesthetically and mechanically.

 

The team’s method uses a tungsten inert gas arc to heat the steel rod ends until small pools of molten metal form. A copper-silicon filler wire is then introduced into those pools. The liquid solder mixes with the molten steel, flows into the gap, and crystallises into a joint that is mechanically robust and visually neat, requiring minimal finishing.

 

Tests showed that joints made using the new technique withstood tensile forces of up to 34.3 kilonewtons – around 23% stronger than those produced by applying conventional methods. The mixing of liquid steel and bronze solder creates a composite structure reinforced by steel fibres, accounting for much of the strength gain.

 

The technology has already proven itself in practice. Minakov’s completed sculpture was produced entirely using the new method and selected for the International Institute of Welding’s 2023 Digital Collection Welded Art Photographic Exhibition. For Yevgenia Chvertko and her colleagues, art and engineering have seldom been so seamlessly joined.

 

Watch a two-minute video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKJrS57weLY&t=137s

Held at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI) in late April, IEEE Kyiv Polytechnic Week brought together more than 400 participants from 23 countries. The format of this event included two international technical conferences: the Conference on Electronics and Nanotechnology (ELNANO), and the Conference on Smart Technologies in Power Engineering and Electronics (STEE).

 

The Kyiv Polytechnic’s Faculty of Electronics organised the major scientific event, supported by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) — the global community for technology professionals.

 

IEEE Kyiv Polytechnic Week in facts and figures:

·        Of 238 papers submitted, 143 were selected for the programme of both conferences, each paper being subject to three independent peer reviews.

·        Participants presented their own research in nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, microwave technology, and electronics.

·        Research outcomes will be included in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library, indexed by the Scopus citation database.

 

The event was sponsored by LEM Ukraine, a company with many years experience in supplying and servicing equipment designed for thermal analysis, molecular and atomic spectroscopy.

 

Watch a two-minute video from the event here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3qq6hs5xzI

A Romanian delegation led by Ambrozie-Irineu Darău(pictured right), Minister of Economy, Digitalisation, Entrepreneurship and Tourism; Alexandru Victor Micula, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to Ukraine; and Bogdan Păcurari, Head of the Political Section at the Embassy of Romania in Ukraine, visited the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI) to enter upon a new phase of collaboration.

 

Kyiv Polytechnic has already formed six institutional partnerships with Romanian universities and is involved in joint research projects. This visit marks the beginning of the next phase of cooperation, joining efforts in the new areas of education, research, and technology.

 

It was agreed that double degree programmes would be launched with Romania’s leading universities; Kyiv Polytechnic and its Romanian partners would be working in concert to build joint R&D laboratories; and that researchers, students, and representatives of the business community would join efforts to carry out projects on security, digitalisation, and industrial innovation.

 

In this context, it is important to note that Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute continues to drive talent pipelines and develop leading research in a wide range of disciplines.

 

Watch a video for more information about the new phase of international cooperation here:

https://youtu.be/LwOj13_TGxc

The Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI) hosted the All-Ukrainian scientific conference “The Chornobyl Disaster: Medical, Environmental and Social Consequences, 40 Years On” — one of the major events co-organised by the university in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of this accident.

 

Specifically, Kyiv Polytechnic served as a highly effective platform for meaningful engagement, bringing together nuclear scientists, medical professionals, ecologists, demographers, historians, sociologists, Chornobyl cleanup workers, policymakers, and representatives of the academic community in a globally inclusive, interdisciplinary dialogue. Among those taking part were Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament) and Chairman of the Kyiv Polytechnic’s Supervisory Board; Denys Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine; Viacheslav Bohdanov, First Vice-President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; Halyna Tretiakova, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Veterans’ Rights Protection; and other high-ranking officials.

 

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Yurii Vitrenko, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organisations in Vienna, delivered video messages. The participants focused on reflections on the consequences of the tragic accident at Chornobyl nuclear-power plant, seeking, through shared insights, effective solutions to prevent similar future disasters.

 

Flowers were laid at the monument to Oleksander Lelechenko, a heroic Chornobyl cleanup worker, within the framework of the conference. A graduate of Kyiv Polytechnic, he is a symbol of astonishing courage and professionalism. Serving as deputy chief of the electrical workshop at Chornobyl nuclear-power plant, he prevented a further explosion on the night of the accident, thereby averting an even more tragic end. Oleksander Lelechenko was posthumously conferred with the title Hero of Ukraine.

 

Kyiv Polytechnic played a vital role in dealing with the aftermath of the disaster. In the very first days after the accident, specialists of the Faculty of Chemical Technology developed the mobile technology for cleaning up contaminated water under the guidance of Prof Oleksander Shutko, which enabled its rapid and substantial decontamination.

 

Special thanks are due to the organisers of this well-run and thoughtful event — the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute — for drawing scientific community’s attention to the theme of great national importance.

 

https://iaea.wistia.com/medias/npu19xjr6k

On 20 April 2026, a representative of the International Collaboration Department at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute joined online CESAER’s high-level policy event, “R&I in the next EU budget: investing in Europe’s prosperity and competitiveness,” hosted at the European Parliament.

 

This event placed research and innovation at the centre of the discussion on Europe’s future priorities and investments. It moved beyond a narrow budgetary debate and instead addressed a strategic question: what must Europe invest if it is serious about delivering on its ambitions?

 

In this context, the event examined the case for approximately €220 billion for FP10 as a credible and politically coherent baseline for a European Union seeking to strengthen its competitiveness, prosperity and resilience, as reflected in the draft reports on FP10 by the European Parliament.

 

The discussion explored how research and innovation should be understood not as policy silos, but as a foundational capability underpinning progress across Europe’s key priorities.

 

Participants were also discussing cross-border excellence as a means to pull talent at the European level. They underlined the importance of FP10 capable of functioning as a magnet for talent, including through association with third countries, from a geopolitical perspective.

 

A strong FP10 would therefore be about far more than research policy alone. It would speak to Europe’s capacity to drive economic strength, industrial renewal, security, preparedness, sustainability, public health, digital leadership and societal well-being.

 

According to Manuel Heitor, Professor at Portugal’s Instituto Superior Técnico and Chair of European Commission expert group on the future of the Horizon Europe key funding programme for research and innovation, experts have clearly calculated €220 billion for FP10 to accelerate research and innovation. By comparison, the United States spends some €300 billion more annually for R&D than Europe.

 

“While we debate €175 versus €200 billion at EU level, the real comparison towards global leaders is measured in trillions,” Mattias Björnmalm, Secretary General of the CESAER association (Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research), wrote on LinkedIn. “At times, it feels like we are arguing about how big or small our puddle should be, while a waterfall is roaring just around the corner.”

 

Bertrand Bouchet, CEA (Commissariat à l’énergie atomique) Representative in Brussels, acknowledged Europe’s relatively low capacity to transform research results into commercial innovation as the weakness.

 

Panellists highlighted a transfer to innovation through support for startups under Pillar Three – Innovative Europe. In essence, Europe needs competitiveness based on innovation, increasing productivity, and the high-quality products that could be sold worldwide. In addition, it was pointed out that really guaranteeing the green transition in the digital era can only be feasible with more research and innovation. A more ambitious, integrated approach would boost an increase of 2.6% of GDP by 2035.

 

René Repasi, Member of European Parliament, compared Horizon Europe to one of the shining stars in the world in terms of innovation, thanks to the European Research Council in particular.

 

In conclusion, MEP Hélder Sousa Silva emphasised the need to ensure predictable and sufficient resources for Horizon Europe in consideration of a long-term nature of financing projects.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mattiasbjornmalm_while-we-debate-175-versus-200-billion-ugcPost-7451995544849166336-Zf4B/?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAAAT4658Bx0WxESHlPYprckRFB0DFXBXwuxg&utm_campaign=share_via

 

https://research-matters.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/mheitor-FINAL-text-EP-20april2026.pdf