Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic University is at the forefront of European science!

On April 15, representatives of the National Contact Point «Research Infrastructures», established at the Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University, Dmytro Pavlenko and Larysa Tumarchenko, took part in the round table on the activation of Ukraine’s participation in the «Horizon Europe» program, which took place in Kyiv.

The event was opened by Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Denys Kurbatov, who emphasized the strategic importance of participation in the program: submission of applications is planned to be mandatory for all state higher education institutions and included in the key performance indicators (KPI). He also emphasized the need for coordinated interaction between the NCP, program committees, the Ministry of Education and Science, and the Horizon Europe Office.

Among the key issues discussed: the creation of effective project centers at universities as a tool to support scientists in the process of preparing high-quality and competitive applications.

The event was also attended by the Executive Director of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, Olha Polotska, and the representative of the Operations Department of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, Yegor Pyvovarov, who noted Ukraine’s leading position among the associated countries of the program.

The round table presented an analytical report on the results of the activities of the NCP and the Coordination Center, which was presented by Ihor Taranov, Head of the Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine and Coordinator of the NCP network. It is especially pleasing that the activities of the NCP «Research Infrastructures» received a positive assessment, despite the complexity of the direction, which is considered one of the most demanding within the Horizon Europe program.

The NCP team also joined a panel discussion dedicated to strengthening synergy between all stakeholders — the NCP, program committees, the Ministry, and the Coordination Center. During the discussion, participants shared their experiences, outlined current challenges, and suggested ways to improve the effectiveness of the program’s implementation in Ukraine.

Informal communication was an important part of the event. In a relaxed atmosphere, representatives of the NCP and the Horizon Europe Office had the opportunity to exchange ideas, establish new partnerships and discuss ways of further interaction. In particular, during a conversation with the representative of Ukraine in the Research Infrastructures Program Committee, Ms. Maryna Horokhovatska, the participants learned about the possibilities of influencing the formation of future program competitions and submitting their own initiatives.

Participation in the Horizon Europe program is not only access to funding, but also the opportunity to become a full participant in the European Research Area.

We invite scientists to contact the National Research Center «Research Infrastructures» at the Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University for consultations and support in preparing project applications: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfh0WIBTJWlZ2vZAtDwATopYs8ZgRh69Lnodl58XJvKVhFTw/viewform