Eurodoc Visit to Kyiv: Recovery of Ukraine’s Research and Higher Education Sectors
The European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc), representing over a million early career researchers (ECRs) across Europe, has been invited to Kyiv for three days of meetings with the Ministry of Education and Science, the National Research Foundation, and other national stakeholders. Together with Eurodoc’s President, Sebastian Dahle, and Vice President, Pil Maria Saugmann, they are discussing the critical role of research and education in Ukraine’s democracy and economic recovery.
As the grassroots representatives of the upcoming generation of scientists and researchers in Europe, Eurodoc is calling on the EU to allocate dedicated funding for the recovery of Ukraine’s research and higher education sectors. The current generation of researchers in Ukraine is facing extreme challenges, yet they continue their research and teaching despite difficult circumstances, keeping the universities functioning and playing a central role in educating future doctors, teachers, engineers, researchers, and citizens.
Responding to an invitation from the Young Scientist Council of Ukraine, Sebastian Dahle and Pil Maria Saugmann accepted the opportunity to visit Kyiv to gain an on-site impression of the situation. Eurodoc sees this visit as a crucial chance to highlight the vital role of research and education in democracy and Ukraine’s journey towards becoming a knowledge economy.
During their stay in Kyiv, the Eurodoc representatives will meet with various stakeholders, focusing on three key areas to support Ukrainian academia:
- Support and funding for higher education institutions
- The needs of individual academics and students
- The role of education and research in society
- Eurodoc believes that a sustainable recovery of Ukraine must include a strong higher education sector, and they are determined to advocate for these needs to be addressed at both the institutional and individual levels.
Sebastian Dahle affirms that Eurodoc’s visit is an extension of their efforts to support Ukrainian colleagues and friends since the beginning of the invasion. Despite existing international support and recovery schemes for Ukraine, the higher education sector has not received sufficient attention.
Eurodoc hopes to raise awareness and deliver a crucial message to European policymakers and the public: Ukraine’s higher education sector plays a vital role in the country’s recovery and democracy and deserves the necessary support and funding. It is essential that the EU Recovery Fund takes into account the needs of higher education institutions and researchers in Ukraine to ensure a sustainable recovery.
For further information or inquiries, please contact Hannah Schoch, Eurodoc Secretary, at hannah.schoch@eurodoc.net.
Source: Eurodoc