The European Fund for Displaced Scientists Programme (EFDS) was set up to provide financial support for Ukrainian scientists and institutions that have been affected by the war. A total of up to 100 Ukrainian scientists will benefit from the programme.
Last March, ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, announced the launch of the European Fund for Displaced Scientists Programme (EFDS) to assist the Ukrainian scientific community as a response to the ongoing Russian invasion. The programme was set up in partnership with the Breakthrough Prize Foundation who donated USD1.5 million for the launch of the programme.
The EFDS Programme consists of two separate funding lines: Funding Line 1 provides funds to academic institutions within the Council of Europe region that are able to host displaced scholars from Ukraine; Funding Line 2 provides funds to Ukrainian academic institutions for the continuation and/or reinstatement of their scientific operations and research collaborations, as well as to support initiatives that facilitate the reintegration of researchers upon their return to Ukraine. A total of up to 100 Ukrainian scientists will benefit from the EFDS Programme through the combined funding of both lines.
ALLEA President Antonio Loprieno stated that “the remarkably large number of applications received by ALLEA under both funding lines is a clear indication of the need that exists for the EFDS Programme and similar schemes to assist Ukraine’s research community, particularly for institutions within Ukraine to support the country’s effort to maintain its scientific operations and avoid an irreversible loss of talents and skills.”
Under Funding Line 1, financial support was provided to set up new or maintain existing positions for displaced researchers from Ukraine during the war. Institutions were eligible to apply for up to €25,000 for a period of 12 months. ALLEA received a total of 244 applications from 23 countries under this Funding Line, of which 35 beneficiaries were finally selected due to funding limitations. The grants will be distributed to academic institutions from eleven different countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.
The application process took into account the measures planned by the host institutions to avoid brain drain and support the beneficiaries to return and reintegrate into the Ukrainian academic system upon completion of the hosting arrangement. Particular attention was given to scholars from areas that had been most affected by the war or that were under ongoing fire. Priority was also given to scholars who are affiliated with institutions that had to relocate as a result of the war or institutions with heavily damaged research infrastructure, which would make it impossible for them to continue their research work in Ukraine.
Under Funding Line 2, Ukrainian institutions were eligible to apply for up to €75,000 for a period of 12 months. ALLEA received a total of 105 applications from 89 institutions within Ukraine. Of these, 6 applications were selected, which will directly support a total of 64 Ukrainian scientists from both the university and the academy sector to continue their work in Ukraine. Funds will mainly be used to cover the costs of institutional staff and to purchase critical research equipment and materials.
The evaluation and selection process for both funding lines was carried out by an independent selection committee composed by senior officials from international and pan-European scientific institutions representing universities, funding organisations and researchers, including the European Research Council, the European University Association, the Global Young Academy, and Science Europe.
More information about the EFDS programme can be found here.
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About ALLEA
ALLEA is the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, representing more than 50 academies from about 40 countries in Europe. Since its foundation in 1994, ALLEA speaks out on behalf of its members on the European and international stages, promotes science as a global public good, and facilitates scientific collaboration across borders and disciplines.
https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/MicrosoftTeams-image.png12003600ALLEA Secretariathttps://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/allealogo-1-300x83.pngALLEA Secretariat2022-11-01 08:14:372025-12-01 12:58:44ALLEA Announces First Results of Support Programme for Ukrainian Science
The report includes important lessons and recommendations on how to support the science sector in Ukraine and in other countries affected by conflict and disaster.
The report highlights 7 key principles for national governments, multilateral organisations and the global science sector to support the academic system in countries that have been affected by conflict:
RESPONSIBILITY: Governments, the higher education, scientific and research community must work together to deliver their national commitments to recognizing and supporting the right to education and science within their country.
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY: Governments, the higher education, scientific and research community must work together to deliver their national commitments for supporting the participation of at-risk, displaced and refugee scholars and researchers in their home country or a third country if necessary.
OPENNESS: The international scientific and research community should empower conflict-affected science systems with the means to rebuild by adopting the UNESCO recommendation on open science.
INCLUSION: All stakeholders must ensure that programmes and opportunities are designed inclusively to avoid exclusion of specific groups of at-risk, displaced and refugee scholars and researchers based on characteristics such as language, family status, gender, disability, cultural background and psychosocial wellbeing.
MOBILITY: Stakeholders must work together to develop global mechanisms and coordination structures that facilitate secure academic and scientific mobility – to ensure the potential of displaced and refugee scholars and students is not lost.
FLEXIBILITY: All stakeholders must recognize the evolving needs of academics, researchers and students by designing more flexible programmatic and funding models that enable changes in location and allow for both remote and in-person participation.
PREDICTABILITY: Stakeholders must work together to develop sustainable frameworks within and between national scientific, higher education and research systems that enable a more predictable and effective approach to the phases of preparedness, response and rebuilding in the aftermath of conflict or disaster.
The conference brought together over 150 stakeholders from across Europe. Over half of the attendees came from Ukraine, including the Minister of Education and Science for Ukraine, the Honourable Serhiy Shkarlet, who delivered a keynote speech. Participants reflected on the assistance provided to-date for academics, scientists, researchers and students who are at-risk, displaced or refugees as a result of the war in Ukraine, and put forward recommendations for mid- to long-term support, including rebuilding of the higher education and research sectors after conflict.
In launching the report, ALLEA President Antonio Loprieno remarked that “we are now six months into the invasion and there is a real need to remind people that the crisis has not gone away, so the report is very timely.”
https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/wfwdjknwjln.png8572575ALLEA Secretariathttps://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/allealogo-1-300x83.pngALLEA Secretariat2022-09-01 14:18:032025-12-01 12:57:50New Report: Responses from the European Higher Education to the Ukraine Crisis
On 15 June 2022, ALLEA co-organised the online conference ‘The Ukraine Crisis: Responses from the European Higher Education and Research Sectors.’ The event brought together key stakeholders in Europe to address the impact of the war in Ukraine to the country’s academic and scientific sectors.
The conference was organised jointly by ALLEA and Science for Ukraine, Kristiania University College and the International Science Council (ISC). Invited guests included members of the higher education and research sectors, relevant government bodies, funding and donor agencies, and humanitarian organisations. The event also sought to serve as a platform for Ukrainian voices, with many Ukrainian scientists and institutions participating actively throughout the conference and in the subsequent breakout sessions.
The conference was opened with a presentation from the Ukrainian Minister of Education and Science, Serhiy Shkarlet, who outlined the current challenges and prospects facing the Ukrainian academic sector. Minister Shkarlet emphasised the importance of renovating the Ukrainian higher education system and preventing a brain-drain, which could have a long-term detrimental impact on Ukrainian science.
Minister Shkarlet’s presentation was followed by a roundtable discussion composed of Ukrainian displaced scholars who remained in the country, as well as early-career Ukrainian scientists, European and global scientific institutions, NGOs, and the international humanitarian sector. The main topics of discussion included how to best support scientists who stayed in Ukraine, and the importance of finding a balance between short- and long-term strategies. Also covered in the discussion were the immediate needs of Ukraine’s higher education sector, which include critical equipment to continue operations, and technical support to digitalise the education system and transition to an online presence with opportunities for distance learning, joint degrees and affiliations, all of which are needed to remain active through the war.
ALLEA was represented by its Vice President, Professor Luke Drury, who introduced ALLEA’s response to support Ukraine. These include the newly established European Fund for Displaced Scientists (EFDS), which recently launched its call for applications for Funding Line 1, and ALLEA’s participation in drafting a 10-point Action Plan to support the Ukrainian academic system.
The round table was followed by four breakout sessions which aimed to identify solutions and recommendations pertaining to ongoing support and rebuilding of Ukraine, including existing support initiatives, short- and long-term interventions, and lessons learned to respond to similar situations in other regions of the world.
https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/shutterstock_1574573749-scaled.jpg17062560ALLEA Secretariathttps://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/allealogo-1-300x83.pngALLEA Secretariat2022-06-16 11:05:562025-12-01 12:57:05The Ukraine Crisis: Responses from the European Higher Education and Research Sectors
Following a meeting of representatives from various scientific institutions on 2 June 2022 at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, a 10-point Action Plan has been unveiled to help Ukrainian science, both during and after the war.
The main goal of the meeting was to inform relevant stakeholders about ongoing schemes to support the Ukrainian academic system and the members of the scientific community that have been impacted by the war, as well as to coordinate the use of resources in order to allocate them more efficiently.
The Action Plan takes into consideration means to maintain the Ukrainian academic system operating throughout the duration of the war, as well as provisions for the recovery of a post-war Ukraine.
The Action Plan was signed by ALLEA President Antonio Loprieno, and by representatives from the the Polish Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the US Academy of Sciences, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, and the Royal Society of the United Kingdom.
https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/shutterstock_1989694586-scaled.jpg17062560ALLEA Secretariathttps://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/allealogo-1-300x83.pngALLEA Secretariat2022-06-13 18:44:482025-12-01 13:00:41ALLEA Signs 10-Point Action Plan to Support Ukrainian Academic System
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine shocked the world on 24 February 2022, and the humanitarian crisis that hence unfolded, more than 10 million people have been forced to flee their homes, with an estimated 6.5 million internally displaced within Ukraine, and an estimated 4 million fleeing to neighbouring countries, including Poland, Romania, Moldova and Hungary.
Of these neighbouring countries who have received Ukrainian refugees, Poland has received the largest amount, currently estimated at 2.3 million people. Thousands of them are scientists and researchers who have been forced to seek for a safe environment to continue their academic work. The international scientific community has mobilised fast to provide them with immediate assistance. Among them, the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), an ALLEA Member Academy, has set up a support programme with research stays specifically designed for scientists who have been displaced by the war.
“We do feel that systemic solutions are needed at this stage,” says Professor Paweł Rowiński, Vice President of the Polish Academy of Sciences and member of the ALLEA Board. He shares the current experience of the PAS in providing support to displaced scholars.
“The involvement of the civil society, non-governmental organisations and local governments over the last weeks has been impressive.”
Question: Almost 2.3 million refugees have crossed the Ukrainian-Polish border in the last weeks. How would you describe the general situation in Poland in relation to the arrival of Ukrainian refugees?
Paweł Rowiński: The current migration crisis poses a great challenge for Poland. However, the involvement of the civil society, non-governmental organisations and local governments over the last weeks has been impressive. In order to cope with this humanitarian crisis regular citizens have opened up their homes and invited guests from Ukraine to their spare bedrooms or living rooms. In the first weeks of war, when Polish border with Ukraine has been crossed by over 100.000 people daily, many Poles have been serving as ad hoc volunteers, preparing sandwiches or serving home-made soups on railway stations. Now, after over a month of war, the support is becoming more and more professional; however, many activities are still performed by regular citizens on a voluntary basis. We do feel that systemic solutions are needed at this stage.
Q.: Can you share the steps taken by the Polish Academy of Sciences to provide assistance to displaced Ukrainian scholars?
P.R.: On March 1st the Polish Academy of Sciences has signed a new MoU with the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. On the same day, within the framework of this agreement, we have launched a call for proposals to support 3 to 6 month stays of Ukrainian scholars at the Institutes of the PAS. Note that under the umbrella of the PAS operate 70 research institutes. The funding was available to all researchers after their PhD regardless of their nationality, provided that before the war they had been employed at a Ukrainian scientific institution. Our budget allowed us to fund 50 scholars and it ran out within 4 days. We have therefore reached out to all international organisations the PAS is a member of to ask for additional support. We have received positive feedback from many organisations which either made a donation to our programme or waived our membership fees for 2022, allowing us to allocate our contributions to Ukrainian scholars at risk.
Thanks to the support of various institutions (see list below) we were able to support additional 20 scholars. All donations have been used in their entirety to support Ukrainian scholars. Simultaneously, many academies around the world reached out to us with their offers of help. We are truly grateful to our friends and partners around the world for their initiatives supporting Ukrainian scholars at risk. Thanks to our partnership with the National Academies of Sciences from the U.S. we are now able to continue the support scheme for displaced Ukrainian scholars at the PAS.
I need to also emphasize other ways of support. For example, the PAS Conference Centre in Jablonna offered free meals for more than 100 refugees from Ukraine. Our botanical garden and museums offered free access to all Ukrainian citizens. Most of our institutes proposed their own ways of support. Many of them prepared free accommodation for numerous researchers, and some researchers were also offered various kinds of contracts. One of our institutes – the Institute of Low Temperature and Structural Research in Wrocław – is in the process of transferring all the resources of three Ukrainian institutes to its own server in Poland. It will allow B.Verkin Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kharkov, O.Ya. Usikov Institute for Radiophysics and Electronics and Institute of Radio Astronomy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine to continue their operation. Moreover, two serious Ukrainian journals: Journal of Mathematical Physics, Analysis, Geometry and Fizika Nizkikh Temperatur – Low Temperature Physics are continuously issued by that institute in Wroclaw. Plenty of alike initiatives are born in other PAS institutes.
“Right now we need financial support to provide basic living conditions for scholars who have fled Ukraine.”
Q.:Has the PAS received any support from EU-level institutions? Which other scientific organisations have you been collaborating with and how?
P.R.: We did not receive any support from EU-Level institutions. We hope that the EU will follow soon with providing support to all Ukrainian scholars at risk. Many academies set up different support schemes. For example Academia Sinica from Taiwan invited students and scholars from Ukraine for up to 6 month stays in Taiwan while the U.S. National Academy of Sciences has provided additional budget for scholars hosted in the Institutes of the PAS. Thanks to the partnership with our friends from the US. the support scheme launched in cooperation with the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is again operational. We are also promised to receive additional funds from the Polish government but it is yet to materialise and for now we need to wait.
Q.: What type of help is most needed right now, and what would be the best way for the international scientific community to support the actions being taken by the Polish Academy of Sciences?
P.R.: Right now we need financial support to provide basic living conditions for scholars who have fled Ukraine. We have to remember however that many scholars, including male scholars aged between 18-60 years old, cannot leave the country. So we need to find a way to support their work in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian science institutions advocate for remote/online opportunities for their students and staff – open training courses, virtual labs, mentoring programmes, etc.
Q.: Given the current state of affairs, how much longer do you foresee that the PAS will be able to provide this support to scholars displaced by the war?
P.R.: The budget from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences allows to fund ca. 150 stipends for 3 months, or fewer stipends but for longer periods. At this moment in time we are not able to predict when Russia will stop the attack on Ukrainian civilians, schools, universities, hospitals, etc. We have to be ready to support Ukrainian researchers as long as necessary. Not to mention the investments that will have to be made to restore Ukrainian science base after the war.
Q.: What recommendations can you provide from the experience of the PAS to other scientific institutions setting up support schemes for displaced scholars?
P.R.: Stay in touch with the community under threat. Build your programmes in cooperation with the institutions affected by war. Act fast. Focus on people but don’t forget about the infrastructure.
About Paweł Rowiński
Professor Paweł Rowiński holds a degree in mathematics by the University of Warsaw, and doctoral and habilitation degrees in earth sciences with a specialisation in geophysics by the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences.
Professor Rowiński has published more than 170 refereed scientific publications. He serves as Associate Editor for several prominent scientific journals and publications. In 2018 he was elected the Vice Chair of the Europe Division Leadership Team of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research IAHR. Since May 2015, he serves as Vice-President of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
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The following institutions have provided support for the Polish Academy of Sciences to continue assisting scholars in need:
International Astronomical Union
International Centre for Mechanical Sciences
International Geographical Union
Nuclear Physics European Collaboration Committees
International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
International Committee of Historical Sciences
International Union of Forest Research Organization
International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
International Astronautical Federation
International Association of Byzantine Studies
The Alloy Phase Diagram International Commission
Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research
International Federation for Structural Concrete
Permanent International Committee of Linguists
International Institute of Noise Control Engineering
International Numismatic Council
International Union of Nutritional Sciences
International Commission of Military History
International Union of History and Philosophy of Science
ALLEA has partnered with the Breakthrough Prize Foundation to support scholars and scientific institutions impacted by the war in Ukraine, learn more about this initiative here. You can also read about other support schemes by European academies and ALLEA partners on our portal Support for Ukraine.
https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Ukraine-2.png22504000ALLEA Secretariathttps://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/allealogo-1-300x83.pngALLEA Secretariat2022-04-01 13:41:242025-12-01 12:55:49“We Have to Be Ready to Support Ukrainian Researchers as Long as Necessary”
Foundation Dedicates $1.5 Million from a $3 Million Pledge for Impacted Scientists to ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, for Distribution Via European Academic Institutions
The Breakthrough Prize Foundation announced that it is extending its existing partnership with ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, with a donation of funds to support scientists and scientific institutions impacted by the war in Ukraine.
As part of a $3 million fund pledged to this cause, the Foundation will dedicate $1.5 million to ALLEA, who will encourage academic institutions in Europe to apply for funding support to host scientists forced to flee from their homes. ALLEA will also assist affected Ukrainian universities, academies and research institutes in maintaining their operations and rebuilding Ukrainian scientific facilities and research collaborations in a safe, free and independent post-war Ukraine.
The millions of civilians displaced by the conflict already include many scientists, and a number of research centres, including the well-known Kharkiv Physics and Technology Institute, that have also suffered damage.
The programme
The programme, which is set to launch this spring, has two main aims. The first is to provide immediate assistance for scholars who have already left or will soon leave the country, so that they can continue their research in a safe environment. The second aim is to facilitate support to Ukrainian institutions to continue their operations, rebuild their research networks, and foster the return of scientists to Ukraine after the war.
Academic institutions from Council of Europe member states that are accepting Ukrainian refugees will be able to apply for up to one year’s funding support. This will be used to finance new or existing positions for postdoctoral researchers, as well as assistant, associate, or full professors affiliated with Ukrainian institutions. ALLEA will launch a Europe-wide call for these applications and work with its more than 50 member academies to widely disseminate it throughout the European research community.
The program will be spearheaded by an independent selection committee composed of senior officials from science organisations across Europe. This committee will cooperate with the hosting institutions to conduct the selection of applicants and supervise funding decisions to support Ukrainian research institutions.
While assisting scientists displaced outside Ukraine is an urgent task, it is also crucial that relief efforts avoid exacerbating “brain drain” from the country. To this end, the programme will encourage hosting institutions to prepare measures that continue to support their academic guests when it becomes realistic for them to return to their home institutions in Ukraine. To add to these efforts, ALLEA will reserve 20% of the overall programme funds to support actions that help maintain and rebuild Ukrainian scientific facilities after the war, as well as initiatives that foster reintegration of researchers after their return home.
“We are pleased to be working with ALLEA to expedite vital humanitarian relief to scientists displaced by the war in Ukraine,” said Dr. Pete Worden, Executive Chairman of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. “Science is an international endeavor, and we hope that by working together we can make a real difference to our colleagues who have been forced to leave Ukraine.”
“We are very thankful for the generous funding of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation and will work closely with them and European academies to set up a Europe-wide fellowship programme that we hope will motivate more colleagues to take action and help. Science is a community of reason, collaboration, and perseverance. In these dark times, we have the responsibility to join forces and find safe workspaces for scholars fleeing from Ukraine and support them to thrive and continue their research without harm and fear,” said Professor Antonio Loprieno, President of ALLEA.
Further details about the funding will be soon available at:
The $1.5 million donation to support this programme is a new initiative in the ongoing partnership between the Breakthrough Prize and ALLEA which pursues their shared goal of promoting science. Each year, ALLEA helps to facilitate nominations for the annual Breakthrough Prize among its members.
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About the Breakthrough Prize Foundation
The Breakthrough Prize Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing the world’s great scientists, advancing cutting-edge scientific research, and helping to create a knowledge culture in which everybody, especially the next generation, can be inspired by the big questions of science.
The Breakthrough Prize recognizes the world’s top scientists in the fields of Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics and Mathematics. Each prize is $3 million. The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is an annual global video competition for students to inspire creative thinking about science.
ALLEA is the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, representing more than 50 academies from over 40 countries in Europe. Since its foundation in 1994, ALLEA speaks out on behalf of its members on the European and international stages, promotes science as a global public good, and facilitates scientific collaboration across borders and disciplines. Jointly with its Member Academies, ALLEA works towards improving the conditions for research, providing the best independent and interdisciplinary science advice, and strengthening the role of science in society. In doing so, it channels the intellectual excellence and experience of European academies for the benefit of the research community, decision-makers and the public.
https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/european-fund-displaced-scientists.png4001200ALLEA Secretariathttps://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/allealogo-1-300x83.pngALLEA Secretariat2022-03-31 12:55:582025-12-01 12:56:18Breakthrough Prize Foundation Partners with ALLEA To Support Scientists Forced to Leave Ukraine
Today, the ALLEA Presidency has released a statement in support of Ukraine, its citizens and academics. The statement is a response to the ongoing military incursion by Russia into the country. ALLEA expresses its deep concern for the safety of our academic colleagues.
ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, reacts with shock and deep regret to the military incursion by Russia into Ukraine. We call on the Russian government to respect the international conventions on the protection of civilians and cultural artefacts and express our deep concern for the safety of our academic colleagues.
https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Statement-Ukraine.jpg7311317ALLEA Secretariathttps://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/allealogo-1-300x83.pngALLEA Secretariat2022-02-25 17:46:322025-12-01 12:59:36Statement in Support of Ukraine, its Citizens and Academics
