The National Centre for Research and Development

Holding joint bilateral competitions, exchanging knowledge and best practices and promoting the participation of Polish and Ukrainian experts in evaluating applications under competitions organised by both institutions are the main points of the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) and the National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU).

For NCBR this cooperation forms an important part of its new strategy which involves i.a. strengthening NCBR’s international position and constantly extending its range of services in this respect.

“For years, NCBR’s support has contributed to the international recognition of Polish innovations. Our current portfolio features more than 100 international initiatives. I am glad that the National Research Foundation of Ukraine joins the ranks of our major international partners today. It is an opportunity for Polish units to establish new research contacts. For both institutions it also opens up joint access to such projects as Twinning and TAIEX,  assistance instruments addressed at EU neighbourhood countries.”

Wojciech Kamieniecki. PhD Eng., director of the National Center for Research and Development.

NRFU is a national government agency tasked with supporting primary research and development work in the priority areas of science and technology. NRFU was established by the Council of Ministers of Ukraine in early 2018 and is NCBR’s counterpart in Ukraine.

“We are confident that the partnership under the Agreement signed between NRFU and NCBR will be carried out according to the highest standards. We have no doubt that our cooperation will foster a fruitful exchange of know-how and good practices between the top scientific organisations and institutions of Ukraine and Polandas well as tighten  mutual integration of our national research areas.”

Professor Leonid Jatsenko, director of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine.

The NCBR-NRFU MoU has been signed for the period of 5 years. Cooperation may involve nuclear research, novel materials, IT technologies, physics and astronomy, engineering, biotechnology and environmental studies.

The year 2021 features a range of new challenges for NCBR in terms of international cooperation. To be even more effective at supporting scientists and innovators on the international stage, and particularly to implement projects under the Horizon Europe programme, NCBR has already taken a number of significant steps. These include establishing the International Cooperation Office, joining forces with the National Contact Point and opening an Office in Brussels.

NCBR conducts a variety of international cooperation activities. Depending on the type of implemented initiatives it can be divided into: ERA-NET, or partnerships under EU Framework Programmes; other multilateral initiatives; bilateral cooperation; and programmes financed from EEA and Norway Grants. In total, NCBR has joined 102 initiatives, resulting in nearly 1,000 projects with a total funding value in excess of PLN 1.1 billion. NCBR opens an average of 30 calls for proposals annually with a total budget of about PLN 100 million.