In this blog post, Maryna Rabinovych and Anne Pintsch summarise the key outcomes and policy recommendations based on a hybrid session on Ukrainian-Nordic research cooperation. The session was co-organized by the University of Agder and Oslo Metropolitan University at the inaugural Carpathian Sea Democracy Week that took place in Truskavets (Lviv region, Ukraine) in April 2024. Inspired by the format of the Norwegian Arendal Week (Arendalsuka) as a democratic meeting place for everyone engaged in societal life, the Carpathian Sea Democracy Week is meant to become a platform for cooperation between Ukrainian and Norwegian central and local authorities, non-government organisations, as well as universities and research institutions.
How Ukraine-Nordic research ties are taking root
Cooperation between Ukrainian and Nordic researchers, universities, and research institutions is highly topical since the challenges of Russia’s invasion and Ukraine’s reconstruction create unprecedented knowledge needs. This primarily relates to social sciences, as decision-makers in Ukraine and the Nordic countries seek evidence to evaluate and modify existing policies and develop new ones. Several examples of such successful cooperation do already exist. Co-creation of knowledge on Ukraine is central to the activities of UKRAINETT – the Norwegian network for research on Ukraine. Research Professor Aadne Aasland from Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) introduced UKRAINETT+ (2024-2026) at the panel. This Research Council of Norway-funded initiative aims to boost Ukraine-focused research, enhance its visibility in Norway, and foster collaborative efforts between Ukrainian and Norwegian academics. UKRAINETT+ will especially emphasise developing connections and joint project applications with Ukrainian universities, particularly through seed funding opportunities. Another example is the HROMADA network on rebuilding Ukraine, which brings together researchers based in the Nordic and Baltic countries, including many forcibly displaced Ukrainians. HROMADA leader and University of Agder Associate Professor Anne Pintsch outlined the network’s dual mission: to equip decision-makers with crucial insights and to cultivate a community of scholars examining Ukraine through multifaceted lenses.
Researching Ukraine during the war
Cooperating with Ukrainian institutions and companies is essential for investigating Ukraine’s most recent societal phenomena and trends. Vladislav Baliychuk and Denys Denysenko, CEO and co-owner respectively of the Kharkiv-based company “Operatyvna Sotsiolohiiya” (“Timely Sociology”), highlighted the viability of the research market in Ukraine amidst the war. Society (24.6 %), politics (16.4 %), and war (15.8%) are the three most popular areas of research commissioned by the company during wartime. Operatyvna Sotsiolohiiya, as well as further for-profit research companies (e.g. Kyiv International Institute of Sociology KIIS, “Democratic Initiatives” Foundation), often support Ukrainian and foreign universities in conducting telephone-based and in-person surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus groups at the government-controlled areas of Ukraine. The generated knowledge is essential for both scholars and practitioners in Ukraine and abroad.
As underlined by Anne Pintsch, who also leads the Research Council of Norway-funded project on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement’s implementation, Ukrainian universities and research entities have proved to be committed and reliable partners despite the extreme circumstances created by the war. She pointed out that international donors should not be excessively concerned about the feasibility of projects involving partners from Ukraine or envisaging research activities there. Her words were echoed by three panel participants: Olena Primierova, Deputy Head of the Department of Finance at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”; Olena Muradyan, Dean of the School of Sociology at V.N. Karazin National University; and Marianna Pyrih, Head of the Scientific Department at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. Speaking from both scholarly and administrative perspectives, these participants gave examples of multiple foreign-funded research and capacity-building projects that continue amidst the war and help Ukrainian universities keep going.
Building capacity through cooperation
Another critical function of Ukrainian-Nordic research collaboration during the war is strengthening the institutional capacities of Ukrainian universities and research entities and the individual capacity of Ukrainian scholars and educators. In the latter vein, Anne Pintsch stressed that project work with Ukrainian scholars as partners may involve a considerable extent of ‘hidden capacity-building’, such as joint work on a theoretical framework or adapting text and data for various presentation formats, such as a research paper, a policy brief, or a blog post. In contrast to capacity-building events, such as method or publication seminars, these efforts are often invisible and not part of the work plan. She thus noted that the calls for Norwegian-Ukrainian joint research projects should include avenues to fund such ‘hidden’ work. Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” (Security Studies Programme) Julia Kazdobina confirmed that collaborating on joint projects has a much more significant impact than simply presenting work at joint conferences.
Challenges to cooperation and the need for flexibility
Drawing from her experience leading a Research Council of Norway-funded project, Anne Pintsch argued that effective Ukrainian-international research partnerships demand flexibility from all parties involved. This includes donors and partners allowing ample time for deliverables and adapting to changing circumstances. In her project, Russia’s shelling of Ukrainian energy infrastructure and the conscription of colleagues to the front have significantly impacted the Ukrainian partners’ ability to work on their research tasks, necessitating changes to the project plan. Oleksandra Deineko, Senior Researcher at OsloMet and Associate Professor at Karazin Kharkiv National University, outlined several further structural obstacles to research in Ukraine. These include safety concerns, transparency issues due to martial law, scholar relocation, and the impacts of stress and trauma.
The Ukrainian academic system differs significantly from its Nordic counterparts, particularly in how research time is allocated. Unlike in Norway, Ukrainian scholars often lack dedicated research hours, meaning their participation in international projects must be squeezed in alongside existing teaching and administrative duties. This workload imbalance highlights a crucial need: Nordic donors, project leaders, and partners must actively negotiate with Ukrainian institutions to ensure their collaborators receive adequate, protected time for research. Without this intervention, Ukrainian participants may struggle to fully engage in joint projects, potentially compromising the quality and depth of collaborative efforts. Another potential cooperation challenge stemming from the peculiarities of the Ukrainian system (and its post-Soviet legacy) is the lack of methodological training in social science education. Julia Kazdobinashared how even a short-term fellowship with the Stockholm Centre for East European Studies helped her gain valuable methodological expertise. A similar opinion was voiced by Olena Primierova, who stressed the value of short, accessible research visits for Ukrainian scholars to Norwegian and other foreign institutions and entities. She stressed that, during the war, short-term research fellowships not only help to advance Ukrainian scholars’ methodological capacity and contribute to genuine exchange, but also address the challenges of stress and traumatisation. Finally, research visits open the doors to much better-equipped libraries for Ukrainian researchers. An alternative solution to the problem of limited availability of academic literature would be to give Ukrainian project partners digital access to Nordic university libraries in the framework of joint projects.
Making Ukrainian voices heard in research and outside academia
Finally, Ukrainian-Nordic research cooperation should emphasise dissemination and cooperation between academia and policy-makers. The subject of dissemination was highlighted by Julia Kazdobina, who stressed the importance of bottom-up perspectives and ensuring the inclusion of Ukrainian voices in all panels, conferences, and policy events on Ukraine. She argued that, due to the war, even academic conferences are often politicised and misused by Russian pro-government scholars to present Russia’s perspectives on Ukraine. She called on Ukrainian scholars to publish more in English to break the Russian lens on Ukraine. Dissemination of research results to policy-makers and cooperation with them serves as a vital means for decolonising Ukrainian academia and broadcasting the voices of Ukrainian academics out into the world.
In her presentation, Oleksandra Deinekoshared her perspectives on Norway’s best collaboration practices between academia and policy-making for Ukraine. The cases she referred to include academics’ engagement in the long-term Nansen programme for supporting Ukraine (2023-2027), multilateral cooperation including municipalities, academic cooperation (e.g. Erasmus+ and UKRAINETT), and many civic initiatives. She underlined the critical importance of supporting relocated Ukrainian researchers, particularly those in Norway, to serve as vital links between cultures and academic communities. These scholars should be empowered to share in-depth knowledge about Ukraine, forge research partnerships, lead collaborative projects, and cultivate multisector alliances involving both Ukrainian and Norwegian actors across various fields.
Coordinated efforts that bridge the gaps between research, policy formulation, and implementation are needed to elevate Ukraine-Nordic research partnerships and contribute meaningfully to Ukraine’s victory and post-war reconstruction. This systematic approach will foster synergies across sectors, maximising the impact of our collaborative work.
Panel contributors (in alphabetical order)
- Aadne Aasland, Leader of UKRAINETT+ funded by the Research Council of Norway, Research Professor at the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, Oslo Metropolitan University
- Vladislav Baliychuk, Chief Executive Officer, Operatyvna Sotsiolohiiya
- Oleksandra Deineko, Senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, Oslo Metropolitan University and Associate Professor at V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
- Denys Denysenko, Сo-owner of Operatyvna Sotsiolohiiya
- Julia Kazdobina, Security Studies Programme Senior Fellow, Ukrainian Prism
- Olena Muradyan, Dean of the School of Sociology, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, UKRAINETT+ co-ordinator in Ukraine
- Anne Pintsch, Leader of HROMADA funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the project “Lowering the Bar? – Compliance Negotiations and the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement” funded by the Research Council of Norway, Associate Professor at the University of Agder
- Olena Primierova, Deputy Head of the Department of Finance, National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” (NaUKMA)
- Marianna Pyrih, Head of the Scientific Department, Ukrainian Catholic University
- Maryna Rabinovych, Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University of Agder in the “Lowering the Bar?”-project (as co-organizer and secretary)
The session was supported by the Research Council of Norway under the projects “Lowering the Bar? – Compliance Negotiations and the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement” (2021-2024, project number 315777) and “UKRAINETT PLUS: Research Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing Norway – Ukraine” (2024-2026, project number 350241).
