Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 created an urgent need for research-based knowledge about Ukrainian society, both in Ukraine and in Norway. In response, researchers at OsloMet established UKRAINETT, a network that by now has grown to more than 100 members from various academic institutions across Norway. The network has served as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, while also providing support to Ukrainian scholars who had to flee to Norway.
UKRAINETT+ builds on this foundation, strengthening cooperation with Ukrainian universities and research institutions. The aim is to contribute to knowledge-based reconstruction of Ukraine, while ensuring that Norwegian authorities, business, and civil society gain solid, research-based insights into developments in the country.
The project is coordinated by NIBR at OsloMet, in collaboration with the University of Oslo, Nord University and the University of Bergen, together with Ukrainian partners V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University and Operatyvna Sotsiolohiia in Dnipro.
The project is organised into five main activities:
-Coordination and dissemination: webpage, newsletters, podcasts, and open seminars.
-Annual research conferences in Norway, bringing together Norwegian, Ukrainian, and international scholars.
-Activities in Ukraine, including establishing a Ukrainian branch of the network, press conferences, and podcasts in Ukrainian.
-Support for joint project applications, enabling Ukrainian and Norwegian researchers to compete more successfully for international research funding.
-Roundtables with decision-makers, where researchers present findings directly to ministries, Norad, and other stakeholders.
Through these activities, UKRAINETT PLUS strengthens academic capacity in Ukraine and connects Norwegian researchers more closely with Ukrainian colleagues. The project also ensures that Norway’s substantial support to Ukraine – including the NOK 75 billion Nansen Programme – is informed by solid research-based knowledge.
Most events are organised in hybrid format to allow broad participation, including from Ukrainian researchers unable to travel abroad.
Expected outcomes include:
-strengthened long-term cooperation between Norwegian and Ukrainian researchers
-increased competence and capacity to win international research grants
-more knowledge-based policy in both Norway and Ukraine
-a stronger foundation for Ukraine’s reconstruction and democratic development
The UKRAINETT PLUS network expands the scope of an already established cross-disciplinary Norwegian network for research on Ukraine, UKRAINETT. It establishes and strengthens formalised collaboration with Ukraine-based research institutions and individual researchers as well as with Ukrainian researchers in Norway.
The project consists of five work packages:
WP1 Coordination of UKRAINETT PLUS
This WP consists of the day-to-day coordination of the network and the organisation of a set of activities in Norway and online. It includes maintenance of the network webpage and a Facebook page with updates and information about network activities. The coordinating team will publish a newsletter in Norwegian with updates of coming and past activities, publications and other relevant information. It will facilitate a minimum of 3 - 4 hybrid or digital seminars a year with dissemination of research from Norwegian, Ukrainian and potentially other international scholars.
WP2 Annual UKRAINETT PLUS conference
Three two-day academic research conferences with participation from both Norway and Ukraine are planned during the project period at three universities in different parts of Norway.
WP3 UKRAINETT PLUS Activities in Ukraine
This WP involves the creation and ongoing management of a Ukrainian network branch comprising research institutions and individual scholars in Ukraine, serving as the 'PLUS' component within the UKRAINETT PLUS acronym.
WP4 Support to initiatives for joint project applications
This work package seeks to stimulate the development of joint Norwegian-Ukrainian project proposals to national and international funding agencies by providing small-scale funding for preparing such proposals.
WP5 Round tables with policy makers
This WP consists of a series of round tables with representatives from ministries, Norad and other stakeholders engaged in Ukraine’s rebuilding efforts. Such roundtables will be organized every 6 months during the project period.
