Today, an agreement was signed between the Governments of Ukraine and the European Union in accordance with the implementation of the EU framework project on scientific research and innovation "Horizon 2020".
The development of an economy built on the connection between scientific research and innovation, as well as "the transfer of scientific ideas from laboratories to the market" - this is the main goal of the project.
This is a very important project not only for Ukraine itself, but also for the EU, because the fund that was allocated for its implementation amounted to about 80 billion euros.
The main directions in the implementation of the project are: increasing the competitiveness of production, the development of ICT, nano- and bio-technologies, new materials science, the space industry, as well as the search for answers to the most acute social challenges in the field of health care, demography, ecology, agriculture and energy industry
It should be noted that participation in the project is not free and involves a contribution calculated according to the country's GDP. In connection with the situation in Ukraine, the European side decided to provide a discount of 95% from the amount of the contribution, as well as the possibility of returning 50% from the remaining amount at the expense of international technical assistance instruments.
As Serhiy Kvit noted, Ukraine's participation in Horizon 2020 will significantly increase the level of involvement of Ukrainian scientists, universities, and research organizations in joint European scientific research, and will also create a basis for structural reforms in the scientific and innovative sphere of Ukraine.
For example, instead of looking for opportunities to work abroad, young Ukrainian scientists and researchers will be able to get powerful scientific resources in Ukraine.