The team of the National Erasmus+ Office - Ukraine supports the letter from Serhiy Shkarlet, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine and invite all partners to disseminate it widely!
Dear European Partners!
Dear representatives of the European scientific and educational community!
Dear Colleagues!
We know you are following the terrible events taking place in Ukraine. This year, on February 24, the Russian Federation launched an open aggressive war against the people of Ukraine. During these horrible days, thousands of civilians were killed, hundreds of thousands lost their houses, and millions of our citizens were forced to flee their homes for security. Our cities and towns are under constant missile strikes and shelling. The aggressor is not careful about the targets and destroys our infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, universities and research institutions. Ukrainian educators and scientists defend Ukraine side by side with representatives of other professions and call to cease any cooperation with Russia.
Please remember that Ukraine is fighting for the right to choose its path freely, for European values and for peace in Europe. On February 28, 2022, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a membership application requesting to join the EU pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union.
Ukrainian scientists and innovators, students and educators have been paving their way to the EU for decades, including by participation in the EU programmes Tempus, Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020.
Under the EU's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, 168 Ukrainian organizations have implemented 228 projects totaling over EUR 45 million. At the same time, 29 projects were coordinated directly from Ukraine.
Within the Euratom research and training programme over 2015-2020, 14 Ukrainian organizations implemented 19 projects of EUR 4.71 million worth.
On October 12, 2021, at the 23rd EU-Ukraine Summit, the Agreement on Ukraine’s participation in the Horizon Europe Research & Innovation Framework Programme and the Research and Training Programme of European Atomic Energy Community Euratom. On January 24, 2022, the President of Ukraine submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine a draft law on the ratification of the above-mentioned Agreement. Undoubtedly, this law will be supported by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine once peace and calm are restored in Ukraine.
Ukraine is an active participant in the European Union's Erasmus+ programme for education, training, youth and sport. The Erasmus+ results have a substantial impact on building the capability of higher education institutions to implement reforms based on good European practices, inter alia, development of new curricula, cultivating good university governance, and building stronger cooperation between higher education and society.
Ukrainian universities take part in Erasmus+ actions under Cooperation projects for innovation and exchange of best practice, International Mobility and Jean Monnet projects, etc.
1889 academic mobility projects were supported during 2015-2020 calls involving 202 Ukrainian higher education institutions and in partnership with universities from the EU Member States and other Programme countries. The total EU grant allocated amounts for international mobility projects is over 54 million Euro. More than 17 thousands of students (bachelor, master, PhD) and university staff from Ukrainian and European education institutions are involved in mutual mobility activities. 48 international cooperation projects with EU-grant allocated to the projects amounts to about 43 million Euro are being implemented under Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education Action (КА211) during 2015-2024 involving participants from Ukraine.
All the above testifies to the long-established ties in education and science between Ukraine and the EU, the high level of integration of Ukrainian education and science into the European community.
With this letter, we call the Governments of the EU Member States to support the Ukraine's application to join the EU to complete Ukraine’s long journey towards the European family.
At the same time, we call for every effort to ensure the safety of Ukrainian citizens from deadly Russian airstrikes by closing the sky over Ukraine. This step will prove devotion of the European Partners to human life as the highest social value and commitment to one of the basic European principles.
We sincerely hope for understanding and solidarity with Ukraine and our people at this crucial time for the entire European community.
Yours sincerely, Serhiy Shkarlet
Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine
