UK-Ukraine ResearchBridge Conference: Accelerating Reconstruction through Science & Innovation

Bringing together researchers, policymakers and institutional leaders from across the UK and Ukraine, the event explored the vital role of research and innovation partnerships at a pivotal moment for both nations.

The day opened with keynote reflections on the importance of UK–Ukraine collaboration, with contributions from Julie Maxton (The Royal Society), Chris Johnson (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology), Oleksandr Bornyakov (Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine), Denys Kurbatov (Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine), and William Lovegrove (Strategic Innovation Partnerships, UCL).

Sessions throughout the day highlighted institutional perspectives on building partnerships in digital innovation, reconstruction, and research collaboration alongside project showcases demonstrating the benefits of joint UK–Ukraine initiatives spanning MedTech, clean energy, and green recovery.

A system-level roundtable identified opportunities, gaps, and priorities to strengthen collaboration, followed by practical guidance on funding and policy mechanisms, including Horizon Europe, to support scale and sustainability.

We extend our sincere thanks to all speakers, chairs, and participants for their insight, engagement, and commitment to advancing meaningful UK–Ukraine collaboration.

Learn more about how this project connects impact, research, and innovation between our nations at UK–Ukraine ResearchBridge | UCL Grand Challenges - UCL – University College London 
For partnership opportunities, contact: Danna Karayeva at Ukraine@ucl.ac.uk