BETA TC promotes a crowdfunding campaign to finance mobility grants for Ukrainian researchers

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, which this Saturday 22 February marks three years, the BETA Technology Centre of the UVic-UCC has been a leading member of the international initiative Science for Ukraine, coordinating actions in Spain to support Ukrainian research staff affected by the conflict. This year, the CT BETA has gone a step further and launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance mobility grants for Ukrainian researchers, with the aim of facilitating their access to academic stays in European institutions and ensuring the continuity of their research. The campaign, which starts this Thursday and will last until June, is being carried out through the Verkami platform and anyone who wants to collaborate can do so through this link.

The Micro Travel Grant offers financial support to Ukrainian scientific staff attending international conferences and events. It provides up to 500 euros to cover travel, accommodation and event registration fees for scientists affiliated with Ukrainian universities. The scholarship programme is organised by Science for Ukraine.

An ongoing commitment to the Ukrainian scientific community.

Since 2022, BETA TC has been a key player in welcoming and supporting Ukrainian researchers, helping them to resume their academic work in a safe environment. In addition to facilitating research stays, the centre has actively participated in initiatives to give visibility to the situation of these professionals and to seek concrete solutions to ensure the continuity of their projects.

With the consolidation of #ScienceForUkraine as an NGO in 2023, the support structure has been strengthened and has made it possible to broaden the scope of its aid actions. This new mobility grants campaign reinforces this commitment and aims to provide new opportunities for the Ukrainian scientific community.

The network that was created two years ago around #ScienceForUkraine succeeded in bringing more than 5,000 potential jobs around the world to the table. Since its launch, it has become a key initiative to support Ukraine’s university and science sector on a global scale.

Over the course of these two years, TC BETA has established direct contact with more than 70 Ukrainian universities in 14 different cities, with the aim of understanding their situation and offering support. In addition to facilitating job opportunities, CT BETA has directly advised a significant group of Ukrainian researchers, connecting them with hundreds of job offers available in Spain and Portugal, as well as in other European countries. This personalised support has been crucial for many scientific professionals affected by the crisis in Ukraine.

Beyond Science for Ukraine

CT BETA’s commitment to the Ukrainian research ecosystem has also translated into the promotion of international research projects with the participation of Ukrainian entities. The centre is currently involved in initiatives such as SURE AMR, a European project to tackle antimicrobial resistance, and Agribiocircularhub, which promotes the circular bioeconomy in the agri-food sector.