The ISC, our Members and the broader scientific community continue to support collaborative efforts for scientists and science displaced due to the war in Ukraine.
Over the past year, the ISC has convened crisis discussions and delivered on actions resulting from broad international scientific community support to build the capacity of scientists and researchers to continue their efforts in their fields of expertise.
On the occasion of the unfortunate anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the International Science Council stands faithful and confident to its mandate to provide a global voice for science. This mission, coupled with the imperative for science to act freely and independently from any influence and manipulation, will continue to ensure the contribution of science to peaceful dialogue and diplomacy at a time of conflicts and crises.
Salvatore Aricò. CEO, International Science Council
Through the ISC’s Committee for Freedom and Responsibility in Science, a number of actions have taken place, including the convening of stakeholders across the globe, and actions through the Council’s Science in Exile project, culminating in a declaration for organizations to sign.
These actions and sentiments are echoed in Nature’s editorial, titled “Rebuilding Ukrainian science can’t wait — here’s how to start.”
One year on from Russia’s invasion, we’re urging the international research community to prioritize support for not only individual researchers and their teams, but also Ukraine’s science system as a whole.
Nature Editorial, 22 February 2023
This is exactly the type of action the ISC and its partners are putting into practice with actionable pathways being set to build capacity for Ukraine’s science system.
In 2022 the ISC and partners – All European Academies (ALLEA), Kristiania University College, and Science for Ukraine – co-hosted the ‘Conference on the Ukraine Crisis: Responses from the European Higher Education and Research Sectors’.
The report of the conference, published in August 2022, included important lessons and recommendations on how to support the science sector in Ukraine and in other countries affected by conflict and disaster.
Second conference on the Ukraine crisis 2023
The ISC and ALLEA will hold a second conference virtual conference on the war in Ukraine and coordinate a response to the issues around scientific collaboration and academic freedom.
“One of the nicer aspects of being an academic is the sense of being part of a global community which can come together for mutual support in a crisis. One year on, we need to reflect on the aid we were able to provide to our colleagues in and from Ukraine, what worked and what didn’t, and learn lessons for future crises. I am proud to work with the ISC and ALLEA on this.”
Luke Drury, ALLEA Vice President and Board Member | Royal Irish Academy
20-21 March | Online
9:00 CET | 08:00 UCT
Read the report
The ISC is collecting various information from the international scientific community on the war in Ukraine on this page. To submit, please contact gabriela.ivan@council.science
Featured: Polish Academy and the US National Academy of Sciences launch effort to help support Ukrainian researchers as they relocate to Poland
The U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the Polish Academy of Sciences have launched a new long-term grant program to support research by Ukrainian scientists. The program was established with the aim of sustaining and eventually rebuilding a healthy research system in Ukraine despite the ongoing war.
Webinar and launch
A call for action to support at-risk, displaced and refugee scientists: Science in Exile declaration launch
Calls for assistance
◾ National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU) has launched a fundraising campaign for grant support for researchers
In early March 2022, 100% of the 2022 grant budget allocated to NRFU was redirected to cover the defense needs. To compensate for these state budget reductions, the NRFU has launched a systematic fundraising strategy asking for contributions. Every contribution, no matter how small or large, will enable the NRFU to continue to deliver direct support to meritorious researchers working in Ukraine, to continue its work to establish world-class competitive research grantmaking in Ukraine’s research system, and to integrate Ukraine into the global research community. Learn more
◾ Council of Young Scientists under the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine:
A recent paper has been published by the young science group requesting calls for assistance.
Offers of assistance
- Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) has launched a joint research programme and is offering an emergency call for applications from Ukrainian researchers
- Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) is organizing emergency accommodation for displaced scientists
- CARA, a lifeline to academics at risk is offering support through a funding directory
- Canada federal research granting agencies support programme
- Government of Canada launches fund to support research trainees from Ukraine
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH)
- European Union and offer of support from European members
- European Fund for Displaced Scientists – An ALLEA-Breakthrough Prize Foundation Partnership to Support Scholars Impacted by the War in Ukraine
- Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) – Host scholarships for the Ukrainian and Russian student community
- l’Académie des sciences, France, has launched a support programme for refugee scientists from Ukraine
- Hungarian Academy of sciences, has launched a support programme and is raising funds
- International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) Relocation Support for Displaced Trainees
- Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) Ukrainian members support group
- National Academy of Science launches effort to help support Ukrainian researchers in Poland
- Polish Academy of Sciences has introduced a new tool supporting cooperation with Ukrainian researchers.
- ScienceForUkraine – listings of paid positions and other forms of support for scholars and students affiliated to an academic institution in Ukraine.
- Swedish support for Ukrainian researchers
- The British Academy and Council for At-Risk Academics set up a new Fellowship for Researchers at Risk. Additionally, there are British Academy/ Cara/ Leverhulme Researchers at Risk Research Support Grants, providing £1,000,000 over five years targeted at providing research support for researchers at risk.
- The Foundation Maison des sciences de l’homme (FMSH) has adapted different existing fellowship programmes to support scholars at risk, and is redeploying its reception facilities in order to respond to the emergency (financial support for mobility, research residency in the centre of Paris, France).
- The Royal Academy of Sciences, Arts, Humanities and Arts of Belgium has created four special Prizes for Ukrainian researchers and artists, or Russian dissidents.
- The U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS), in collaboration with the Polish Academy of Sciences, created a Scientists and Engineers in Exile or Displaced (SEED) program that offers award grants to facilitate the pursuit of research projects by teams of Ukrainian scientists and researchers.
Statements from ISC Members
- Australia, Australian Academy of Science
- Austria, Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW)
- Belgium, Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts of Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ANUBiH)
- Bulgaria, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
- Chile, Chilean Academy of Sciences
- Czech Republic, Czech Academy of Sciences
- Denmark, The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
- European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR)
- European ISC Members Group
- Finnish Academy of Science and Letters
- France, Académie des Sciences and as part of joint G7 Statement
- Georgia, Georgian National Academy of Sciences
- Global Young Academy
- Greece, The Academy of Athens
- Hungary, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and measures to assist displaced Ukrainian scientists
- International Astronomical Union (IAU) (joint statement from the Astronomy community: European Astronomical Society (EAS), International Astronomical Union (IAU), American Astronomical Society (AAS), African Astronomical Society (AfAS), Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA), Korean Astronomical Society (KAS))
- International Cartographic Association (ICA)
- International Commission for Acoustics (ICA)
- International Commission for Optics (ICO)
- International Commission on Illumination (CIE)
- International Federation of Surveyors (FIG)
- International Geographical Union (IGU) and a second statement 7 March
- International Mathematics Union (IMU) – statement 1
- International Mathematics Union (IMU) – statement 2
- International Political Science Association (IPSA)
- International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE)
- International Society for Porous Media (InterPore)
- International Sociological Association (ISA)
- International Statistical Institute (ISI)
- International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR)
- International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB)
- International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS)
- International Union of Crystallography (IUCR)
- International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)
- International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) and International Association of Geodesy
- International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS)
- International Union of History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IUHPST) – Division of History of Science and Technology (DHST)
- International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS)
- International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS)
- International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
- International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP)
- International Union For Quaternary Research
- International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)
- Ireland, Royal Irish Academy (RIA)
- Italy, National Research Council of Italy
- Japan, Science Council of Japan (SCJ) and as part of joint G7 Statement
- Latvia, Latvian Academy of Sciences and second statement supporting ALLEA
- Lithuania. Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
- Lithuania, Lithuanian Academy of Sciences – Appeal to Russian Scientists
- Luxemburg, Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR)
- Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA)
- Mauritius Academy of Science and Technology (MAST)
- Moldova, Academy of Sciences of Moldova & “APPEAL FOR PEACE of the International Scientific Conference on European Platform for Peace”
- New Zealand, Royal Society Te Apārangi
- Montenegro, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts
- Norway, The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
- Poland, Polish Academy of Sciences
- Portugal, Academy of Sciences of Lisbon
- Russia, Russian Academy of Science
- Slovakia, Slovak Academy of Sciences
- Sweden, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
- The Academy of Sciences located in Taipei
- The Netherlands, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Turkey, Science Academy – Bilim Akademisi
- Turkey, Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA)
- Ukraine, National Academy of Sciences, Ukraine
- United Kingdom, The British Academy
- United Kingdom, The Royal Society – as part of joint G7 statement
- United States, National Academy of Sciences – as part of joint G7 statement
- World Anthropological Union (WAU)
Statements from the international scientific community and ISC Affiliated Bodies
- ALLEA (All European Academies) and second statement suspending Russia and Belarus
- Alliance of Science Organizations in Germany
- Committee on Data (CODATA)
- COSPAR – Committee on Outer Space Research
- Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts
- European Platform of Women Scientists (EPWS)
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH)
- INGSA
- InterAcademy Partnership
- International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)
- International Association of Universities (IAU)
- Italy, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei
- International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (IHRN)
- NASEM Committee on Human Rights
- Open letter from Nobel Laureates and Signatories
- Open letter from Russian scientists (In French, English and Russian)
- Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP)
- Scholars at Risk (SAR)
- Science7 (G7), joint statement – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States
- The Japan Association of National Universities is maintaining a list of responses from different Japanese universities.
- World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)
- World Data System
- World Federation of Engineering Organizations
Statements and resources from intergovernmental organizations
- United Nations Resolution (and News Article)
- UNESCO (statement 24 February)
- UNESCO (statement 3 March)
- UNESCO resources
- OECD resources
ISC resources
Advisory notes and statements can be found in the Committee for Freedom and Responsibility in Science repository:
- Advisory note: Procedures for addressing threats to scientific freedom (issued May 2021)
- ISC position on conference and event boycotts (issued May 2021)
- ISC position on visas and online accessibility (issued May 2021)
- Advisory note: Responsibilities for Preventing, Avoiding, and Mitigating Harm to Researchers Undertaking Fieldwork in Risky Settings (issued September 2017).
Disclaimer: Each organization is responsible for the facts and opinions expressed in this content, which are not necessarily those of the ISC or its partner organizations.