The newly established coalition aims to promote concrete steps to support Ukrainian scientists, drive reconstruction and modernization, and reinforce the role of research and innovation in the country’s recovery. With the entire alliance joining as a whole, instead of individual organizations, the German research and higher education sector will have a stronger, coordinated body representing its interests within the international coalition and will, in turn, be able to support the coalition more effectively.
The Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany decided to join the International Coalition for Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine on the basis of the Rome Declaration of Intent for Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine, which was signed at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Rome on July 11, 2025. By signing the declaration, leading European and international players affirmed their shared commitment to strengthening science, research and innovation in Ukraine. Signatories include the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science, the European Commission and the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The new Rome Declaration is closely tied to that of the Ukraine Action Plan published by the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany on June 12, 2024, restating key demands and actions outlined in the plan. The declaration’s international visibility ensures that topics such as research and higher education will remain high on the political agenda at the next URC, which will be held in Poland in 2026.
Goals of the International Coalition for Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine
The goal of the International Coalition for Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine, which emerged from the URC, is to provide targeted support for the reconstruction, modernization and international integration of Ukraine’s science and research system. To achieve this goal, the coalition will develop concrete steps, establish a joint cooperation agenda and initiate a lasting, structured dialogue between Ukraine and its international partners.
Full alliance joins coalition
The prior involvement of the members of the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany has already led to a wide range of collaborative projects and personal contacts, generating valuable synergies. This collaboration was further intensified during talks regarding the intergovernmental agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between Ukraine and Germany today, September 11, 2025, for which representatives of the German and Ukrainian research communities met in Warsaw. Looking ahead to necessary future activities and expectations, the alliance has outlined five goals for its funding and support policies. These are: initiating new thematic and institutional partnerships and sponsorships while expanding on existing ones; ramping up efforts to integrate the Ukrainian science and research sector into the European Research Area, including integrating the Ukrainian diaspora as an important group within international networks; strengthening strategic policy and management expertise; supporting applied research, innovativeness and technology in Ukraine; and building Ukraine-related expertise within the scientific and research community and sharing that expertise in Germany.
Strong signal for the future of Ukrainian science
“The Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany joining the International Coalition for Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine sends a strong international signal: Science and research are being recognized and supported as keys to Ukraine’s social and economic future. Through the Rome Declaration, we are collectively committing to long-term partnerships, structural dialogue and concrete action. For the German science and research community, this creates the opportunity to speak with one voice in shaping matters, take on responsibility, and provide lasting impetus for the future of the Ukrainian research landscape,” says Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and spokesperson for the alliance. By signing the Rome Declaration and establishing the International Coalition for Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine, the players have underscored that research and innovation are crucial for Ukraine’s reconstruction and integration into Europe. The alliance plans to play an active role in supporting and guiding this process.
This article was first published on 11 September by Alliance of Science Organisations.
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