Three Polish-Ukrainian research projects were awarded in the fifth call of the FOR UKRAINE programme organized by the Foundation for Polish Science. Each project received funding of over PLN 268,000.
The aim of the FOR UKRAINE programme is to support scholars from Ukraine and Poland in establishing cooperation and jointly implementing projects in the humanities and social sciences that are of significant importance to both countries.
The winners of the fifth competition are:
- Dr Małgorzata Łukianow (University of Warsaw) and Dr Kristina But (Boris Grinchenko University of Kyiv), who will carry out a project entitled “Making memory in times of War”. Its aim is to examine how the inhabitants of Ukraine create their own ways of commemorating the war, both in public spaces and on the internet. The authors want to see how such practices not only honour the victims, but also become a form of building social resilience. The analysis covers the period from the first days of the invasion, with particular emphasis on the consequences of the crimes in Bucha and Irpin, to the third anniversary of the war. The project thus contributes to broader debates on collective memory and the role of digital participation in conflict zones, highlighting grassroots memory practices as an important aspect of civil society.
- Prof. Maciej Serowaniec (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń) and Dr Volodymyr Venher (National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA)), who will implement a project entitled “Reforming Parliamentary Service for Enhanced Governance and European Integration: A Comparative Study of Ukraine and Poland”. The aim of the project is to conduct comparative research on the functioning of the administrative and expert support services of parliaments in Poland and Ukraine. The analyses will lead to the development of solutions that enable parliaments to operatein a modern, transparent and effective manner, benefiting both citizens and the quality of the legislative process.
- Dr Tomasz Kosiek (University of Rzeszów) and Dr Tina Polek (Kyiv School of Economics), who, as part of the project entitled “Climate Change on the Polish-Ukrainian Borderland: Everyday Strategies and (Un)Resilience from an Anthropological Perspective”’ will examine the experiences and practices of local communities on the Polish-Ukrainian border in the face of the climate crisis. The authors will focus on the ecological relations and adaptation strategies of the inhabitants, analysing everyday forms of grassroots ecology – from the protection of water sources to the prevention of development in floodplains. Ethnographic and comparative research will provide an understanding of how different political and economic systems shape local pro-ecological activities. The project will provide a deeper understanding of how to address climate change and identify ways to support Ukraine’s ecological integration with the European Union
The fifth call for applications in the FOR UKRAINE programme ran from 10 May 2025 to 2 June 2025. Nineteen projects were submitted to the competition. After formal evaluation, 15 applications qualified for substantive evaluation by an international panel of experts. Each winning project received PLN 268,800 for a period of 12 months. The budget covers both salaries and research costs.
More info on the FOR UKRAINE programme
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