Research Infrastructures�for the Future of Ukraine

Roadmap for Sustained Growth and Recovery

Ondřej Hradil – RIFF project coordinator, Research Infrastructures Manager

Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

The project supports the modernisation of Ukraine’s research infrastructure landscape and its closer integration with the EU research ecosystem.

What can you expect?

• An introduction to the EU approach to research infrastructures
• Overview of RIFF opportunities for Ukrainian Ris
• Networking across institutions to help build a strong Ukrainian RI community and deepen connections with European partners

Kharkiv, Ukraine + online

Discover the RIFF project

RIFF Information Day

www.riff.muni.cz

Find more & register here:

Research Infrastructures definition�Article 2(1) of EU Regulation 2021/695 of 28 April 2021 establishing Horizon Europe

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

Research infrastructures are facilities that provide resources and services for the research communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields, including the associated human resources,

• major equipment or sets of instruments;
• knowledge-related facilities such as collections, archives or scientific data infrastructures;
• computing systems, communication networks and

any other infrastructure of a unique nature and open to external users, essential to achieve excellence in R&I

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Examples of research infrastructures accross ESFRI domains�

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

Energy

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CEITEC Nano�Physical Sciences and Engineering �https://nano.ceitec.cz/

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

• Cleanroom focused on nanotechnology and semiconductors
• Is part of the CEITEC (Central European Institute of Technology) - a research institute located at Brno University of Technology.
• The RI is part of Czech Nano Lab with two sites : CEITEC Nano in Brno and LNSM at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague
• Type: distributed RI, Part of the Czech RI Roadmap
• Funding: state budget (~80%) + industrial collaboration (~20%)
• Model: Open-access with focus on self-service users AND provides services for researchers AND industry
• Technology level: TRL 1-4
• EU RI collaboration:
• part of EuroNanoLab network of similar research infrastructures
• applied for ESFRI Roadmap update under Microscopy Europe

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e-INFRA CZ�Data Computing and Digital�https://www.e-infra.cz/ �

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

• National e-infrastructure providing connectivity, data storage and computing
• Consortium of 3 insitutions on Czech level – CESNET, super Computer IT4Innovations, CERIT-SC at Masaryk University
• Type: distributed RI
• Part of the Czech RI Roadmap
• Funding: state budget (~97%) + European projects (~3%)
• EU RI collaboration:
• PRACE
• EGI
• EUDAT

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RECETOX RI�Environment �https://www.recetox.muni.cz/en/services/recetox-ri

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

• Research Infrastructure on impacts of the environment on human health
• Type: single sited RI
• Part of the Czech RI Roadmap
• Funding: state budget (~75%) + national and European projects (~25%)
• Model: provision of open access to central laboratories, population studies and data resources
• EU RI collaboration:
• Part of EIRENE (ESFRI project)

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CICRR - Czech International Centre of Research Reactors�Energy�https://www.cicrr.cz/

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

• Research nuclear reactors VR-15 and LR-0 complemented by a system of supporting laboratories and research facilities.
• Type: single-sited RI
• Part of the Czech RI Roadmap
• Funding: state budget (~80%) + industrial collaboration (~20%)
• Model: Open-access with focus on self-service users AND provides services for researchers AND industry
• Technology level: TRL 1-4
• EU RI collaboration:
• Jules Horowitz Reactor

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ELIXIR CZ�

• Bioinformatics - Driving open science in the life sciences domain
• Consortium of 14 institutions on Czech level, tied by a consortium agreement
• Type: distributed RI
• Part of the Czech RI Roadmap
• Funding: state budget (~90%) + European projects (~10%)
• Model: Provision of open access services to international academic community
• Technology level: TRL 1-4
• EU RI collaboration:
• One of the nodes of ELIXIR (ESFRI landmark)

ELIXIR Czech Republic

Health and Food

https://www.elixir-czech.cz/

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Generations and Gender Programme CZ (GGP-CZ)�Social Sciences and Humanities�https://ggp-cz.fss.muni.cz/en

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

• Research Infrastructure on Family and Population Dynamics
• Type: distributed RI (Brno and Prague)
• Part of the Czech RI Roadmap
• Funding: state budget (~90%) + national and European projects (~10%)
• Model: Open-access to collected data via European data archive, provision of para data
• EU RI collaboration:
• Part of GGP (ESFRI landmark)

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Introduction�

• Title: Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine: Roadmap for Sustained Growth and Recovery (RIFF)
• Starting date: 1. 9. 2025
• Duration: 36 months
• Budget: 2 million EUR

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

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Partners

• Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Germany
• European Future Innovation System Centre (EFIS), Belgium
• Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences (GESIS), Germany
• Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics NASU (IMBG), Ukraine
• Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering (INESC), Portugal
• Kyiv Academic University (KAU), Ukraine
• Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT), Ukraine
• Lviv Polytechnic National University (LPNU), Ukraine
• National Academy of Sciences Ukraine (NASU), Ukraine
• National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA), Ukraine
• National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine �(NUBIP), Ukraine
• Jagellonian University (SOLARIS), Poland
• University of Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB), Italy
• (Associated) National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU), Ukraine

COORDINATOR: Masaryk University (MUNI), Czechia

Amendment discussed with EC to include Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine and State Scientific and Technical Library as project partners

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RIFF opening conference: Conference on Ukraine’s Reconstruction in Research and Higher Education, Brno, Czech Republic, 17. 9. 2025

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

• 100 participants on site + 360 watched the conference stream (from EU and Ukraine)
• Article from the conference: https://www.em.muni.cz/udalosti/18263-ukrajinska-veda-navzdory-valce-mu-hleda-cestu-jak-ji-podporit
• Conference proceedings to be published in February 2026

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Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

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Objectives

Developing �a Roadmap

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

1. Build awareness and understanding of RIs concept to enable Ukrainian institutions to formulate initiatives for the establishment and development of RIs
2. Develop training programmes to enable efficient management of RIs in Ukraine
3. Network Ukrainian RIs with their counterparts in European Research Area (especially, but not exclusively, ESFRI projects and landmarks)

1. Facilitate community building among RI users, RI managers, and RI policy-makers in Ukraine to build the ground for sustainable use and evolution of the RI Roadmap
2. Inform and engage international RI communities about the Roadmap, with specific focus on policy-makers and funders that may invest in the implementation of RIs prioritised in the Roadmap

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1. Analyse the landscape of RIs in Ukraine and assess their damage caused by the Russian invasion
2. Bottom-up: Run an Open Call for proposals for RIs in Ukraine
3. Top-down: Identify priority directions for RI development in Ukraine in light of Green and Digital transition and in coherence with key state policies in diverse socio-economic sectors
4. Integrate the results of bottom-up and top-down into a roadmap with clear prioritisation

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Building RI �Community in Ukraine

Promotion of �the Roadmap

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Aligned with the Six ESFRI Domains

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

Energy

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What you can expect? Roadmap

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

Follow-up on:

• PSF Ukraine on Research infrastructures
• + EURIZON project and other initiatives

Ingredients:

• Bibliometric analysis of Ukrainian science
• Landscaping – top-down, bottom-up
• Security issues

UKR government policy objectives (sectoral and recovery priorities)

RIs in the �DIGIT domain

RIs in the �Energy domain

RIs in the Environment domain

RIs in the Health & Food domain

RIs in the �SSH domain

RIs in the �PSE domain

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Target Groups

Policy Makers

Institutional �Leaders

RI Managers

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

Researchers

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Funders

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Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

Project timeline

Sep 2025

Project starts & Opening Conference

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Oct 2025 – Feb 2026

3 Information days

Mar 2026

Open Call published

May 2026

Thematic Summit in Krakow

Feb 2027

Int. Conference �on RIs Reconstruction

Mar 2027

Ukraine-ERA Fellowships

May 2027

1^st Summer School

Jun 2027

1^st Workshop

Nov 2027

2^nd Summer School

Nov 2027

Finalization of the Roadmap

Feb 2028

2^nd Workshop

Feb 2028

High-level conference on reconstruction of RIs in Ukraine

Aug 2028

National Day of �RIs in Ukraine

Mar/Apr 2026

1st Study visit

Jul 2026?

2nd Study visit

June 2026

Thematic Summit in Brno

Jan 2027

Online Programme in RI management

Oct 2026 – Jan 2027

3 Co-design workshops

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RIFF Training Programmes

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

• The activities are not interconnected. You can join any of them without having participated in those that have already taken place.
• Division according to target group:
• For everyone: Information Days, Thematic Summits, Programme in RI management fundamentals
• For policy-makers & institutional leaders: Study visits, Workshops
• RI managers, Researchers: Summer Schools, EMMRI Fellowship programme, ERA-Ukraine Fellowship

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Study visits (Brno, Krakow)

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

• Format: 1-week programme (Mo-Fr); Fully on-site; 15+ participants
• Focus:
• Provide insight into the organization of RI roadmapping and the overal RI systems in the EU
• Share higher-level management perspectives
• Networking
• Open for: RI leaders, (vice-)rectors, (vice-)deans, and government officials and officers from Ukraine
• Dec 2025 – Feb 2026: selection of participants (no registration form will be available online)

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Brno – Mar/Apr 2026

Krakow – will be announced

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Training programmes

2× Summer schools, �4 – 5 days (2027)

• Topics: developing the practical skills and needs of RI managers, like scientific project management, grant writing, data management, access policy development, reporting, developing a business case for RI and how to finance it, data, etc.
• Networking & community building

Programme in RI management fundamentals, 6 months (2027)

• Open to a wide audience of participants for individual learning and knowledge development
• Flexible -> self-paced and live webinars with hybrid hands-on workshops
• Topics: (1) Business models of RIs in different domains; (2) Strategic planning for a new RI or a new project in an existing RI; (3) Managing the RI life cycle; (4) RI financial sustainability and management; (5) RI service provision and access policy

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

ERA-Ukraine Fellowships, 20 individuals (2027–2028)

• As a part of this activity, ESFRI and other relevant EU/ERA RIs will host Ukrainian fellows
• Applicants will negotiate their own programme with a hosting institution of their choice

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Training programmes

2× Workshops, 1-day programme (2027, 2028)

EMMRI Fellowship programme for Ukrainian RI operators, �4 individuals (2027–2029)

• Focused on the sustainability of Ukraine’s RI Roadmap -> they should help policy-makers gain the knowledge needed to lead future roadmapping efforts independently
• 2 workshops will be held to strengthen the skills of Ukrainian decision-makers in managing research infrastructure systems

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• Building on the foundation laid by the previous EURIZON project, this fellowship programme will allow selected Ukrainian participants to enroll in UNIMIB’s part-time EMMRI programme in Milan.

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

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Executive Master in Management of Research Infrastructure (EMMRI) – RIFF Fellowship Programme for Ukrainian RI managers

EMMRI: The Master programme is a part-time executive MBA specialized in the management of Research Infrastructures (RIs). The Master's requires 60 ECTS and is organised into 12 modules, comprising 3-day modules: 7 on-campus in Milan and 5 fully online. The EMMRI has a total duration of 18 months.

The fellowship for each participant covers attendance at all programme activities, including 7 on-campus modules (each lasting 3 days), transport, accommodation, subsistence, and exams. Interactive remote participation will be allowed for participants who cannot travel outside Ukraine.

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EXPECTED OUTCOME

• RIs’ leaders professional growth
• Relevant peer learning exchanges and networking opportunities with counterparts of other pan-European RIs in the class.
• Contribute to strengthening the RI ecosystem of Ukraine.

ACTION: fund 4 high-profile candidates from Ukraine to be enrolled in the 7th Edition 2026-2028 of the part-time “Executive Master in Management of Research Infrastructures” (https://emmri.unimib.it/home-2/) delivered by the University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy).

EMMRI – RIFF Fellowship Programme for Ukrainian RI managers

• 60 ECTS:
• 40 ECTS for 12 Modules, 7 on-campus and 5 full online
• 20 ECTS field project
• Lectures, talks by experts from RIs and guest speakers, webinars and case study analysis.

Start: Nov 2026

End: May 2028

Graduation

Duration: 18 months split in 3 terms

Website: Home | General - EXECUTIVE MASTERS IN MANAGEMENT OF RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES

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TARGET GROUP

High-profile science professionals from research infrastructures across all scientific domains, aiming to strengthen their managerial and strategic leadership capacities to lead research infrastructures.

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SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Experience, current position, and training needs
2. Motivation and potential
3. Scientific domain and geographic balance
4. Good knowledge of English

Thematic Summits

Thematic Summit in Krakow (PL)

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

• 2-day events
• Goals: fostering collaboration across scientific domains, promoting the integration of Ukrainian RIs into the ERA, sustainable reconstruction efforts
• Promoting ESFRI and other pan-European RIs to Ukraine scientific community as to potential users as well as possible observers or members of ERICs and other legal forms of RIs
• Programme:
• keynote speeches RI leaders
• panel discussions that explore common challenges
• workshops aimed at developing actionable strategies for collaboration

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• Domains: ENE, SSH, PSE
• 19-20 May 2026

• Domains: ENV, DIGIT, H&F
• 15-16 June 2026

Thematic Summit in Brno (CZ)

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Roadmapping activities

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

3× Co-design workshops (2026 – 2027)

• Objectives: Bring together policy-makers (e.g., the Ministry of Education, Science and Research, and the Ministry of Digital Transformation), funders, and the academic community to co-design and validate Ukrainian development priorities and ensure national recovery and EU research goals.

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Keep in touch … RIFF newsletter, LinkedIn, website, facebook

• Register to the newsletter on the RIFF website: https://riff.muni.cz
• LinkedIn:

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

LinkedIn

website

newsletter

facebook

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Interested in joining some the RIFF activities?��Fill in our form!

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

Thank you for your attention!�RIFF team

Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine

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