The National Science Centre has settled a special programme for scientists fleeing war. Out of 213 applications from refugees from Ukraine, NCN selected 51 laureates. They are mainly researchers from Kyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv. Three of them currently reside at the University of Gdańsk at the Faculty of Biology, Faculty of History and the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG and GUMed.
The programme prepared by the National Science Centre allows the winners to spend a year in Polish academic and scientific institutions. Even though their country has been overtaken by war, they can still continue their research. Applications could have been submitted between March 28 and April 26. More than 200 applications for grants were submitted during that time. NCN coordinators selected 51 winners. Among the awarded, the largest group are researchers dealing with Earth sciences (nineteen persons). Seventeen and fifteen people from science and technology as well as humanities and social sciences were awarded.
51 scientists from Ukraine will conduct their research in 38 Polish centres. These are mainly universities from Warsaw, Cracow and Wrocław. Thanks to the NCN programme, three female scientists may continue their work at the University of Gdańsk.
- 'I started my cooperation with the grantee about 10 years ago when a conference on Polish and Ukrainian historiography was held in 2011. The Faculty of History UG was the host of this event,' - says dr hab. Magdalena Nowak, prof. UG, the scientific supervisor of one of the laureates of the programme. - 'The Ukrainian researcher, who currently works at our faculty, deals, among other things, with the analysis of Ukrainian historical periodicals. Thanks to this grant she can continue her work and consult it with us. One of the specialisations of our faculty is the history of Polish-Ukrainian relations and the history of Ukraine, so this cooperation is beneficial not only for the winner herself but also for us.'
The other scientific supervisors of the Ukrainian researchers stationed at UG are dr hab. Marcin Łoś, prof. UG, who supervises the work of the winner at the Faculty of Biology and dr hab. Robert Czajkowski, prof. UG - supervisor at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology.
Support for the Ukrainian scientific community is also offered by the University of Gdańsk itself. Some scientists from Ukraine have received monthly grants awarded by our university. The collection 'University of Gdańsk in aid of Ukraine', from which funds will be transferred to annual scholarships for refugees, is also still in progress. Support in other forms is offered, among others, by the initiative 'Students for Ukraine', whose representatives will soon donate over 50 bicycles and scooters to refugees.