PARIS - For several years prior to the Russian aggression againstUkraine, science and research in Ukraine had been in transition, with significant structural changes taking place in the face of strong budgetary pressure.Domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) as percentage of GDP fell by about one-third between 2013 and 2018, according to an OECD report.

The number of researchers shrunk from over 52 000full time equivalents in 2013,to 41 000in 2018. This evolution was marked by a steep fall in researchers in business and government institutions that was only partly offset by an increase of those in higher education (HE) institutions.

This reorientation towards HE, together with an increase in international collaborations, helps to explain an impressive rise in both the number and quality of scientific publications, from only 2% among the global top 10% most cited in their fields in 2006 to 6% in 2020.

Despite strong budgetary pressures and a decrease in the total number of researchers, the structural changes in the Ukrainian science system prior to the war had contributed to an increase in its scientific publication output and an improvement in average quality by international standards.

Key messages

• “Brain drain”has been a long-standing challenge for science in Ukraine. Without global solidarity and policy actions to enable refugee scientists and diaspora to maintain strong links with their home institutions, the war with Russia is likely to accentuate the permanent loss of scientific expertise in Ukraine.

• Prior to Russia’s large-scale aggression against Ukraine in 2022, the quality and international recognition of Ukrainian science had been steadily improving, although total R&D investment and the number of researchers had been decreasing.

• In recent years, Ukraine’s international scientific collaboration and exchange had already begun to shift from Russia towards Western neighbouring countries, especially Poland, which is also the preferred destination for scholars fleeing the war.

• There is an opportunity now for OECD countries to build on the new and strengthened scientific relationships with Ukraine that are arising out of the war to relaunch science in Ukraine and support the country’s recovery once the war is over.

• In the shorter term, it is essential that OECD countries continue to take action to host displaced scholars from Ukraine and support those who remain in the country. The Ukrainian diaspora can play an important role in facilitating this

For the full report, visit: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/afbd05df-en.pdf?expires=1674910467&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=695CB8A481A90C9F6B051A11D36C76D0