About

Ukraine boasts one of the most energetic digital ecosystems in Europe.

Its public policies for digital transformation include advanced programs and well-structured capacity building and leadership networks giving the regions central role. These capabilities have been critical assets to keep the resilience of Ukrainian society, resisting aggression, facing war and fighting for freedom. This event aims at developing synergies between regional hubs of smart communities across Europe and with Ukraine.

The session aims to discuss EU and Ukrainian relevant policies in the context of leveraging relations between members of Ukrainian universities, clusters, Networks, start-ups, SMEs and other innovators and from EU enhancing, dialogue, cooperation, synchronized investment and co-development as well as contributing to acceleration integration.

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Objective

The objective of the session is to provide a comprehensive and practical overview of all the opportunities for Ukrainian SMEs offered by the EU programs and discuss how they may join the partnerships and EU markets under the context of co-developing Smart Communities solutions and accelerating the pace of digital transformation.

During this session, invited Ukrainian and EU businesses will also have the opportunity to identify new partners and discuss common solutions for a range of sectors including agri-food, construction, digital industries, renewable energy, mobility and transport, and textiles, among others.

This session will be a good chance to share information and debate the support network as well as what the EU can suggest for Ukrainian businesses and organisations to request and offer assistance entering European markets.

Organizers

Organised by the Portuguese partner:

Official side event for European Week of Regions and Cities 2022

Hybrid
Official EWRC side event 2022

The event is free of charge but the registration is required.

 October 14, 2022

 10:00 – 10:05  Marta Barandiy, Founder and Chairwoman of Promote Ukraine, Welcome

 10:05 – 10:10  Marcos António Nogueira, Portugal/Europe Initiative, President, Moderation

 10:10 – 10:20  Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner, Key-note address

 10:20 – 10:30  Eddy Hartog, European Commission, Technologies for Smart Communities, Head of Unit, Introductory Speech

 10:30 – 10:40  Svitlana Shytikova, director of the Ukrainian ERASMUS+ office, Address

 10:40 – 10:50  Yulia Bandura, Ukrainian Association for Cities, Address

 10:50 – 11:00  Vasyl Kushmuns, Ukrainian Hub, Brussels, Introductory address

 11:00 – 11:30  Debate

• Ellina Medynska, GlobalLogic, Talent manager, Panellist
• Olga Shapoval, executive director of IT cluster Kharkiv, Panellist
• Olena Myroniuk, President at International Action Art, Ukrainian department, Panellist
• Kateryna Doroshevska, UA Business.Global, Panellist
• Nataliia Harashchenko, PhD, President of The Club of Economists NGO, EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform
• Mykola Skyba, Head of the Development department in Kharkiv School of Architecture; Ukrainian Institute for the Future
• Nataly Veremeeva, TechUkraine, CEO, Panellist
• Iryna Zolotaryova, National Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education of Ukraine, Kharkiv National University Economics, Panellist

 11:30 – 11:45  Valeriya Ionan, Deputy Minister for Eurointegration at Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, key-note address

 10:45 – 12:00  Cooperation agenda presentation

• Oksana Zamora, Sumy State University, Professor
• Maryna Utkina, Sumy State University, Professor

EU projects that are open to Ukrainian partners

EU4Health PSrogramme

The Commission and the Ukrainian government have signed an agreement associating Ukraine to the EU4Health programme. This agreement will open access for Ukraine to EU funding in the area of health. This will enable the Ukrainian health system to respond to immediate needs and contribute to long-term recovery. The programme has a total budget of €5.3 billion for 2021-27.

To know more

New 20 million EUR fund for Ukrainian tech start-ups

The European Commission, through the European Innovation Council, has set up a €20 million support fund for Ukrainian innovation stakeholders to ensure their access to the EU market.

This new initiative is targeted at over 200 Ukrainian tech start-ups and offers €60.000 in funding to each project, aside from non-financial measures like advisory and matchmaking services. It will be released with a call for proposals for networks of start-up associations, clusters, and other business organisations willing to support Ukrainian innovation stakeholders. The call is open to all business organisations, including clusters.

The call is open until December 31, 2022

To know more

European Training Foundation: Call for Learning & Training Resources

The European Training Foundation (ETF) has launched a programme called UA Re-Emerge(ncy): e-learning and skills development to rebuild Ukraine, supported by Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science.

The call is open to collect teaching and training materials in the following priority areas: energy efficiency, construction and restoration, and green energy. Initially the geographical focus will be on the Dnipropetrovsk region in its initial phase, with plans aiming to be rolled out in other regions at a later stage.

Three projects will be selected for financing by consortia set up within countries associated with the Creative Europe programme. Ukrainian organisations will also contribute, giving grants to small-size initiatives implemented at grass root level.

The call is open until 29 November 2022.

To know more

The Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU) fund

The Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU) fund has opened two new calls for cross-border investigative journalism projects in the European Union and EU candidate countries, including Moldova and Ukraine.

IJ4EU’s Investigation Support Scheme will provide grants of between €5,000 and €50,000 to allow cross-border teams of any type to carry out investigations in the public interest.

The deadline for applications is 13 October. A second call under this scheme will open in January 2023.

IJ4EU’s Freelancer Support Scheme will provide grants of up to €20,000 to cross-border investigative teams made up predominantly of freelance journalists. It will also provide an extra layer of support through training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

The deadline for applications is also 13 October. The scheme will have a second call in January 2023.

To know more

Creative Europe: Commission publishes special call to support Ukrainian artists

The call supports artists outside their country, cultural organisations in Ukraine, and preparation for the post-war recovery of the Ukrainian cultural and creative sector in the medium term.

The European Commission has published a special call under the Creative Europe programme for Ukrainian artists worth €5 million.

The purpose is to collect and adapt professional short modules and other e-learning resources from the EU and EU neighbouring countries, which will give Ukrainian learners the opportunity to enrol in high-quality vocational e-learning, reskilling and upskilling courses. Thus, this is not so much about formal education but more about how short modules can be of help for specific job profiles.

The call is open until October 31, 2022

To know more

Horizon Europe

Research and innovation funding programme until 2027. Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth.

The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies.

It creates jobs, fully engages the EU’s talent pool, boosts economic growth, promotes industrial competitiveness and optimises investment impact within a strengthened European Research Area. Legal entities from the EU and associated countries can participate (including Ukraine and Moldova).

The Horizon Europe programme finances projects in various areas, such as: global challenges and European industrial competitiveness; health; culture and inclusive society; civil security; digital, industry and space; climate, energy and mobility; food, bioeconomy natural resources; agriculture, environment and innovation ecosystems, and so on.

To know more