UK–Ukraine Horizon Europe Support Initiative

Building Strategic Research Partnerships for Horizon Europe 2026–2027

The UK–Ukraine Horizon Europe Support Initiative, supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), is a structured programme that supports UK and Ukrainian researchers connect, build consortia, and develop competitive proposals for Horizon Europe 2026–2027. It provides practical support across the full early-stage collaboration journey — from collecting project concepts and sharing funding intelligence, to matchmaking, pitching, and facilitating proposal-shaping conversations.

Through this programme, we are:

  • Facilitating effective matchmaking between researchers and institutions in UK and Ukraine.

  • Supporting project concept development and consortium building to create strong, competitive proposals.

  • Capturing and sharing insights to enhance the UK research system’s capacity for international partnerships.

Rationale of the Initiative

This initiative responds to the urgent need to strengthen UK–Ukraine research collaboration and provide a reliable pathway from promising ideas to fundable Horizon Europe projects. Rather than relying on informal networking, the programme offers a structured, facilitated model that helps researchers identify aligned partners, clarify roles, and move quickly towards credible consortia and submissions.

Programme Launch - Kick-off Meeting (16 October 2025)

The programme officially launched with an online kick-off event introducing the initiative’s goals, how it works, and how researchers and institutions can participate. The high turnout from both countries confirmed strong appetite for structured collaboration and immediate engagement around Horizon Europe 2026–2027 opportunities.

Impact Snapshot

  • 450 Ukrainian researchers registered

  • 430 Ukrainian researchers attended live

  • 238 UK researchers registered

  • 191 UK researchers attended live

Resources

  • Watch the kick-off recording

  • Download slides

  • Read progress highlights

Concept Notes Submission - Creating a pipeline of collaboration-ready ideas

Following the launch, Ukrainian researchers submitted short concept notes — early-stage summaries of project ideas aligned with Horizon Europe themes. These concepts are used as the core pipeline for matchmaking: they enable thematic clustering, help UK researchers identify relevant opportunities quickly, and provide a practical starting point for consortium-building discussions.

Impact Snapshot

  • 385 concept notes submitted by Ukrainian researchers only

Resources

  • Browse concept notes catalogue (Excel)

Newsletters

Funding intelligence to keep researchers aligned

To help participants navigate Horizon Europe calls and timelines, the initiative issues targeted newsletters that highlight relevant opportunities, eligibility considerations, and practical guidance on developing strong collaborations. This ensures researchers stay informed and can align partner conversations with realistic funding pathways and deadlines.

Impact Snapshot

  • 2 newsletters issued (December 2025; February 2026)

Resources

  • Newsletter December 2025; Newsletter February 2026

Partner Matching & Researcher Connections

From introductions to structured collaboration

Cormack Consultancy Group facilitates active matchmaking between UK and Ukrainian researchers around specific themes and concept notes. Introductions are not left to chance: the programme supports follow-up, helps schedule calls, and guides discussions toward concrete outcomes — including alignment around specific Horizon Europe topics, partner roles, and next steps for proposal development.

Impact Snapshot

  • 308 introductions facilitated

  • 212 introductory calls organised (facilitated by CCG)

  • 55 UK institutions engaged

  • 20 initiated collaborations (joint planning underway)

  • 10 existing partnerships supported

Pitches Submission - Turning concepts into funder-facing storylines

Researchers were invited to convert concept notes into short pitch presentations, designed to help UK partners quickly understand the idea, identify fit, and explore consortium roles. The pitch process helps standardise how ideas are presented, strengthens clarity, and accelerates partner engagement — especially for fast-moving Horizon Europe calls.

Impact Snapshot

  • 209 project pitches submitted (by 27 October 2025)

Resources

  • Download pitch decks

Matchmaking Event I - 9 December 2025 — Live Pitching & Networking

The first matchmaking event created a structured space for Ukrainian researchers to pitch live and for UK researchers to identify promising partnership opportunities. The event ran in two thematic sessions and attracted strong attendance on both sides, showing significant commitment to developing Horizon Europe collaborations beyond introductory interest.

Impact Snapshot

  • 259 Ukrainian registrations (including 209 pitches + 50 observers)

  • 296 UK registrations

Session Highlights

  • Session 1: 25 pitches delivered | 115 UK attendees | 101 UA attendees

  • Session 2: 24 pitches delivered | 107 UK attendees | 92 UA attendees

  • International observers: Canada (1), Malaysia (1), Poland (1)

Resources

  • Watch event recording

  • Download pitch decks (shared with registered UK researchers) – same as the above

Matchmaking Event II - 19 February 2026 — Advanced Partner Engagement

The second matchmaking event built on a subsequent set of concepts and ongoing conversations from earlier stages. A smaller, curated set of Ukrainian researchers were invited to pitch, enabling deeper partner discussions and more targeted follow-up for consortium formation. This format supports progression from interest to committed proposal-building.

Impact Snapshot

  • 30 Ukrainian researchers invited to pitch

  • 100 UK registrations

  • 27 pitches delivered live

  • Attendance: 63 UK | 27 UA

  • International observers: Italy (1)

Resources

  • Watch event recording

  • Download pitch materials

Outputs - Early results and momentum toward submissions

The initiative is already translating collaboration into concrete outputs. Early proposal submissions demonstrate that the pipeline model — from concept notes to matchmaking, supported calls, and pitching — is producing real progress toward Horizon Europe participation. Multiple additional proposals remain under development as partnerships mature and calls are selected.

Impact Snapshot

  • 2 joint UK–Ukraine project proposals submitted

  • Multiple additional proposals in development

Programme at a Glance

For more information about the programme, please click here.

Contact details

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