The RIFF Information Days have concluded after a series of meetings held across Ukraine, each demonstrating remarkable resilience and commitment from the Ukrainian research community. Despite operating under the extreme conditions created by the ongoing full scale war, Ukrainian partners delivered well attended and highly constructive events that moved the RIFF project into its next phase.
The RIFF series of Information Days has officially come to an end, and we would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who participated. We also extend our deepest appreciation to our Ukrainian partners, who organized these events under the extraordinarily difficult conditions of a full-scale war that Ukraine has been enduring for four years. Yet this determination does not come as a surprise to us – it is the very resilience and endurance of the Ukrainian people that enables them to continue defending their freedom and territorial integrity, while at the same time sustaining their scientific and research communities.
The Information Days began in October 2025, shortly after the official start of the RIFF project. The first event was hosted by Lviv Polytechnic National University (LPNU), which also welcomed onsite three representatives of RIFF partners from the EU – Lyudmyla Tautiyeva (EFIS Centre), Ondřej Hradil (MUNI), and Ricardo Migueis (INESC). In total, about 90 people joined, with about 40 attending in person.
This opening session focused on introducing the RIFF project and outlining what Ukrainian researchers and research infrastructures can expect in the coming months and years. It provided a space for initial discussions, networking, and setting expectations for the future of the RIFF project.
You can read more about the event here.
The second Information Day took place in January 2026 in Kharkiv, organized by the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT). Despite the city’s proximity to the frontline, the event was held successfully and welcomed strong on-site participation. In total, more than 150 participants took part, including 30 who were physically present in Kharkiv, while the others joined online.
This session offered a deeper dive into RIFF activities, with particular focus on the EMMRI programme, under which RIFF will support four Ukrainian participants. Participants also engaged in substantive discussions about the upcoming RI Roadmapping process. A key part of the programme was the introduction of the self-assessment form, which will play a crucial role in the open call expected to launch around March 2026. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to be included in the emerging RI Roadmap, an important step toward strengthening Ukraine’s research infrastructure landscape.
You can read more about the event here.
The series concluded in February 2026 in Kyiv, where the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU) hosted the final Information Day. Despite ongoing missile attacks, power outages, and heating shortages caused by Russian bombardment, NASU organized a high-level event featuring insightful contributions from representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU), as well as a presentation by Yulia Mukha, an EMMRI programme graduate. Her intervention highlighted both the challenges and best practices in EU–Ukraine research infrastructure collaboration. Over 100 participants joined the event, 60 of whom joined online.
In Kyiv, participants also learned more about the upcoming RIFF Thematic Summits, to be held in Kraków, Poland (19–20 May 2026) and Brno, Czechia (15–16 June 2026). Discussions once again returned to the self-assessment process, allowing further clarification and refinement ahead of the launch of the open call.
You can read more about the event here.
Throughout all three events, we were inspired by the proactivity, commitment, and constructive feedback of Ukrainian participants. The discussions demonstrated both the urgent need and the strong potential for deeper integration of Ukrainian research infrastructures into the European landscape.
We hope that the Information Days provided valuable insights and practical guidance, and we look forward to seeing you during the upcoming RIFF activities!
Thank you for being part of RIFF!
The programme on March 24, 2026, will address practical and strategic aspects of transferring research equipment to Ukrainian institutions, including logistics, regulatory challenges, and identified needs from the Ukrainian research community.
The RIFF project will financially support up to 4 high-profile candidates to participate in the Executive Master in Management of Research Infrastructures programme, delivered by the University of Milano-Bicocca.