The North Atlantic alliance is interested in expanding Ukrainian scientists’ cooperation with their colleagues from NATO countries and intends to increase their participation in the Science for Peace program, head of the NATO’s Scientific Affairs Division Dr. Susanne Michaelis said during her brief visit to Ukraine aimed at preparing the next meeting of the Ukraine-NATO workgroup on cooperation in science and environment, scheduled for spring 2005.
Susanne Michaelis recalled that in 1999 the NATO Science Committee started to focus its attention on developing scientific cooperation between Western and Eastern scientists and combining their efforts for the sake of peace. In terms of the level of its participation in NATO’s scientific programs Ukraine is second only to Russia. Only these two countries cooperate with NATO within the frameworks of workgroups. Today the scientific cooperation between Ukraine and NATO is developing at two levels. On the one hand, scientists can turn to the NATO Science Committee immediately and propose a concrete project. It is important that a Ukrainian scientist enlisted the support of his or her colleagues from the NATO states or its partners. This increases the chance for a project to be approved by the Science Committee and obtain financing. On the other hand, the NATO Science Committee gets in touch with Ukraine’s Ministry for Education and Science to determine what fields Ukraine regards priorities.
In the words of Dr. Michaelis, 40% of Ukrainian scientists’ applications were approved. Representatives of Ukrainian science participate in 16 of the 123 projects financed from NATO budget. Thus, the efficiency level exceeds 10%, Dr. Michaelis stated. At that, eleven long-term (from three to five years) projects are currently being implemented. On average, each project receives approximately 275,000 euros, over 60% of which goes for purchasing equipment, which later remains in Ukraine. In addition, money is allotted for conducting scientific seminars and scientists’ trips.
Among joint projects realized with the participation of Ukrainian scientists there are modeling of the Black Sea ecosystem and of coating for turbine blades. For the former project Ukraine’s vast database on the Black Sea was used. Now all countries of the Black Sea region use these data for working out security-related decisions concerning this region. Technology invented in the course of implementing the other project and patented by Ukrainian scientists roused interest in the German Siemens Company and French EDF. Ms. Michaelis cited this case as NATO’s contribution into developing market relations in Ukraine.
The September 11, 2001 events also affected the Science Committee’s activity, prompting it to place emphasis on security issues. As Dr. Michaelis said, last year a new priority was announced, developing security-related scientific programs. Thus, NATO welcomes any ideas coming from Ukrainian scientists related to the sphere of the fight against terrorism.
