Russia causes 15-20% of researchers to stop work in Ukraine – Education Dpty Minister

Due to the full-scale war, 15-20% of researchers have stopped conducting research in Ukraine, with 8% of them having moved abroad, Deputy Minister of Education and Science Denys Kurbatov has said.

"We must distinguish between two large groups of researchers currently identifiable in Ukraine: research staff working in the academic environment and research-pedagogical staff working in universities. The first group comprises approximately 25,000 people, and together with research-pedagogical staff, there are up to 80,000 researchers engaged in scientific activity," Kurbatov said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

Regarding international comparisons, the deputy minister noted that Ukraine ranks among the countries with the lowest number of researchers per 1,000 residents. This decline continued from the 1990s until the start of the full-scale war. "Currently, we have stabilized somewhat… I am convinced that restructuring Ukraine’s economy into a value-added economy will change this situation," he added.

Factors contributing to the stabilization include a shift in how business views researchers—particularly in the military sector—and the introduction of 100% mobilization exemptions for those holding scientific degrees working in science and higher education.

"The war overall has affected Ukraine’s population. We monitor this situation and can roughly speak of 15-20% of people who stopped conducting research in Ukraine. About 8% of them moved abroad, while others changed professions. These are significant losses. At the same time, I always emphasize that 80-85% of scientists remain and work in Ukraine despite all conditions," Kurbatov said.

The deputy minister also noted a trend toward an aging scientific community. The largest group is aged 40 to 60, followed by those 60 and older, with the under-40 group being the smallest. To address this, a pilot "project postgraduate" program is launching this year, featuring increased stipends and, for the first time, funding for dissertation research materials and travel.

Regarding gender balance, Kurbatov stated the distribution is relatively even, nearing a 50-50 ratio in large classical universities, though a gap remains in senior management roles.

The Ministry of Education also recently decided to establish a new tool for international cooperation—the institute of international scientific ambassadors.