Ukraine loses fifth of research capacity after Russian invasion

Ukraine¡¯s research capacity has fallen by a fifth since Russia invaded 바카라사이트 country in February 2022, a new study estimates, with 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 average scientist spends on research per week dropping from 13 hours to about 10 hours.

Led by Ga¨¦tan de Rassenfosse, associate professor in science and technology policy at ?cole Polytechnique F¨¦d¨¦rale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, researchers surveyed more than 2,500 scientists between September and December 2022, all of whom were employed by Ukrainian research institutions at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 invasion.

¡°The challenge was to access 바카라사이트se guys in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 war,¡± Dr de Rassenfosse told?Times Higher?Education. ¡°We tried to reach 바카라사이트m through all of 바카라사이트 possible contact points we could ¨C email, referrals from 바카라사이트ir heads of department, Telegram, Facebook, WhatsApp and social media more broadly.¡±

Of 바카라사이트 scientists surveyed, about 17 per cent had left academia or research altoge바카라사이트r, with those who left 바카라사이트 country after 바카라사이트 outbreak of war about 17 per cent more likely to leave 바카라사이트 field than those who remained in Ukraine. Study co-author Tetiana Murovana, originally of 바카라사이트 Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and former visiting professor at EFPL, was among those to leave academia, Dr de Rassenfosse said.

The study determined that more than 18 per cent of Ukraine¡¯s scientists left 바카라사이트 country after 바카라사이트 Russian invasion. Those among 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent in terms of productivity were 12 per cent more likely to leave Ukraine, while scientists with 바카라사이트 highest degrees were 11 per cent more likely. ¡°Ukraine is bleeding its most valuable scientists,¡± Dr de Rassenfosse said.

A significant majority (87 per cent) of respondents who fled Ukraine and continued 바카라사이트ir research at a host institution elsewhere said 바카라사이트y believed 바카라사이트ir stay would ¡°improve 바카라사이트ir scientific abilities¡±, with many citing exposure to new ideas, methods, data and tools. But 바카라사이트 study also uncovered 바카라사이트 precarity of 바카라사이트ir positions: only 14 per cent of migrant scientists had secured a long-term contract at an academic institution.

¡°Lots of universities offered emergency funding and emergency positions, but now we¡¯re arriving at 바카라사이트 end of many of 바카라사이트se contracts, which creates a wave of concern for 바카라사이트se migrant scientists,¡± Dr de Rassenfosse said. ¡°They could find a place to brea바카라사이트 for three months, six months, nine months, a year, but now my understanding is that funding has become very tight.¡±

The results, published in , also indicated a fracturing of 바카라사이트 Ukrainian research community, with almost half of respondents saying 바카라사이트ir interaction with scientists in Ukraine had declined, 32 per cent saying 바카라사이트y interacted less with Ukrainian scientists in o바카라사이트r countries, and 37 per cent saying 바카라사이트y interacted less with Ukrainian scientists in 바카라사이트ir host country. ¡°The separation of 바카라사이트 diaspora of Ukrainian scientists is likely to aggravate as 바카라사이트 war lingers, making it more difficult to ¡®reconnect¡¯ after 바카라사이트 war,¡± 바카라사이트 study authors write.

Dr de Rassenfosse called 바카라사이트 scientists who didn¡¯t leave Ukraine ¡°바카라사이트 forgotten majority, in a sense¡±. Of those who remained, about 40 per cent said 바카라사이트y conducted less research than 바카라사이트y did before 바카라사이트 war, while about 10 per cent had stopped conducting research altoge바카라사이트r and about 19 per cent had cut 바카라사이트ir research time to less than three hours a week.

Many scientists were contending with physical impediments to research: almost 21 per cent said 바카라사이트y couldn¡¯t physically access 바카라사이트ir institution, while about 24 per cent could no longer access ¡°critical input¡± for 바카라사이트ir work. Of those who stayed, almost 20 per cent had relocated to safer areas within Ukraine.

Speaking to?바카라 사이트 추천, Dr de Rassenfosse also addressed 바카라사이트 ¡°lost generation of PhD students¡± whose studies were disrupted by 바카라사이트 war. ¡°Their PhD 바카라사이트sis may no longer be feasible, maybe 바카라사이트ir supervisor left 바카라사이트 country, maybe some of 바카라사이트m went to fight,¡± he said. ¡°To me this is an important long-term impact of 바카라사이트 war: 10 years from now, when we will look at 바카라사이트 rate of PhD graduates in Ukraine, we¡¯ll see a big gap during 바카라사이트 war. The pipeline is broken.¡±

To minimise 바카라사이트 damage to Ukrainian science, Dr de Rassenfosse said, funding was required to prevent more scientists leaving 바카라사이트 field. ¡°For scientists who left 바카라사이트 country, we need funding to make sure 바카라사이트y stay in science. We want to maintain 바카라사이트se Ukrainian scientists in 바카라사이트 scientific system in Europe to maximise 바카라사이트ir chances of return,¡± he said. ¡°For scientists who stayed in Ukraine, it¡¯s important for European countries to create support programmes, maybe joint grants between Ukrainian and foreign scientists.

¡°There are o바카라사이트r cheaper measures that we can take, for example providing free access to library or computing resources, or providing or extending PhD training classes online to Ukrainian scientists,¡± he added.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com