BSPU Launches the Project “Ecosystem for Supporting the Career Development of Young Researchers in Ukraine”

On 2 March 2026, Berdyansk State Pedagogical University officially begins the implementation of the research project “Ecosystem for Supporting the Career Development of Young Researchers in Ukraine”. The project will run from 2026 to 2028 within the framework of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine’s competition “Advanced Science in Ukraine 2026–2028”.

The project was approved for funding following the decision of the Scientific Council of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, which endorsed the ranked list of participating projects and the final list of winners. According to the Foundation’s official information, 318 applications successfully passed the scientific and scientific-technical evaluation, and 137 projects were selected as winners of the competition. Among them, Berdyansk State Pedagogical University’s project ranked 33rd in the final list of winning proposals.

Although the competition procedures were lengthy, they were essential for ensuring the independence, professionalism, and objectivity of the review and evaluation process. The announcement of the winners of this major national competition is an important milestone for the Ukrainian research community and opens new opportunities to support promising research initiatives.

The project aims to develop a comprehensive, multi-level ecosystem to support the career development of young researchers in Ukraine at the individual, institutional, and national levels in both wartime and post-war conditions. The study will include an analysis of the regulatory framework and institutional practices, as well as interviews, online surveys, focus groups, and a comparative review of European support models. Particular attention will be paid to gender sensitivity, academic well-being, and the role of mentoring.

Among the expected outcomes are the development of a multi-level support model for the career development of young researchers, a roadmap for its implementation, and methodological recommendations for the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, higher education institutions, research organisations, and international partners. The project will also generate a strong empirical and analytical foundation on the needs, barriers, drivers of professional uncertainty, academic well-being, and the role of mentoring in shaping the career trajectories of young researchers.

The project is being carried out by an interdisciplinary team of researchers from Berdyansk State Pedagogical University and Lviv Polytechnic National University. The project team includes Natalia Tsybuliak, Anastasiia Popova, Nataliia Pshenychna, Khrystyna Zub, Oleksandr Berezko, Artem Poluliakhov, and Serhii Kovachov. Their combined expertise in psychology, pedagogy, digital solutions, and research analytics provides a solid basis for a comprehensive examination of the challenges facing young researchers and for designing effective support mechanisms.

We warmly congratulate the project team on this important achievement and wish them every success in implementing this initiative, which has strong potential to advance early-career research, strengthen the academic environment, and support the next generation of Ukrainian researchers.