“At NIBR, we have extensive expertise on Ukraine. We’ve been active in the country since 2008, working locally on various projects involving ethnic groups, identity, and political reforms. We also have strong competence on the reception side of the refugee chain, having long studied asylum law developments, settlement, and integration reforms in Norway and Europe,” says Aadne Aasland, one of NIBR’s leading experts on Ukraine, and initiator of the research network on Ukraine, Ukrainett (uni.oslomet.no).
The network consists of over 80 researchers and experts in Norway with interest and knowledge about Ukraine.
Active Communicators
In addition to driving the research network, NIBR’s Ukraine researchers are enthusiastic communicators of knowledge. In 2023, the academic community received OsloMet’s Communication Award, worth NOK 150.000, to further strengthen their outreach and profiling.
“Ukraine research at NIBR is a true team effort. Numerous researchers have contributed over 15 years. When Russia launched a full-scale war in February 2022, there was an urgent need for the knowledge many NIBR researchers had developed,” said Geir Heierstad, Director of NIBR, during the award ceremony.
NIBR was also active when OsloMet signed a cooperation agreement in 2022 with V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University in Ukraine.
Strengthening Research Networks Between Norway and Ukraine
The Research Council of Norway has granted NOK 4.5 million to further develop the UKRAINETT network. The expanded project, UKRAINETT+, includes a branch in Ukraine, consisting of universities and research institutions.
“Ukrainian partners help ensure research results are presented to and discussed with decision-makers at national, regional, and local levels in Ukraine. This way, research conducted by both Norwegian and Ukrainian scholars can contribute to informed policy and societal development,” says Aadne Aasland.
