Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science and Sports, in partnership with the British Council Ukraine, announces the launch of the second phase of the UK-UA Visiting Professors Programme. The programme offers Ukrainian universities an opportunity to establish new academic partnerships and collaborate with academics from leading UK universities.
Programme objectives
The programme aims to strengthen Ukraine’s integration into the international academic and research community and improve the quality of higher education through the exchange of knowledge, contemporary approaches and best practices between Ukrainian and UK universities.
The programme brings together the experience, expertise and professional achievements of the Ukrainian and British academic communities. The role of visiting UK professors extends beyond delivering lectures and seminars: they become active partners for Ukrainian students and academic colleagues. Joint research projects, consultations, public lectures and in-person visits provide opportunities to improve the quality of education, exchange knowledge, strengthen international academic connections and establish long-term partnerships between universities in Ukraine and the UK.
“The UK-UA Visiting Professors Programme is an excellent opportunity to bring together leading international experts and talented Ukrainians. When outstanding minds work together, new ideas emerge, unique opportunities open up and solutions are developed that have the potential to shape the future,” said Arieh Iserles, Honorary Professor at the University of Cambridge, during his visit to Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University in the spring semester of the 2025-2026 academic year.
Eligibility and application requirements for universities
The call is open to all Ukrainian higher education institutions that are able to organise an in-person visit by an international academic.
Each university may submit only one application, including a detailed programme for the proposed visit, information about the invited professor and a clearly itemised budget. The application form is available to view and download here.
Funding of up to UAH 300,000 is available for each visiting academic. Additional financial contributions from the host university will be considered an advantage during the assessment process.
Universities may select academics for collaboration according to their own academic needs and priorities. The invited professor must have experience working at a UK university and be willing to participate in academic activities in Ukraine.
In-person visits may take place only in areas of Ukraine classified as "orange" under the current travel advice issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) at the time of the visit.
Universities inviting academics who have worked or conducted professional activities in the Russian Federation or in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine since 2014 are not eligible to participate in the competition.
“The first phase of the UK-UA Visiting Professors Programme demonstrated that international academic cooperation can extend far beyond guest lectures. It can lead to joint research, support early-career researchers, strengthen university teams and give Ukrainian students access to world-class expertise without having to leave Ukraine. Our ambition for the second phase is not only to build on this experience but also to expand its impact — involving more universities and academic disciplines, deepening long-term partnerships and translating international knowledge exchange into tangible results for Ukrainian education, research and the country’s recovery,” said Yurii Petrushenko, Director of the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science and Sports.
“For the British Council, it is important that partnerships between Ukrainian and UK universities lead to joint research, new educational practices and long-term cooperation. Through this programme, Ukrainian universities will be able to access international expertise, collaborate with UK academic colleagues and strengthen their own academic capacity. We want this cooperation to deliver tangible results, create new opportunities for academics and students, and strengthen the position of Ukrainian higher education internationally,” said Yulia Sobol, Head of Higher Education at the British Council in Ukraine.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until 31 March 2027, or until the available funding has been exhausted. All teaching activities and visits by invited professors to Ukrainian universities must take place by 1 November 2027.
The President of Ukraine’s Fund for the Support of Education, Science and Sports and the British Council in Ukraine invite universities to take part in the programme and welcome new opportunities for international academic collaboration. The initiative offers Ukrainian institutions an opportunity to strengthen their integration into the global academic and research community, access contemporary knowledge and best practices, and become part of a wider international network.
Further information, eligibility requirements and the application form are available on the official website of Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science and Sports.
Apply here.
The second phase of the UK-UA Visiting Professors Programme is implemented by the President of Ukraine’s Fund for the Support of Education, Science and Sports, with financial support from the British Council Ukraine.