The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces International Multilateral Partnerships for Resilient Education and Science System in Ukraine (IMPRESS-U), a new collaboration with the following partners:

Estonia: Estonian Research Council (ETAG),
Latvia: Latvian Council of Science (LCS),
Lithuania: Research Council of Lithuania (LT),
Poland: National Science Centre (NCN) and Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA),
Ukraine: National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU),
USA: National Academy of Sciences (NAS),
USA: Office of Naval Research Global (ONRG) and private donors and foundations.

In accordance with the DCL (NSF 23-135), the goals of the partnership initiative are to:
(1) support excellence in science and engineering research, education, and innovation through international collaboration and

(2) promote and catalyze integration of Ukrainian researchers in the global research community. With this initiative, NSF invites visionary, ambitious, high quality collaborative research proposals that address scientific challenges in any field of science, engineering, or education. Priority will be given to projects that propose:
(a) creative ways for enhancing efficiency and resiliency of international partnerships;
(b) efficient concepts to prepare an internationally engaged research workforce; and
(c) efficient and significant contributions to build a modern, state-of-the-art research/education/innovation ecosystem in Ukraine. Proposals must involve researchers from the U.S., Ukraine, and at least one other partner country listed in the DCL.

As noted in the DCL, NSF invites EAGER proposals and supplemental funding requests. Consistent with the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG), U.S. principal investigators (PIs must consult the NSF cognizant program officer listed below before submitting a proposal. Inquiries will be reviewed internally by NSF program officers. Proposals may be submitted by NSF invitation only and will be reviewed by disciplinary program officers and/or ad-hoc peer-reviewers or panels as appropriate.

It is expected that joint funding will be provided in such a way that each country funds its own scientists. Ukrainian scientists affiliated (even temporarily and/or remotely) with institutions outside of Ukraine may be eligible to be supported by the host country. Additional regulations regarding eligibility criteria may apply. PIs are recommended to consult websites of national agencies for further details. Researchers affiliated exclusively with Ukrainian institutions may be supported by private donors and foundations through the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in accordance with National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU) eligibility rules.

Announcements of the partner agencies can be found here:

ETAG:
- In Estonian: https://etag.ee/rahastamine/partnerlus-ja-koostootoetused/ukraina-toetusmeede/
- In English: https://etag.ee/en/funding/partnership-funding/partnership-funding-ukraine/

LT:
- In Lithuanian: https://www.lmt.lt/lt/mokslo-finansavimas/kalendorinis-kvietimu-planas/2287/kvietimas-746

NAWA:
- In Polish: https://nawa.gov.pl/naukowcy/impress-u
- In English: https://nawa.gov.pl/naukowcy/impress-u

NCN:
- In Polish: https://www.ncn.gov.pl/ogloszenia/konkursy/impress-u
- In English: https://www.ncn.gov.pl/en/ogloszenia/konkursy/impress-u

NRFU:
- In Ukrainian, https://nrfu.org.ua/contests/mizhnarodni-inicziatyvy/
- In English, https://nrfu.org.ua/en/contests/international-initiatives/

NAS: https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/scientists-and-engineers-in-exile-or-displaced-seed-program

Questions about the DCL should be addressed to:

• Maija M. Kukla, Program Director, OISE/OD/NSF at IMPRESS-U@nsf.gov

• Katarzyna Pietruszynska, NAWA, e-mail: katarzyna.pietruszynska@nawa.gov.pl
• Magdalena Dobrzanska-Bzowska, NCN, e-mail: magdalena.dobrzanska-bzowska@ncn.gov.pl
• Viktoras Mongirdas, LMT, e-mail: viktoras.mongirdas@lmt.lt
• Margit Suuroja, ETAG, e-mail: margit.suuroja@etag.ee
• Katrin Piller, ETAG, e-mail: katrin.piller@etag.ee
• Olga Polotska, NRFU, e-mail: polotskaoo@nrfu.org.ua
• Martina Barnas, ONRG, email: martina.m.barnas.civ@us.navy.mil
• Franklin Carrero-Martinez, US NAS, e-mail: seed@nas.edu
• Lauma Muizniece, LCS, e-mail: lauma.muizniece@lzp.gov.lv

Interested PIs are invited to attend a webinar, please process the registration. Zoom meeting information will be posted when it becomes available.

Weekly office hours (optional) to ask your questions directly Program Directors will be offered, see below details.
Time: Every Thursday, 10:30 - 11:30 AM Eastern
Zoom link: https://nsf.zoomgov.com/j/1619512224?pwd=Zi9aNTJsK1ZlUzNsbDlQUzBlR05UUT09
Meeting ID: 161 951 2224
Passcode: 829361

Looking for partners and collaborators: partnership portal is available at https://www2.ncn.gov.pl/partners/impressu/.