Twinning Seed Fund: Strong Global Response Signals Momentum for UK–Ukraine Research Partnerships
We are pleased to share an overview of the results from the first application round of the Twinning Seed Fund. The call has now officially closed, and the level of interest has exceeded all expectations — clearly demonstrating the strength, ambition, and resilience of the research communities in Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Europe, North and South America.
The Twinning Seed Fund was launched to accelerate high-quality UK–Ukraine research collaboration and to help Ukrainian institutions rebuild and internationalise through structured, competitive partnerships. The Fund is designed as a catalyst: supporting early-stage consortium building and proposal development, particularly with a view to participation in major international programmes such as Horizon Europe. Its long-term aim is to embed Ukrainian universities into sustainable global research networks and strengthen institutional capacity during recovery and beyond by excelling the research.
The response to the call has been remarkable. A total of 234 applications were submitted, requesting over £6.7 million in funding . The competition engaged 109 Ukrainian universities, with Ukrainian institutions participating 288 times across projects . Importantly, 72.6% of applications included UK partners, representing 71 UK universities, while the overall competition brought together 129 universities from 29 countries outside Ukraine, including the United Kingdom. On average, each proposal included 2.5 partners, with some consortia bringing together up to seven institutions.
Geographically, applications reflect nationwide mobilisation. Universities from more than 30 Ukrainian cities participated, with particularly strong representation from major academic centres such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lviv. This spread underscores that the Seed Fund is not limited to a small number of institutions — it has activated the research system across the country, including regions operating under significant wartime pressure.
The profile of partners is equally striking. Seventeen UK universities ranked in the Times Higher Education Top-300 participated in the competition, alongside many other highly regarded institutions. Their engagement across a wide range of disciplines — from advanced technologies and healthcare innovation to democratic governance, environmental resilience, and cultural heritage — signals strong confidence in Ukrainian collaboration and in the strategic value of the Twinning framework.
The first round of the Twinning Seed Fund confirms what many of us already sensed: demand for structured, future-oriented research collaboration with Ukraine is real, global, and growing. This is not simply an emergency response mechanism — it is a platform for long-term integration, excellence, and shared impact. Now the applications are with independent international reviewers and soon we will be announcing the results of the competition.