Mitacs and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine reaffirm partnership to support research collaboration and economic resiliency

Ottawa, ON – Mitacs, a leading innovation organization that connects businesses and researchers with unrivalled access to talent, financial support, and partnerships to turn ideas into impactful innovations, and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MoES) have reaffirmed their shared commitment to collaboration. On November 17 in Ottawa, Mitacs and MoES signed a new Letter of Intent (LOI) to strengthen research collaboration, innovation, and academic ties between Ukraine and Canada, and to offer support for Ukrainian interns in accessing Mitacs programming.

The LOI was signed by Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO, Mitacs, and the Honorable Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, who joined virtually. Also in attendance was His Excellency Ambassador Andrii Plahotniuk, Ambassador to Canada from Ukraine.

This new agreement builds on a longstanding partnership that began in 2019, when Mitacs and the MoES first joined forces to connect Ukrainian students — including undergraduate, master’s, Ph.D., and postdoctoral researchers — to opportunities at leading Canadian institutions.

This collaboration was significantly strengthened in 2022 through a landmark Memorandum of Understanding — Mitacs’s largest ever — committing to fully fund and support 600 Ukrainian interns over three years.

Since then, more than 700 Ukrainian interns have participated in Mitacs’ Globalink programs, gaining valuable research experience at leading Canadian institutions. A new cohort of Globalink Research Internship (GRI) participants is expected to arrive in Canada next summer.

Recognizing the unique challenges faced by Ukrainian scholars, this year’s LOI introduces additional program flexibilities to ensure continued access to its research initiatives despite disruptions caused by the ongoing war.

Quotes

“Through this renewed partnership, Mitacs and Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science reaffirm their commitment, working together, to accelerate innovation and strengthen international talent pipelines. In this challenging time for Ukraine, Mitacs is dedicated to connecting outstanding Ukrainian research talent with leading Canadian institutions and organizations to turn ideas into real-world impact and support productivity and global competitiveness.”

Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO, Mitacs

 

“By continuing our cooperation with Mitacs, we are expanding opportunities for young Ukrainian researchers. Participation in Mitacs programs opens new professional growth paths for our interns and strengthens Ukraine’s scientific potential.

Developing science is a shared path of progressive nations that choose to build the future rather than destroy it. It is through the work of research teams that technologies and innovations are born — shaping the quality of life and the direction in which societies move. I am grateful to our Canadian partners for their consistency and strong support, which helps strengthen ties between our scientific communities.”

Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine

 

About Mitacs 

For over 25 years, Mitacs has helped grow the economy and develop the workforce of tomorrow, connecting industry with academia and global partners to solve real-world challenges. We support business-academic research collaboration through internships, co-funded with businesses, for undergraduate to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.

As a national innovation connector, Mitacs takes a talent-first approach to strengthen innovation capacity and drive global competitiveness. We serve as an essential research-commercialization bridge, accelerating market entry and growth for new products and services.

This is a critical time for Canada to think big and take bold action. Mitacs is ready to help build a strong and resilient Canadian economy, powered by ideas, talent and innovation.

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.