UNDP and National Centre of Junior Academy of Science sign memorandum of understanding

April 8, 2021

Sides will encourage young people to engage in science, bolstering Ukraine’s progress towards achieving sustainable development goals

UNDP Ukraine Resident Representative Dafina Gercheva and the director of the National Centre of the Junior Academy of Science of Ukraine Oksen Lisovyi sign a memorandum of understanding

Kyiv, 8 April 2021 – United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative in Ukraine Dafina Gercheva and the director of the National Centre of the Junior Academy of Science of Ukraine, Oksen Lisovyi, have signed a memorandum of understanding.

The document in particular, foresees cooperation between the two to encourage young people to engage in science; improving the quality of education and business support services for the development of youth skills in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship; developing the implementation of, and promoting biological solutions; conducting a competition in biomimicry, and also exchanging experience and conducting joint activities.

Gercheva said mobilizing young people was one of the pillars that the upcoming decade’s progress in sustainable development must be built on.

“We believe that our partnership with the National Centre encourages Ukrainian young people, especially those from vulnerable groups, to engage in science, innovation and entrepreneurship to achieve the sustainable development goals in Ukraine,” Gercheva said after signing the memorandum.

The parties plan to collaborate via the national centre’s Ukrainian Future business incubator, which develops and scales up innovations created by Ukrainian young people, providing them with the necessary skills and platforms to accelerate the growth and commercialization of their ideas.

According to Lisovyi, the parties to the memorandum of understanding have similar missions, so cooperation in areas of mutual interest would undoubtedly be productive:

“The Junior Academy of Sciences, under the auspices of UNESCO, is primarily a provider of values ​​for Ukrainian society,” Lisovyi said. “Our task is to implant in the worldview of the next generation of Ukrainians the values ​​inherent in the developed, civilized world. The projects we plan to implement together with UNDP are in line with our main goal and the Global Goals of the UN Sustainable Development Program – in particular, quality education, innovation and infrastructure. Cooperation with UNDP will definitely contribute to achieving this goal.”

Background:

UNDP is the leading operational arm of the United Nations at the country level, working with partners in numerous countries to promote sustainable development, eradication of poverty, advancement of women, good governance and the rule of law.

The National Centre of the Junior Academy of Science of Ukraine is a system which organizes and coordinates educational and research activities of students, creates conditions for students’ intellectual, spiritual, professional and creative development, and helps build up the scientific capacity of the country.

Media inquiries:

Yuliia Samus, UNDP Communications Specialist, yuliia.samus@undp.org, +38 097 139 14 75

Olena Severenchuk, Head of Communications, National Centre of the Junior Academy of Science of Ukraine, sol@man.gov.ua, +38 093 841 86 56