SLU’s collaboration with Ukraine

SLU has a wide range of collaborations with Ukrainian universities and organisations, built on well-established partnerships, and is further strengthening these relations in response to the war.

Ongoing partnerships with Ukraine

SLU collaborates with Ukrainian partners through joint publications, funded projects, and institutional agreements. With strong researcher interest and growing funding opportunities, SLU aims to further strengthen long-term cooperation with Ukraine. This webpage provides an overview of ongoing collaboration, while other initiatives may also be taking place across SLU.
Map of Europe highlighting Ukraine.

Joint publications with Ukrainian institutions

Explore SLU’s research collaborations with Ukrainian partners in our publication database. Here you can find scientific articles, reports, and studies co-authored with institutions in Ukraine, reflecting ongoing cooperation across disciplines.

News and events

Strengthened cooperation between Sweden and Ukraine in agriculture, fisheries and food

On 26 May 2025, Sweden’s Minister for Rural Affairs, Peter Kullgren, and Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Vitalii Koval, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and food.
Examples of collaborations and projects between SLU and Ukrainian universities and research institutions
Oil-contaminated ground in a rural landscape.

RETURN - Restoring Environments in Ukraine

The project Restoring Environments in Ukraine (RETURN) was carried out between 2023 and 2025 in collaboration with the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA). It focused on environmental monitoring and ecological restoration in war-affected Ukraine, resulting in two scientific publications and a new course in ecological restoration at NaUKMA. The project highlighted the importance of international research cooperation during wartime and led to a follow-up initiative in southern Ukraine starting in 2026.

Wildfire

Wildfires and War – what Sweden can learn from Ukraine

What role do forests play when crisis strikes? In this campaign, researchers at SLU explore how Sweden’s forests can strengthen national preparedness – from wildfires and droughts to storms and beyond.

Illustration of two persons

ECOTWINS

The ECOTWINS research partnership aims to strengthen the research capacity of the team at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NUBiP) and establish a networking platform for sharing best practices in agroecological intensification, enhancing scientific excellence and international cooperation.

Tree

LEARNSAVE: Learning under attacks – sustainable education at risk in Ukrainian universities

The aim of the project is to strengthen the capacity of youth to tackle existing and future challenges in the agricultural sector and to implement demand-driven practice-oriented educational offers and an effective knowledge transfer.

Water samples

EU-WISH

EU-WISH is a Joint Action under the EU4Health programme, supporting the EU’s efforts to prevent, prepare for, and respond rapidly to serious cross-border health threats. The project aims to strengthen national capacity for wastewater-based public health surveillance by promoting knowledge exchange and sharing evidence-based best practices.

Cows in the meadow.

SULAWE - Sustainable Livestock Production and Animal Welfare

SULAWE aims to educate professionals in animal breeding and livestock production to international standards, supporting sustainable agriculture, animal welfare, and climate-neutral livestock practices in line with the European Green Deal 2050.

Aerial view over untreated forest.

QuantiFOR: Developing capacity in quantitative methods and research expertise for early-career forest researchers in Ukraine

The project will support early-career forest researchers in Ukraine by improving their technical skills and research expertise. Quantitative methods in forestry are in focus.

Wooden building.

WoodReconstruct

The project will investigate how wood can be used effectively for repairs, temporary housing, and long-term sustainable rebuilding in war-torn Ukraine. It will also strengthen Swedish preparedness within wood building.

Potato

Food security and collective action in Ukraine

The project examines how large-scale industrial and small-scale household farming in Ukraine respond to wartime challenges, focusing on solidarity and collective action.