The interest in the SI Ukraine Cooperation Programme has been remarkable, which was particularly evident in the open call this spring that resulted in 168 applications from Swedish actors and their Ukrainian partners. After a thorough selection process, the Director-General of the Swedish Institute, Madeleine Sjöstedt, made the decision late last week to award funding to 41 projects in the programme’s first round. In total, these decisions amount to SEK 56 million.
– SI’s support is granted to Swedish actors who, together with Ukrainian counterparts, will strengthen opportunities for entrepreneurship and trade. There are also projects that enhance capacity in the areas of human rights, democracy, the rule of law, and gender equality, says Madeleine Sjöstedt.
The SI Ukraine Cooperation Programme addresses Ukraine’s needs
The applications submitted through the programme have largely reflected the current issues and challenges facing Ukraine. The country’s needs are immense and require both short-term and long-term responses.
– The applications cover a wide range of industries and actors. This demonstrates a deep commitment in Sweden to Ukraine’s future and development. We at the Swedish Institute will, of course, follow up on the projects and are already planning for upcoming calls for proposals. SI’s role in Sweden’s support to Ukraine is a high priority, says Madeleine Sjöstedt.
Training programme for Ukrainian diplomats
Among the funded projects is a training programme that the Stockholm School of Economics will implement in close cooperation with the Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. The programme aims to provide professional development for Ukrainian diplomats as future EU negotiators, while also strengthening the general negotiation capacity of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Project focusing on children with intellectual disabilities
In a project led by Örebro University in collaboration with several universities in both Ukraine and Poland, Ukraine’s education system will be further developed to become more inclusive for children and youth with intellectual disabilities. This also includes aligning the education system with current EU frameworks. A pilot concept featuring educational modules will be developed and tested in three Ukrainian regions, targeting teachers, educators, support staff, and parents.
Seminar on Sustainable and Long-Term Cooperation to Support Ukraine
Some of the organisations that have been granted funding will gather for a seminar at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on Monday, October 28, where the focus will be on discussions about how Swedish-Ukrainian relations can be further strengthened, as well as on opportunities and challenges in the collaboration. Among the invited participants are representatives from academia, business, and civil society, including some of those who have now been granted funding within the SI Ukraine Cooperation Programme. These include: Kulturhuset Stadsteatern with the project New Voices from Ukraine (NVU), and Ports of Stockholm with the project IntegraPorts. Other panelists and speakers include Madeleine Sjöstedt (Director General of the Swedish Institute), Andrii Plakhotniuk (Ukraine’s Ambassador to Sweden), and Ulrik Tideström (Sweden’s Special Envoy for Ukraine’s Reconstruction, Business, and Development).
Facts
The full list of approved projects can be found on si.se.
A new call within the SI Ukraine Cooperation Programme will be announced during spring 2025.
There are also opportunities to apply for funding for projects where Ukraine can be a part of multilateral collaborations through the Swedish Institute’s SI Creative Partnerships Programme and SI Baltic Sea Neighbourhood Programme. Calls for these programmes will open at the end of 2024.