Displaced but not disconnected: the potential of scientific diaspora in the rebuilding of Ukraine

Type of the article: EditorialWhen war comes, it silences classrooms, shatters labs, and uproots entire lives. But what it cannot destroy is the knowledge people carry within them – resilient, determined, and driven by purpose. This is the story of Ukrainian science after February 2022. Not a story of loss, but of transformation. Not disappearance, but displacement, and determined reconnection. When russia launched its full-scale invasion, according to the rough estimation of the Ministry of Education of Science in Ukraine, over 5,000 Ukrainian scientists were forced to flee. Many were women with children. Most of them landed in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, the UK, the US, carrying not only their expertise but also the enormous weight of uncertainty. In that moment of war, something extraordinary happened. Ukrainian scientists abroad tried to find one another. The result is ukrdiaspora.nauka.gov.ua, a living map of Ukrainian researchers around the globe, open to those who want to collaborate with colleagues in Ukraine. The site has grown into a digital meeting place, a collaboration platform, and a symbol of scientific resistance. It is important to say that the Ukrainian Science Diaspora initiative has become global. As already mentioned, we initially looked for scholars, and then we began to identify diaspora scholar organizations. At the same time, other scholars approached us for advice on establishing such organizations in their host countries. There are currently 19 academic diaspora organizations in our network from 16 countries around the world. They are completely independent and operate within the norms and rules of the host countries. Their activities are mainly focused on the following areas: the integration of newly arrived Ukrainians into the research space of the host countries, as well as the promotion of Ukraine. Today, every Ukrainian researcher abroad is a science diplomat – they raise the Ukrainian question, fight against russian propaganda, and convince people and governments to continue standing with Ukraine.