Karazin University Joined the Launch of the International FORWARD Project

On 26–28 January 2026, the kick-off meeting of the international project “FORWARD – Urban Resilience through Open Science, Education, and Community Engagement in War Regions” took place in Oslo, Norway, at Oslo Metropolitan University. The project is implemented with the support of the European Commission within the Erasmus+ programme.

Over three days, partners from the countries participating in the project consortium worked on shaping a shared vision aimed at strengthening urban resilience under wartime challenges through open science tools, education, and active community engagement.

During the meeting, participants focused on the following key areas:

• exchanging experience in conducting research under wartime conditions;

• strengthening international scientific cooperation and support for researchers;

• planning work packages, the project management system, and the communication strategy;

• developing open science, FAIR data, digital infrastructure, and VR solutions;

• preparing educational modules, practical case studies, and integrating project outcomes into university curricula.

A highlight of the meeting was a keynote address dedicated to building resilient knowledge systems and crisis-resilient data governance as a foundation for the sustainable development of cities in post-conflict and war-affected regions.

The Ukrainian project team represented at the meeting brings together the Educational and Research Institute of Sociology and Media Communications (national coordinator in Ukraine), Lviv Polytechnic National University, and Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman as partner institutions.

The kick-off meeting confirmed the consortium’s high level of motivation, a shared vision of goals, and readiness for close international cooperation to support universities and communities in regions affected by war.

The FORWARD project has officially started, and intensive work, new partnerships, and practical solutions for the future lie ahead.

This project is funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.