Grant Programme for Partnership Projects between Norwegian and Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions

The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) announces up to NOK 80 000 000 in grants to educational partnerships between higher education institutions in Norway and Ukraine through Nansen EDU – Norwegian–Ukrainian Cooperation in Higher Education. The programme is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine (https://www.norad.no), supporting the Ukraine Recovery Plan in the field of education and science.

The overall aim of Nansen EDU is to strengthen Ukrainian higher education institutions’ ability to offer good, relevant and attractive education; improve access to well-qualified professionals for the public and private sector in Ukraine, tailored to priority fields and adapted to regional needs; and strengthen long-term cooperation between Norwegian and Ukrainian higher education institutions.

Eligible applicants are Norwegian higher education institutions accredited by NOKUT offering programmes at bachelor’s and master’s levels. Each application must include at least two partners in Ukraine that are fully recognized higher education institutions, public or private, offering programmes at bachelor’s and master’s levels.

The Norwegian applicant must take the coordinating role. Applicants are encouraged to include additional partners when this enhances the project (e.g., higher education institutions with accredited bachelor’s/master’s/PhD programmes, research institutions, public or private enterprises, NGOs or other relevant organisations in Norway and Ukraine).

Applicants are particularly encouraged to include higher education institutions that have been relocated or are situated in areas most affected by the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine. Partners from other European countries may participate in a supplementary role if they contribute meaningfully to expected outcomes in Ukraine and support safe implementation.

Eligible cost types (HK-dir funding may cover):
- Personnel and administration costs
- Procurement costs for services
- Procurement costs for equipment
- Scholarship costs
- Travel and accommodation costs
- Other project-related costs
It is stated that there are restrictions on some budget categories concerning funding for Norwegian partners (no further details).

Funding aims to support projects that generate objectives/results including:

• strengthened higher education institutions in Ukraine (enhanced leadership, administrative capacity and supporting services;
• improved participation in international knowledge collaboration;
• strengthened teaching, innovation and research competence among staff); 
• enhanced quality and relevance of educational offerings (new and/or improved study programmes in priority academic fields; 
• improved digital teaching/learning/assessment;
• student-active learning and integration with research and innovation projects;
• strengthened doctoral education, opportunities for young researchers, research-based innovation);
• more inclusive education for vulnerable groups and new opportunities for continuing and further education (psycho-social support services;
• facilitated education for war-wounded individuals, demobilised soldiers and internally displaced persons;
• continuing education and training programmes in domains with identified skills needs).

- Application deadline: 2 March 2026 13:00h (CET)
- Project start-up must be planned between 1 June 2026 and 1 July 2026
- Projects must end no later than 30 June 2029
- Assessment: two individual expert assessments; in case of disagreement, a third assessment
- Estimated timing for grant decisions: medio May 2026; all applicants will be informed

Applications must be submitted through the HK-dir application and reporting portal Espresso: https://espresso.hkdir.no. Minimum requirements listed on the page include:
- submit by the deadline and through Espresso
- application must be written in English
- submit on behalf of an organisation eligible as applicant under this call
- involve at least the applicant institution and two partner institutions in Ukraine (fully recognized higher education institutions, public or private, offering bachelor’s and master’s programmes)
- meet duration requirements
- include a project description in PDF format using the HK-dir template
- include a signed declaration of participation by the person with administrative responsibility in the applicant organisation
- include letters of commitment from all partners (excluding the applicant institution), signed at relevant management level
- include a CV for the project coordinator at the applicant institution (max 4 pages).

Assessment criteria and weighting:
- Relevance of the project (30%)
- Quality of project design and implementation (20%)
- Quality of the project group and collaborative structures (20%)
- Project impact (30%)
Additionally stated: to qualify for a grant, all final sub-grades must be 4 or higher and at least two out of four sub-grades must be 5 or higher; a weighted average is used; ties are ranked by highest sub-grade in the order: relevance, impact, quality of project design and implementation, quality of the project group and collaborative structures; if still equal, ranking is determined by drawing lots.

- Project description in PDF (using HK-dir template)
- Signed Declaration of participation (by the person with administrative responsibility in the applicant organisation)
- Letters of commitment from all partners (excluding the applicant institution), signed at relevant management level
- CV for the project coordinator at the applicant institution (max 4 pages)

All applications must identify, assess and describe how they will mitigate relevant risks. Risk assessments tied to the security situation in Ukraine should be included, and consideration should be given to risks related to fundamental academic values and national interests, including security interests.

Cross-cutting issues must always be included in risk management: anti-corruption; climate and environment; women’s rights and gender equality; human rights (with focus on participation, accountability and non-discrimination).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has zero-tolerance of financial irregularities; funded institutions must have sound systems to prevent, detect, report and sanction financial irregularities.

The Ministry also has zero-tolerance for inaction in cases of SEAH; institutions must take reasonable steps to prevent, detect and respond, confirm ethical guidelines for SEAH for the applicant and grant-receiving partners, and describe internal control systems to ensure SEAH is prevented, detected and followed up.

Terms stated on the page include: project duration up to three years; planned start-up between 1 June 2026 and 1 July 2026; end no later than 30 June 2029; at least one budgeted activity in each year of the three-year period. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs states zero-tolerance of financial irregularities and zero-tolerance for inaction in SEAH cases, with requirements for internal control systems and ethical guidelines to prevent/detect/respond.