Poplavskyi P. Organisational and Economic Mechanism for the Implementation of International Grant Programmes in the Fields of Science and Innovation

The dissertation is devoted to solving a scientific task - substantiation of theoretical and methodological provisions and scientific and practical recommendations for improving the organisational and economic mechanism for the implementation of international grant programmes in the fields of science and innovation. The article theoretically substantiates the essence of grant projects and the evolution of their forms, analyses methodological approaches to financing international grant agreements in the fields of science and innovation, and classifies them. It is established that the evolution of the term ‘grant’ is associated with changes in public priorities, public policy and financing mechanisms. It is substantiated that the professionalisation of grant management, the growth of global cooperation, the integration of technologies and innovative financing models have transformed the scope of grants. It is proved that the implementation of research and innovation projects on the basis of international grant agreements stimulates scientific and technological progress, provides a comprehensive solution to the problems of effective interaction between the state, science and business for the joint implementation of sustainable development goals. A decomposition model has been built that illustrates the sequence of actions, steps, and resources (components) required to implement international grant projects in the fields of science and innovation. A classification of international grant agreements in the fields of science and innovation has been made, which contributes to an understanding of the variety of available forms of support for researchers and innovators, allows identifying the type of funding, category of participants, field of research, geographical coverage, duration of funding and form of cooperation, which facilitates the selection of an appropriate grant depending on the specific needs and objectives of the project, and contributes to more efficient management of grant programmes. The article analyses the EU budget for financing science and innovation, provides an organisational and economic description of EU grant programmes in the fields of science and innovation, and identifies instruments of international grant support for science and innovation in Ukraine. It is substantiated that the Horizon Europe programme, with its significant financial commitments and strategic focus, is key in financing research and innovation and contributes to significant progress in this area. It is argued that the participation of representatives of the Ukrainian scientific community in EU grant programmes opens up the possibility of using the European research infrastructure, creates conditions for improving the quality and level of domestic research, as well as the material and technical support of educational and scientific institutions. The experience of regional distribution of funding for science and innovation in the EU is revealed, ways to expand the impact of international grant projects on the research and innovation activities of Ukrainian higher education institutions are substantiated, and directions for improving the mechanism for developing research and innovation activities in the context of European integration are proposed. It is proved that resources and results of research and development are concentrated in more developed regions of the EU. It is emphasised that the current European R&D policy is mainly aimed at different types of innovation in accordance with the peripherality and economic structure of the EU member states, achieving a better balance between the goals of competitiveness and inclusiveness, and stimulating economic dynamics in less developed regions. The author emphasises the need to harmonise Ukraine's legal framework with European standards, improve financial support and grant funding mechanisms, including simplification of application and reporting procedures, and increase the availability of innovative resources for scientists and entrepreneurs. It is substantiated that such steps will help strengthen the position of Ukrainian research and innovation institutions in the international arena, contributing to their successful integration into the European scientific space and increasing their competitiveness. It is found that the mechanism of development of scientific and innovative activities in the context of European integration is a key factor determining the success of integration of scientific and technological achievements of Ukraine into the European space. Such a mechanism helps to align the national research and innovation policy with European standards and practices, optimises the processes of financing, coordination and monitoring of projects, and ensures the adaptation of scientific institutions to the requirements of European programmes.