Since 1 January 2025, five new members have joined the ERRIN network, including the Lviv Regional Council, marking a milestone as ERRIN's first Ukrainian member. Aligned with the ERRIN's priority of widening and deepening the engagement in R&I, ERRIN looks forward to supporting the Lviv Region in enhancing the R&I capacities in their regional innovation ecosystem.

On 21 February, the ERRIN Management Board met online with a delegation from the Lviv Regional Council to explore opportunities for engagement in ERRIN's 2025 activities and potential collaborations opportunities with fellow ERRIN members.

Lviv's regional innovation ecosystem

The Lviv Region is home to a dynamic and rapidly evolving innovation ecosystem. The region has 73 municipalities, 19 industrial parks – the highest number in Ukraine – and a diverse entrepreneurial landscape with more than 22,700 companies, including 238 relocated businesses since 2022.

Lviv's academic strength is driven by 21 universities, three of which rank among Ukraine’s top 10, as well as 40 colleges and four medical schools. The Lviv Regional Council plays a central role in shaping this ecosystem, overseeing 147 public hospitals, 67 public companies and numerous institutions in healthcare, vocational education, culture, and social services.

Lviv Regional Council's research and innovation priorities

During the meeting, the Lviv delegation outlined their key R&I priorities where they seek engagement with ERRIN's policy and project development work and to connect with other members:

• Health: Establishing a Western Medical Cluster, advancing digital healthcare, enhancing infection control, improving blood safety and expanding rehabilitation centres for war victims.
• Environment: Improving surface water protection and waste management facilities, (circular) waste management and forest management and air quality, as well as strengthening their resilience in the face of climate adaptation.
• Cultural heritage: With around 6 000 monuments, 758 of which are of national importance and five listed as UNESCO World Heritage, the region is creating a Western Ukrainian Restoration Centre, developing underground storage for valuable exhibits and is implementing digital heritage tools such as virtual tours.
• Education: Addressing the region's predicted need for a VET-qualified workforce for the coming years for the country's reconstruction. On the short term, retaining skilled adults in the region, increasing specialised research and educational programmes and strengthening the region's attractivity for health professionals is crucial.

Collaboration opportunities

ERRIN Management Board member Pieter Faber from Cities Northern Netherlands provided insights into ERRIN's governance and how Lviv stakeholders can get involved in ERRIN's Working Group and Task Forces, tapping into planned 2025 activities. The exchange also briefly touched upon existing collaborations in the ERRIN project RESIST, and initiatives of ERRIN members illustrating the commitment to Ukraine, such as:

• The CAETRA Programme, led by Murcia's Regional Development Agency (Spain), aiming to promote R&D, innovation, technology entrepreneurship and International Cooperation and Technology Transfer in dual-use technologies for Defence.
• Security and Post-disaster rebuilding and the Ukrainian-Swedish Collaboration: A Technological Leap in Preserving St. Sophia Cathedral’s graffitis led by the Gothenburg University in Västra Götaland Region (Sweden).

At this important moment where the European Commission President von der Leyen and the College of Commissioners have just visited Kyiv, reaffirming the European Commission's support for Ukraine, ERRIN is fully committed to strengthening interregional R&I collaboration with Lviv and forging robust, meaningful partnerships in the coming months. 

ERRIN members are at the heart of the ERRIN – and it is their active engagement that drives the network. ERRIN supports members to enhance their regional and local research and innovation capacities and further develop their R&I ecosystems. Fostering diversity and a place-based approach, ERRIN brings together members to connect, exchange knowledge and get the most out of research and innovation instruments and funding opportunities, while supporting them in navigating the complex R&I policy and funding landscape. At the start of 2025, the ERRIN membership gathers 118 regional stakeholders from 23 European countries.