On May 14, 2026, a Round Table meeting dedicated to Science Day took place, attended by representatives of leading scientific institutes of the NAS of Ukraine, state executive authorities, enterprises, business associations, small and medium-sized businesses. More than 70 participants registered for the event, of whom 44 joined online.
The director of the State Institution "Institute of Economics and Forecasting of the NAS of Ukraine," academician of the NAS of Ukraine Valeriy Heyets, addressed the participants of the Round Table with a welcoming speech. In his speech, he emphasized the need to use the outcomes of the round table to form practical recommendations that will be presented at the joint meeting of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Presidium of the NAS of Ukraine. He stressed the importance of integrating economic, environmental, and technological solutions into the state policy for industrial development, especially in wartime conditions when national production capacities must become the main factor of the country's technological advancement. The academician called for cooperation among scientists, business, and authorities to consolidate initiatives at the state level to ensure responsible decisions by the Government and Parliament and to create conditions for scaling innovative technologies in Ukraine's industry.
In her welcoming speech, the head of the Scientific, Technical, and Innovation Policy Department of the Department of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development of the Executive Body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration) Tetyana Boyko emphasized the strategic role of science, innovation, and industry in strengthening the economic foundation of the capital and Ukraine as a whole. She highlighted the need for effective interaction among authorities, science, business, and investors to create joint innovative projects that will promote the development of environmentally safe technologies and enhance the resource security of territorial communities.
The Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Ukraine Rostyslav Korobka stressed the importance of transforming technogenic waste into a strategic resource for sustainable development and Ukraine's integration into European markets. He noted that the CCI of Ukraine has long cooperated with the Institute of Economics and Forecasting of the NAS of Ukraine, using its proposals and developments alongside the conclusions of its own expert committees. This partnership is an important tool for forming recommendations submitted to state bodies and government structures. In particular, in May 2026, joint proposals were submitted to the draft "National Action Plan for Responsible Business Conduct," which is to become the basis for sustainable recovery, attracting investment, and integrating Ukraine into the EU. Such cooperation allows transforming scientific developments into practical solutions that meet modern challenges and create real opportunities for the development of business, industry, and territorial communities in wartime conditions.
A representative of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection Serhiy Zakharin greeted the participants of the Round Table on behalf of the Head of the State Service Serhiy Tkachuk and expressed support for the event, emphasizing the Service's interest in research results related to resource security issues and the processing of technogenic waste.
The director of LLC "Dnipro-Center" Andriy Zhmedak in his speech emphasized the importance of considering technogenic waste through the prism of practical economics and market opportunities. He stressed that for entrepreneurs, the presence of rare earth elements (REE) is not the only important factor. He highlighted the need to launch compact pilot projects to test technologies, product quality, and early involvement of potential buyers or strategic partners, which will allow moving from scientific discussion to real investment projects beneficial for communities, the state, and business.
Professor of Poltava State Agrarian University, Doctor of Economics Mykola Zos-Kior congratulated the participants of the Round Table on Science Day and emphasized the particular relevance of the topic for Ukraine's agrarian regions. He noted that the full-scale war has left a technogenic footprint not only in industry but also in agriculture, particularly due to soil contamination with ammunition fragments and other technogenic components. In this context, research on the possibilities of extracting REE from waste can become an important direction for ecological cleansing of territories and the formation of new economic opportunities for the regions.
A member of the Board of the NGO "Ecodia" Mariya Lukyanova congratulated the participants of the Round Table on Science Day and emphasized the importance of responsible resource management in the process of Ukraine's reconstruction. She noted that only by uniting the efforts of science, the state, business, and the public can an effective recycling system be created that will work for the benefit of every community resident, with science itself becoming the driver of responsible resource management and Ukraine's leadership in sustainable development.
The event moderator, leading researcher of the Department of Trade and Industrial Policy of the Institute of Economics and Forecasting of the NAS of Ukraine, Doctor of Economics Oksana Kushnirenko, noted that the Round Table is the result of long-term joint work of scientists, state institutions, business, and public organizations. The purpose of the discussion is to find practical solutions for the development of strategically important sectors of Ukraine's industry, in particular the creation of a full cycle of extraction, processing, and reuse of REE from technogenic waste. She emphasized that the wide range of participants—from academic institutions and authorities to business and environmental organizations—allows forming a holistic vision and roadmap for transforming an environmental problem into a strategic resource asset of Ukraine. Such interdisciplinary cooperation is necessary to create a scientifically grounded basis that will ensure sustainable development of communities and promote Ukraine's integration into the EU.
