Image: Kat Lester for Research Professional News
Announcement comes as UK IT institute urges businesses to consider Ukrainian tech consultancies
The UK’s Institute of Physics has announced up to £200,000 in grants for professional physicists affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Half of the funding will be provided by the learned society and professional body, with the remainder coming from the Physics Benevolent Fund, an independent charity which provides support to IOP members.
The IOP is also giving people affiliated with Ukrainian institutions free access to all scientific research it publishes, and it is waiving article processing charges for authors based in Ukraine so they can publish open access for free in any of its journals.
In addition, the IOP said it had ceased all new sales of products and marketing to Russian and Belarusian institutions and paused the commissioning of new content from institutions and conferences in those countries.
“We are keeping our relationships with all Russian/Belarusian institutions under review as we monitor the situation closely,” the IOP said in a statement.
“We continue to hope for a swift resolution to the crisis and an end to its devastating impacts on the people of Ukraine.”
IT contracts
Meanwhile, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, together with the IT Ukraine Association, is calling on organisations around the world to give the country’s tech consultancies “serious consideration” when tendering for contracts.
“Having spoken directly to our counterparts in the Ukraine—the message they asked us to pass on to all our members, their businesses and contacts is clear—Ukraine is open for business and what the country needs is investment,” said Rob Deri, the institute’s chief executive.
“Continuing to work with them on IT projects—as well as offering them new contracts—will help them rebuild their economy and ultimately people’s lives which have been so negatively affected by the war.
“BCS is about making IT good for society and our members will do all they can to support these aims.”
He added that the institute was also offering practical help by “opening our networks, expertise and facilities to all technologists from Ukraine”.