Ukrainian regions’ scientific capacity in the context of securing the establishment of efficient national innovative ecosystem

Abstract

The paper characterizes the scientific capacity of Ukrainian regions across the number of organizations involved in R&D, number of employed in R&D, and R&D expenditures. The trends towards the reduction of the number of R&D organizations in Ukraine and the number of employed in R&D are detected. Six scientific centers with the strongest development capacity are determined – Kyiv and Harkivska, Dnipropetrovska, Lvivska, Zaporizka, and Odeska oblasts. The development of scientific capacity in Ukraine and the EU is compared across the parameters of gross R&D expenditures per capita, number of researchers per 1000 employed, gross expenditures per 1 employed in the industry, and gross expenditures per a researcher. The structure of R&D expenditures across the sources of funding is analyzed across Ukrainian regions and compared to EU and OECD countries. The role of research infrastructures in the EU is examined and the situation with their development in Ukraine is described. The parameters of high- and above average technology output, export of high- and above average technology products, knowledge-intensive services, and volume of sold innovative products in Ukraine are analyzed. The measures to be taken to achieve efficient implementation of scientific capacity and economic development of the country and its regions based on innovative development model are suggested. They include integration of the demand for scientific and technological research into the system of regional strategizing, scientific and technological maintenance of regional smart-specialization strategies with attraction of specialists, making R&D the integral component of accomplishment of sectoral, regional, and local innovative programs, development of modern innovative infrastructure accompanied by growing demand for R&D, and integration of the national R&D system with the global research area, etc.