Research project

SUPERNOVA

SUPERNOVA is a project led by Nord University at the Business School, aiming to strengthen Ukraine-related expertise in Northern Norway and contribute to increased cooperation between Nordland and Ukraine.

The project has received NOK 3 million in funding from the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills’ Programme for Ukraine Competence and will run from January 2026 to December 2027.

Group photo from the TURBO conference in Warsaw. The experiences from this work form the basis for the SUPERNOVA project. Photo: Szymon Krzyżanowski / Kozminski University.

About the project

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Norway has received more than 85,000 Ukrainian refugees. At the same time, there is a significant need for increased knowledge about how Norwegian actors can cooperate with Ukrainian partners – both in the current situation and in the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Many Ukrainian refugees possess valuable skills that are currently underutilised in the Norwegian labour market. Meanwhile, many businesses and organisations in Northern Norway lack experience and knowledge about cooperation with Ukraine.

SUPERNOVA aims to help build this competence.

Project objectives

SUPERNOVA has two main focus areas:

1. Cooperation and business development

Support businesses and organisations in Northern Norway in direct cooperation with Ukrainian partners
Facilitate collaboration on markets, investments and reconstruction
Create new opportunities for value creation in the region

2. Preparedness and institutional learning

Explore how Ukrainian institutions have maintained operations during wartime
Transfer experiences and knowledge that can strengthen preparedness and resilience in Nordland
Contribute to mutual learning and knowledge sharing

Importance for Nordland

Nordland is the only county in Norway expected to experience negative population growth towards 2050. Better integration of an international workforce and stronger international cooperation may be part of the solution.

SUPERNOVA will strengthen both preparedness and value creation in Nordland, while at the same time contributing to the reconstruction of Ukraine through partnerships and knowledge exchange.

SUPERNOVA builds on established cooperation between Nord University and several Ukrainian universities and academic communities. Experiences from previous projects and conferences, including collaboration with Kozminski University in Warsaw, provide an important academic foundation for the project.

The project also involves actors in Bodø and Nordland, including businesses, public sector institutions and organisations that wish to strengthen cooperation with Ukrainian partners within market development, investments and reconstruction.