The Nadija Research Foundation plans to operate a research center in Ukraine in collaboration with eight universities. The center will investigate the long-term effects of war on children's mental health and help develop better treatments. UZH President Michael Schaepman will serve as chair of the new foundation.
Children are among the most vulnerable victims of war. Beyond the immediate risk of physical injury, many experience psychological trauma that can have lasting effects long after an armed conflict has ended. According to UNICEF, around five million children have been displaced by the war in Ukraine. Many have spent extended periods in underground shelters near the front lines, some children up to 5,000 hours. Nearly half of all children show signs of psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic stress. In addition, one in three has witnessed someone in their immediate surroundings being injured or killed.
Eight universities collaborating on research
The , established in 2025 by five Scandinavian countries in partnership with Ukraine, aims to provide professional help as early as possible to reduce the long-term physical and mental consequences of war trauma.
Alongside existing treatment and support facilities, research will now become a key pillar of this commitment. To strengthen the scientific basis of its work, the Nadija Foundation has established the independent Nadija Research Foundation in collaboration with the Universities of Zurich, Copenhagen, Linköping, Helsinki, Cambridge, New South Wales, the Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University and the Ukrainian Catholic University. The new foundation is chaired by Michael Schaepman, President of the University of Zurich, and will be funded exclusively through donations.
Investigating the health impacts of war
The goal is to establish a new research center of excellence in Ukraine dedicated to psychotraumatology, child and adolescent psychology, mental health, resilience research and epigenetics. The center will combine the expertise and evidence-based approaches of all participating universities. Based in Lviv, the new center aims to advance research on the health consequences of armed conflict, develop more effective therapies based on these findings, and deepen understanding of how conflict affects children and families, both in Ukraine and beyond.
"We are committed to supporting the well-being of children in crisis regions and to ensuring that they benefit from the latest scientific knowledge," says foundation chair Michael Schaepman.
"At the same time, we are helping Ukraine build its scientific and clinical capacities for the long term, despite shortages of specialists and damaged infrastructure."
Two research projects already underway
The newly established Nadija Research Foundation is already launching two projects. The first is a national longitudinal study, known as the UNITY cohort, which will follow 3,000 families over several years in regions affected by the war to different degrees. The study will examine the families' mental health, resilience and coping strategies over time. The second project focuses on a World Health Organization (WHO) program designed to strengthen the emotional well-being of adolescents. Known as Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE), the program will be adapted to the Ukrainian context and evaluated. As part of the project, researchers are developing a digital version that addresses current challenges such as online learning and air raid alerts.
Virtual and on-site care
In addition to the planned research center, the Nadija Foundation already operates a virtual hospital that uses telemedicine to provide accessible psychological care to children and families across Ukraine. The foundation also works closely with a hospital in Lviv that specializes in the treatment of complex injuries, reconstructive surgery and severe psychological trauma.
