Durham University has begun 2026 on a high note, securing more than €3.5 million (around £3 million) in funding for two Horizon Europe projects under the prestigious Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions (MSCA) Staff Exchanges programme. A significant feature of both projects is the involvement of Durham’s Centre for the Study of Ukraine (CSU), whose expertise will play a central role in shaping the international collaboration, mobility, and cultural heritage dimensions of the research.
Professor Markian Prokopovych, Professor of Modern European Cultural History in the Department of History, and Director of the Centre for the Study of Ukraine, is a key member of both project teams.
The FARMAR project, awarded €1.79 million (about £1.5 million), will be coordinated by Durham University’s Department of Computer Science. Led by a team including Lena Riabinina, Farshad Arvin, Hubert P. H. Shum, Junyan Hu, Toby Breckon, Chrysostomos Apostolidis, and Markian Prokopovych, FARMAR aims to capture and preserve on-farm knowhow; the practical, often unwritten knowledge that underpins small-scale agriculture around the world. By embedding cultural context into modern technologies, the consortium seeks to strengthen productivity, sustainability, and community identity within small farming systems.
The FARMAR network spans an exceptionally broad international partnership. Alongside UK universities and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the consortium brings together European partners from Czechia, Germany, France, Italy, and Finland, with additional collaborators in Türkiye, Vietnam, Thailand, Cabo Verde, Malaysia, Ukraine, Japan, and Canada.
Durham University celebrated a second major success with the €1.77 million (around £1.5 million) NEWBEE project, coordinated by the University’s Department of Biosciences. Led by a team comprising Amir Atapour Abarghouei, Farshad Arvin, Chrysostomos Apostolidis, and Markian Prokopovych, NEWBEE focuses on tackling a challenge at the heart of global agriculture and biodiversity: the monitoring and protection of wild bees.
NEWBEE aims to develop low‑cost camera systems capable of tracking free‑flying wild bees and applying AI to identify species and behavioural patterns. The project will also test practical strategies for attracting pollinators and will translate scientific evidence into legal and economic guidance. The goal is to empower growers to enhance pollination services while safeguarding ecological health.
The consortium includes research partners across the UK and EU, spanning Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Czechia and Bulgaria, alongside field sites and collaborators in Vietnam, Argentina, Japan, Moldova and Ukraine.
Reflecting on these achievements, Professor Janet Stewart, Executive Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, highlighted the strategic importance of both projects:
“Securing two major Horizon Europe grants at the same time is an outstanding achievement for Durham and a testament to the strength of our international research partnerships. FARMAR and NEWBEE embody the best of what collaborative, interdisciplinary research can deliver - combining innovation with deep cultural and environmental understanding.
I am especially pleased to see the involvement of our Centre for the Study of Ukraine, whose contributions reinforce our commitment to global engagement and support for researchers across regions facing profound challenges. These projects demonstrate the impact that shared knowledge and mobility can have in addressing some of the world’s most urgent agricultural and ecological issues."
Both successful bids underscore Durham University's expanding leadership in interdisciplinary research, global collaboration, and the application of AI to societal and environmental challenges.
As the projects prepare to launch, teams across Computer Science, Biosciences and the wider University are gearing up for international exchanges, fieldwork and technological development. More updates are expected as FARMAR and NEWBEE begin their work in the coming months.
Explore the Horizon Europe programme.
Learn more about Durham University’ s Department of Computer Science, Department of Biosciences, and the Centre for the Study of Ukraine.
Discover the Transformative Humanities research framework, fostering interdisciplinary research within and beyond the Arts and Humanities.
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