Scientific research is the main activity of KAU. The main principles of KAU's educational activities are learning by doing research internationally and individual approach. This is being realized using specialized departments of KAU, which are joint educational and scientific units of KAU, and the basic academic institutes: Each student is immediately assigned to a scientific supervisor, an active working scientist of the basic institute, who provides support for the study and supervises the student's research work.
The system of specialized departments at the basic institutes is a system of research training ("system of Physics and Technology Department"), which KAU inherited from Physico-Technical Educational and Scientific Center and further develops, supplementing it with own scientific projects and Research Centers.
The Research Centers are KAU's structural units that are formed on a temporary basis to conduct research on particularly relevant scientific trends that are a breakthrough and will determine the global priorities for the development of the scientific field in the nearest future. The Research Centers are established as joint structural units of KAU and several scientific institutions of the NAS of Ukraine on an interdisciplinary basis. The Research Centers may also involve employees of other scientific and higher education institutions.
Currently, the following KAU centers are operating or are being ready to open:
Ukrainian-German Excellence Center - UKRATOP
Center for Quantum Materials and Technology
Laboratory of Electronic Instrumentation