Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Yulia Sokolovska and Advisor-Commissioner of the President on issues of the President of Ukraine's Fund for the Support of Education, Science, and Sports Olha Budnyk held a meeting with the leadership of the British Council to discuss further cooperation on the main directions of the Fund's activities, as well as to discuss new joint projects and initiatives.
Chief Executive Officer of the British Council Scott McDonald, Director of the British Council in Ukraine Colm McGivern, and Head of Education at the British Council in Ukraine Liudmyla Tatsenko attended the event.
During the meeting, Olha Budnyk presented not only the programs and initiatives of the Fund but also successful case studies of implementing joint projects involving British partners. One such example is the three-year university management leadership development programme "Leaders of University Transformation for Ukraine's Reinvention," which is being implemented with the British Council. Six leading Ukrainian higher education institutions participated in the pilot cycle of the program.
Another successful example of such collaboration is the Twinning initiative, which involves close cooperation between several Ukrainian universities and foreign higher education institutions. Partnerships have been established between Ukrainian universities and institutions in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Canada, and Ireland.
A particularly successful outcome of the Twinning initiative has been the dual degree programme with UK universities. This represents a significant step towards internationalizing higher education in Ukraine. Graduates receive diplomas from both Ukrainian and UK universities upon completion of their studies. For students, this is a unique opportunity to acquire educational competencies simultaneously from Ukrainian and UK higher education institutions without the need to travel abroad. This year, the number of universities offering Ukrainian-UK dual degree programmes has increased to ten.
Yulia Sokolovska emphasized the special attention of the Office of the President to education and science, as they are critically important for Ukraine's development. She also stressed the need to create conditions for educating talented Ukrainian youth with the involvement of international organizations.
"Over the past two years, we have been forced to respond to the challenges of the war crisis, but at the same time, we must act more strategically. We are already working on how to increase the potential of our talented individuals, provide them access to the best world universities, and then bring them back to Ukraine. To achieve this, it is necessary to ensure appropriate infrastructure so that upon returning home, everyone can contribute to the country's recovery at a qualitatively new level," said the deputy head of the Office of the President.
She also emphasized the interest of the Ukrainian side in establishing analytical units at universities with the support of UK partner-mentors. The UK has significant historical experience in implementing such projects, allowing scientists to work on solutions needed by the government. Additionally, it was proposed to start working on creating a new programme, the idea of which is to invite UK professors to teach at Ukrainian universities.
"For the Fund for the Support of Education, Science, and Sports, as well as for the state, the development of human capital is a priority direction of activity. We continue to implement incentive programmes for talented youth," said Olha Budnyk.
She noted that last year, the Fund for the third time awarded a prize of UAH 100,000 to winners and medalists of international student Olympiads. Additionally, for the first time, prizes of UAH 50,000 were initiated and awarded to teachers who prepared these students. It is important to support those who not only teach but also discover and develop the youth's talents.
"We are now launching a grant programme for young scientists and master's students to conduct international research and study at the best global higher education institutions in areas essential for the country's recovery. We aim to facilitate the training of motivated and highly qualified professionals who, upon returning to Ukraine, will integrate their skills into relevant fields, ensuring the sustainable development of the state," said Olha Budnyk.
On his part, Colm McGivern emphasized the need to continue the British Council's education and science programmes in Ukraine, as well as the importance of cooperation with Ukrainian higher education institutions.