Participation in the meeting of the Thematic Subgroup VET of the Sectoral Working Group on Education and Science (02.10.2024, online)
On 2 October 2024, an online meeting of the Thematic Subgroup VET of the Sectoral Working Group on Education and Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU) took place, moderated by Tetiana BILETSKA, Deputy Director of the MESU Recovery and Reform Support Team.
Zhanna TALANOVA, Project Manager of the National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine, participated in the event, contributing to discussions on the EU Erasmus+ Programme opportunities for VET.
Dmytro ZAVHORODNIY, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, presented the key processes and challenges in the field of vocational education in Ukraine to the representatives of international partner organizations, emphasizing the areas requiring development assistance.
Henrik HUITFELDT, Head of the Local and Human Development Section at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, outlined cooperation projects and the European Union’s directions and scope of support for Ukraine in vocational education.
Iryna SHUMIK, Director General of the Directorate of Vocational Education of the MESU, described the current state of the vocational education system in Ukraine, noting that:
- 225,200 students (including 3,900 students with disabilities) are studying at 664 VET institutions;
- 28,100 teachers are employed in the sector.
She highlighted the dynamic development of the vocational education course platform, which now hosts over 140 courses across various disciplines. Updates included the draft Law of Ukraine “On Vocational Education,” plans for restructuring the VET network by consolidating institutions (currently averaging 200–300 students per institution), and ongoing international projects and programmes, such as the creation of centres of excellence in vocational education supported by international partners. She also emphasised the need for enhanced project management competencies and foreign language skills to implement Erasmus+ projects effectively.
Oleksandra BORODIENKO, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, and representative of the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel), presented a four-year programme supporting Ukraine’s education sector, funded by the Government of Belgium with a budget of €150 million.
In conclusion, Vira RYBAK, Education and Science Sector Manager at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, invited the MESU to share its strategic plans for the development of the VET institution network with international partners to align future actions.
The event gathered approximately 40 participants, including representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and international partner organisations.