Boosting higher education in Ukraine, partnerships between educational institutions, exchange experiences, and English language learning are at the heart of a new agreement between the British Council and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MoES).
The agreement will further develop cooperation across three priorities of English language development, school collaboration and reform, and higher education reform throughout Ukraine.
The partnership builds on the long-standing collaboration between the British Council and MoES, while adapting to the current challenges facing Ukraine’s education system due to Russia’s full-scale invasion. It outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation between educational institutions and government agencies in both countries.
The agreement continues the British Council’s focus on English language learning in Ukraine, supporting the teaching and learning of English in educational institutions, and focusing on teachers’ continuing professional development through blended teacher training, developing communities of practice and provision of digital resources in cooperation with educational institutions.
The partnership also aims to promote the appropriate recognition within Ukraine of UK qualifications and examinations by focusing on the harmonisation of national qualifications frameworks between Ukraine and the UK.
The signing reflects a continued commitment to advancing cooperation in education and science, and to supporting Ukraine’s recovery and reform through enhanced English language learning and teaching, higher education development and strengthening school partnerships.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by British Council Chief Executive Scott McDonald and Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Oksen Lisovyi at Education World Forum in London this week as part of UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership programme, building on the existing cooperation between the participants in the field of education and science.
Education World Forum is the world’s largest annual gathering of education and skills ministers. It provides a platform for global dialogue, collaboration, and policy exchange, and is supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department for Education, and the British Council.
As the UK’s international organisation for culture and education, the British Council is currently working with partners to train more than 15,000 teachers in Ukraine in techniques to help young children living with trauma. The British Council has delivered 10,000 English Online courses for displaced Ukrainians in the UK, and connected Ukrainian arts and cultural organisations with UK counterparts, showcasing their work internationally and supporting Ukrainian cultural expression.
Both the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the British Council will cooperate with educational institutions in the UK and Ukraine to achieve the objectives of the Memorandum, aiming to promote the development of direct partnerships between educational institutions in the UK and Ukraine.
Scott McDonald, British Council Chief Executive, said: “The need to support Ukraine’s education sector is clear. The war has damaged the country’s infrastructure, putting the right to education of millions of young people at stake. The UK Government recently committed to ‘An Unbreakable 100 Year Partnership’ with Ukraine, signifying the breadth and depth of relationships between our countries. The British Council has worked in Ukraine for the past 30 years and we will remain alongside them whatever it takes. We believe it’s more important than ever to build positive connections, mutual understanding, and trust between people, which we have continued to do throughout the war.”
Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, said: “"A strong education system is a point of connection for strategic partnership, cultural exchange, and the building of sustainable international ties. In these challenging times, we especially value cooperation that is built on trust, consistency, and a shared vision for the future. The signing of the Memorandum with the British Council is a significant step toward developing a systemic and long-term partnership that has already delivered tangible results and opens up new opportunities for Ukrainian teachers, children, and the entire education community. We are committed to continuing this progress."