Young people do not necessarily have to go abroad to fulfil their potential. Students can already visit companies and find internships in their own communities. However, for this system to work effectively on a national scale, joint efforts are required from the government, businesses, the education sector and the public. "Through the DECIDE: VET initiative, we are piloting new models of cooperation between government, education, and business to develop a career support syste

In what ways can specialised education help teenagers discover their identities, and why is this important for the country's future? Last week, this topic was discussed during a panel organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine as part of the Career Festival at the Expocenter of Ukraine (VDNH). Special attention was paid to career guidance. Valentyna Poltorak shared her experience of developing a career guidance system in six regions, which was piloted this

On 22–25 May 2025, the incredible Career Festival, the largest career event of the year in Ukraine, took place at the Expocenter of Ukraine (VDNH)! Over 100,000 guests attended the event to learn about career opportunities. The DECIDE project was represented by a team of career advisors and partner vocational schools. Thanks to our partner institutions, festival visitors were able to try their hand at various roles over the four-day event. They could experience being a welder

Poltava Lyceum No. 33 has been fitted with a modern, safe shelter that features recreation areas. The shelter is furnished with tablets, projectors, and even a 3D printer. The space has been completely renovated as part of the DECIDE: RECONSTRUCTION initiative of the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE project. "Imagine, the shelter has everything you need not only to study and achieve good results, but also to enjoy learning and spending time there," says Lyceum Director Nataliia Kikot.

The school shelter at the Sukhopolova Lyceum in the Chernihiv region has been transformed into a multifunctional educational space. As part of the DECIDE: RECONSTRUCTION initiative, more than 500 m² of safe educational space has been created for 350 children. The shelter is equipped with comfortable furniture, modern technology in the classrooms, a medical room, an educational hub, Wi-Fi, a recreation area and tabletop games. This setup ensures that students can continue thei

At the beginning of March, DECIDE Project experts started offering advisory support to communities on senior specialised school reform, which is the third phase of the New Ukrainian School reform. Since then, advisory meetings have been held across 17 regions of Ukraine. More than 2,111 participants from 129 communities — including local authority representatives and educators — have taken part in these meetings. DECIDE experts have personally visited 57 communities and facil

Thanks to the DECIDE: Rebuilding Initiative, the Podilsk community has transformed a school shelter into a space that is not only conducive to learning but also supports various educational activities. As a result, more than 1,200 students from the local educational institution have been able to return to in-person learning. How did the Podilsk community manage to equip a modern shelter?– How did the students get involved in equipping the space?– What other plans do the lyceu

Efforts are ongoing in Zakarpattia to develop a network of academic lyceums as part of the senior specialised school reform. A key component of this initiative was the extensive public discussion of the reform, which occurred in Uzhhorod on May 13 with support from the DECIDE Project. Representatives of 63 communities in the Zakarpattia region, Zakarpattia Regional State Administration and the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science gathered to address the challenges face

How will the large-scale transformation of preschool education in Ukraine take place? On 13 May, the ‘First Steps Forward’ event took place in Kyiv as part of the preparations for the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025. During the panel discussion 'Effective Management of Preschool and Early Education', participants addressed issues such as inclusion, support for educators, shelter, and demographic challenges. The successful implementation of these initiatives relies on collabo

The school shelter at the Lynovytsia Lyceum in the Chernihiv region has undergone a significant renovation through the DECIDE: RECONSTRUCTION initiative, transforming it into a true educational hub. – How did the community transform an old shooting range into a multifunctional shelter and modern educational space? – What was achieved with an investment of over UAH 3.5 million? – How did the students of the educational institution develop the ‘Fitness Hut’ project, and what wa