On 7 June 2024, a workshop on the internationalisation of Ukrainian education in the context of integration with the EU was held at the SSI “Institute of Educational Analytics”. The event was conducted within the framework of the Eurydice Network in Ukraine: Access and Cooperation” (ENUAC) project, co-funded by the European Commission.

The event was attended by representatives of government agencies, NGOs and international organisations, as well as educational and research institutions. The mixed-format of the event allowed participants to engage both online and offline.

The workshop aimed to discuss current issues related to the internationalisation of education and explore opportunities to deepen cooperation with the EU in the field of education, particularly through the Eurydice Network. An important aspect of the event was the discussion on the urgent challenges in the national education system caused by russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

Ukraine’s strategic course towards full EU membership is stipulated in its Constitution. In June 2022, the European Council made a historic decision to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate country for membership in the European Union, and in December 2023 it decided to start accession negotiations with our country. As part of deepening cooperation with the EU in the field of education, in January 2024, Ukraine officially joined the European educational information network Eurydice, and the SSI “Institute of Educational Analytics” became the National Unit of the network in Ukraine.

Andrii Lytvynchuk, Head of the Eurydice National Unit in Ukraine, Acting Director of the SSI “Institute of Educational Analytics”, PhD in Economics, Senior Researcher, reviewed the key aspects of the ENUAC project implementation in his speech. He emphasised that Ukraine’s accession to the Eurydice network opens up wide opportunities for the integration of Ukrainian education into the European educational space and helps to strengthen cooperation with European partners, namely:

• filling in the profile of the national education system of Ukraine on the Eurydice website, which is an effective tool for disseminating information about national education, highlighting its unique features, and comparing key educational indicators with European standards (the Institute’s team is responsible for filling in the profile of the national education system of Ukraine on the National Education Systems website, specifically chapters 1-8 and 14, as well as page 15);
• publishing information about significant reforms in Ukraine’s education sector that align with European educational trends and support Ukraine’s EU accession.

Looking ahead, the partnership with Eurydice will facilitate the introduction of mechanisms for sharing best practices and conducting collaborative research, which will be essential for enhancing the quality of the education system and implementing evidence-based reforms.

Oleksandra Husak, Director General of the Directorate for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Ministry of Education and Science, presented an overview of the principal outcomes and priorities of the European integration policy, with specific reference to its implementation in the fields of education and science. Furthermore, she emphasised that on 15 June 2023, the Ministry of Education and Science entered into an agreement with the European Commission on cooperation in the field of education. This agreement has been instrumental in facilitating the official establishment of national focal points, including Eurydice, eTwinning, the European Qualification Framework, EUROPASS, and Euroguidance. Furthermore, Ms. Husak emphasised the significance of additional pivotal measures towards the harmonisation with the European Education Area. In particular, she underscored the importance of data-driven policy.

In their respective reports, other speakers examined the distinctive characteristics of the national education system at various educational levels during the period of martial law in Ukraine. In addition, the participants discussed the directions of reforming the Ukrainian education system in the context of current challenges and European integration opportunities.

This workshop was an important step towards the deeper integration of Ukraine into the European educational community. It created a platform for sharing experiences, establishing new contacts and strengthening cooperation. The participants expressed their hope for further development of joint initiatives and projects aimed at improving the quality of education in Ukraine and its integration into the European Education Area.