The Ukrainian government has set accession to the EU as a strategic goal and has initiated several reforms in higher education and research policy within this framework. The most critical initiative is the preparation of a draft regulation concerning academic staff.
Cooperation in supporting Ukraine's higher education reforms began last autumn when Kristina Kallas, Estonia's minister of Education and Research, visited Ukraine. During the visit, her Ukrainian counterpart expressed Ukraine's need for outside expertise in this area.
“I am sincerely pleased that this agreement formalises the promise I made at the time that Estonia is ready to support Ukrainian colleagues with its knowledge and experience in developing a modern, transparent and European-standard higher education system,” said Kallas.
The Estonian education initiative focuses on policymaking at the higher education level in Ukraine, with a particular emphasis on strengthening state institutions. This includes the administration and supervision of the Ukrainian state higher education sector, as well as state regulations for academic staff and academic personnel policy at higher education institutions.
ESTDEV, in cooperation with the University of Tartu, the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research and Universities Estonia, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting high-quality university education in Estonia, is forming a consortium of Estonian experts that will organise mentoring, consultations, and training programmes for Ukrainian higher education policymakers and university representatives.
The resulting analyses and policy recommendations will help the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Research design and implement an up-to-date academic personnel policy in line with European standards. To effectively implement reforms, university leaders and academic staff will receive training to prepare them to make the necessary institutional changes. This bilateral cooperation will improve the capacity of both the ministry and higher education institutions to develop educational policy in a manner that supports Ukraine's accession to the EU.
According to Aune Valk, vice-rector for Academic Affairs at the University of Tartu, the university has been cooperating with its partners in the field of higher education in Ukraine for a long time, and it is pleased to see this partnership continue. “This time, the project is led by Academician Jaak Aaviksoo and Director of Narva College Indrek Reimand, both of whom have extensive experience with planning and implementing educational reforms. The cooperation is certainly not one-way; we are also learning how to manage and develop the field of education in difficult circumstances,” said Valk.
Universities Estonia Chairman and Tallinn University of Technology Rector Tiit Land stated that the project aims to support the development of academic staff, as their role in Ukrainian society is crucial.
“The intelligentsia influences the future of the country more than is often thought. Therefore, we are working together with our Ukrainian colleagues to ensure researchers and lecturers are highly valued in society, and their work is effective," said Land. He added that cooperation also offers Estonia opportunities to improve by reviewing current practices and considering how the Estonian system can function more effectively.
Supporting high-quality education in our partner countries is an Estonian development cooperation priority. “We know from our own experience how crucial education is in achieving systemic change and social development. The way Estonia has consistently developed its education system over the past 30 years offers valuable lessons for Ukraine, be it strengthening academic independence, supporting transparent governance or valuing the work of teachers,” said Kristi Kulu, the programme manager for Education at ESTDEV. “We are grateful to our Estonian partners, the University of Tartu, the Ministry of Education and Research and Universities Estonia, who are contributing their knowledge and experience. We also want to recognise our Ukrainian colleagues, whose dedication to implementing reforms in difficult circumstances is inspiring.”
According to Kulu, this is ESTDEV’s first development cooperation project aimed at supporting Ukrainian higher education. Estonian experts will be able to directly share their knowledge and experience with Ukrainian decision-makers and university leaders, ensuring that reforms related to EU membership are not just theoretical but also put into practice.
