Three vocational education and training colleges in Ukraine are set to receive more than €24 million in EU-backed financing to create new “Centres of Vocational Excellence.”
The funding will go to colleges in Kyiv, Dnipro and the Volyn region, under a broader €58 million Ukraine Vocational Education and Training Programme backed by the European Investment Bank (EIB), the bank announced on Thursday.
Agreements have been signed by Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Finance, regional administrations and the participating colleges to enable the allocation of the financing.
The planned centres are intended to bring together education, retraining and cooperation with businesses at each college.
The three institutions named for funding are TECHNO-ART Kyiv Vocational College, Dnipro Vocational Technological College and the Kolky Vocational Education Centre in the Volyn region.
Works planned for 2027 – 2028
Construction and renovation work is scheduled for 2027 and 2028 and will include refurbishing teaching buildings, workshops and dormitories, as well as buying new equipment and vehicles for practical training, the EIB said.
The plans also include construction related to agricultural machinery.
“Ukraine’s recovery depends on skilled people,” EIB Group Vice-President Karl Nehammer stated.
Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Dmytro Zavgorodnii said the programme marked “a new stage” in implementing vocational education and training reform.
Gediminas Navickas, Chargé d’Affaires at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, said support was being provided through the Ukraine Investment Framework (UIF).
EIB and Ukrainian officials are also in talks about directing programme financing to four more vocational colleges in Chortkiv, Kalush, Odesa and Uzhhorod.
Alongside the €58 million EIB loan, the programme includes €8.5 million in EU grant-funded technical assistance through the Neighbourhood Investment Platform.
