Resilience of Ukraine’s Education: Reflections Following a Visit to Lviv in June 2026
Every visit to Ukraine during the ongoing full-scale invasion brings a profound emotional impact. While the country continues to defend itself against aggression, daily life also goes on. People continue to work, create, innovate, and plan for the future. It is remarkable to witness first-hand the resilience demonstrated across all areas of Ukrainian society, including its education system.
A powerful example of this resilience was the Teachers of Tomorrow Festival, the largest educational event in Ukraine, which took place in Lviv on 18–19 June 2026. Organised by leading Ukrainian education NGO Osvitoria in partnership with iFest, the event brought together more than 2,500 teachers, school leaders, policymakers, and education experts from across the country.
The festival provided a vibrant platform for discussing the ongoing New Ukrainian School reform, a major systemic transformation that continues to be implemented despite the challenges of war. Innovative educational approaches, digital learning tools, and ed-tech solutions were showcased and debated, reflecting the sector’s determination to continue improving outcomes for learners even under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
The event was supported by a number of international donors and organisations working with Ukraine’s education sector. Many participants also joined a closed roundtable discussion with Oksen Lisovyi, Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science. Cormack Consultancy Group (CCG) was represented by Gintaras Steponavičius, Director for CEE+, and Olexander Smyrnov, Director of Twinning.
During the festival, we had the opportunity to present CCG’s ongoing support for Ukraine’s higher education sector through the Twinning Initiative, which now involves more than 100 UK universities and is supported by a range of international donors. We also highlighted CCG’s commitment to supporting the development of ten dual-degree programmes between UK and Ukrainian universities, alongside seed funding opportunities and assistance in accessing Horizon Europe funding.
As a former Minister of Education and Science of Lithuania, I was pleased to speak at the festival about international best practice in school autonomy and the lessons that may be relevant to Ukraine’s ongoing educational transformation. The event also provided an excellent opportunity to meet Ukrainian and international experts and discuss further support for the country’s education reforms.
School leadership and teacher development remain critical to the success of these reforms. In this context, it was particularly valuable to meet Lilia Hrynevych, former Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine and now Vice-Rector of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Under her leadership, the New Ukrainian School reform was launched, and our discussions focused on opportunities to support the further development of the proposed Teacher Training Academy as a Centre of Excellence at Karazin University.
Alongside the conference programme, we also met with leaders from several of CCG’s Ukrainian university partners. Discussions with Ukrainian Catholic University, Lviv Polytechnic National University, and Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical Universityprovided valuable insight into the challenges currently facing higher education institutions in Ukraine, while also highlighting new opportunities to contribute to the country’s long-term reconstruction and development.
It was particularly encouraging to hear about the ambitious projects these institutions are pursuing. All of the universities we met were participating in the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, where they presented initiatives aimed at supporting Ukraine’s long-term social and economic development.
Another striking example of resilience came from Denys Shylenko, Rector of Donetsk National Technical University. Since the start of the conflict, the university has been forced to relocate from the war zone on three separate occasions, most recently to the Lviv region. Despite these extraordinary disruptions, the institution continues to operate and develop, demonstrating the determination and strength of Ukraine’s academic community.
CCG is also proud to continue its partnership with UNBROKEN, the Ukrainian organisation that operates the country’s largest rehabilitation centre for veterans and civilians affected by war. Our recent meeting with UNBROKEN’s leadership reaffirmed our shared commitment to expanding the organisation’s impact and strengthening its capabilities in education, training, and research, particularly in the fields of mental health and rehabilitation.
These efforts will be supported through the newly established UNBROKEN University. CCG will continue working with this exceptional organisation by supporting access to Horizon Europe funding, assisting with curriculum development through an EBRD-funded project, and facilitating connections with international partners.
Looking to the future, significant developments are taking place across Ukraine’s higher education sector. The government has initiated a number of university mergers and is appointing new leadership across many public institutions. These reforms are intended to modernise governance structures and move away from outdated practices inherited from the Soviet era.
A number of universities are already piloting new governance models based on international best practice. These include the establishment of advisory boards with strategic oversight responsibilities and the introduction of special legal status for selected institutions, granting them greater administrative and financial autonomy. These reforms have the potential to strengthen institutional effectiveness and create a more dynamic and internationally competitive higher education sector.
Ukraine’s education community continues to demonstrate extraordinary resilience, determination, and vision. Despite the ongoing challenges of war, educators, university leaders, policymakers, and international partners remain committed to building a stronger future for the country. The progress being made today serves as a powerful reminder that education remains one of Ukraine’s most important foundations for recovery and long-term success.
Gintaras Steponavičius
CCG Director for CEE+
Former Minister of Education and Science of Lithuania