The British Council and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine sign Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation

London, 19 May 2025 – As part of the Educational World Forum in London, the British Council and the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) of Ukraine signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining new priorities for cooperation in English language learning and teaching, school and higher education development, and support for Ukraine’s education system during war.

The Memorandum was signed by Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, and Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, during a bilateral meeting held under the ‘An Unbreakable 100 Year Partnership’ programme at the Education World Forum in London.

The document builds on a longstanding collaboration between the British Council and the Ministry, adapted to the current challenges Ukraine’s education system faces due to Russia’s full-scale invasion. It outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation between institutions and government bodies in both countries responsible for education policy:

• Promoting direct partnerships between educational institutions and sharing experience to ensure the quality of education at all levels.
• Supporting cooperation between UK and Ukrainian universities in developing joint (double) degrees and mutual recognition, as well as academic mobility and research programmes.
• Exchanging experience in education policy, quality assurance, teaching excellence, leadership development, and governance.
• Supporting the professional development of teachers and improving English language teaching.
• Promoting cooperation between UK and Ukrainian universities to improve gender representation in higher education leadership.
• Facilitating virtual school partnerships and intercultural understanding between students in the UK and Ukraine.
• Enhancing mutual understanding of the UK and Ukrainian education systems through joint promotional and informational activities.

Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, said:

‘A strong education system is a point of connection for strategic partnership, cultural exchange, and the building of sustainable international ties. In these challenging times, we especially value cooperation that is built on trust, consistency, and a shared vision for the future. The signing of the Memorandum with the British Council is a significant step toward developing a systemic and long-term partnership that has already delivered tangible results and opens new opportunities for Ukrainian teachers, children, and the entire education community. We are committed to continue this path of change.’

The agreement deepens cooperation across three key areas that were in focus in the recent years and will help further develop the ongoing programmes: 

English Language Development

• BELT Programme: Annual training for 1,400 civil servants to use English as a working language.
• Access to English learning: Online English courses for 1,000 children and young people in Ukraine.

School Collaboration and Reform

• SWITLO programme: A professional development initiative supporting English teachers to build communities of practice.
• ENCOURSE Programme: A new initiative supporting the New Ukrainian School reform, focused on developing students’ mediation skills in English.
• UK-Ukraine School Partnerships: A collaboration programme funded by the UK Department for Education, which has seen high demand and reflects the appetite for intercultural exchange and collaborative learning.

Higher Education Reform

• Training programme for Academic managers: An initiative by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine delivered by the British Council under a joint MoES–World Bank project to strengthen leadership capacity in Ukrainian universities.
• Gender Equality partnerships: The British Council funds joint projects between UK and Ukrainian universities to address gender imbalance in higher education leadership.

Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, said:

‘The need to support Ukraine’s education sector is clear. The war has damaged the country’s infrastructure, putting the right to education of millions of young people at stake. The UK Government recently committed to ‘An Unbreakable 100 Year Partnership’ with Ukraine, signifying the breadth and depth of relationships between our countries. The British Council has worked in Ukraine for the past 30 years and we will remain alongside them whatever it takes. We believe it’s more important than ever to build positive connections, mutual understanding, and trust between people, which we have continued to do throughout the war.’ 

Media inquiries:

British Council Ukraine: Yulia Romanova, Head of Marketing, Cultural Engagement Europe, British Council +380952812141, [email protected]

Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine 

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries.

Read more about British Council programmes in Ukraine in the areas of Higer Education, English teacher development programmes, School partnerships.