Strengthening Partnerships, Supporting Schools’ Energy Independence, and Assisting Ukrainian Children Abroad: Outcomes of the Ministry of Education and Science Delegation’s Working Visit to France
A delegation from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MoE) paid a working visit to France. The Ukrainian delegation included First Deputy Minister Yevhen Kudriavets and Deputy Minister Nadiia Kuzmychova. The primary objective of the visit was to strengthen partnerships aimed at rebuilding and ensuring the energy resilience of educational infrastructure, as well as fostering cooperation to support Ukrainian students abroad.
Energy Independence of Schools and Expert Support for Recovery
An important part of the visit was a meeting with representatives of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB). The discussions focused on attracting investment for Ukrainian education and planning cooperation aimed at strengthening the energy independence of schools across Ukraine.
Supporting energy resilience in education is currently a key priority for the Ministry. The government has already allocated UAH 2.3 billion from the state budget to prepare schools, colleges, and universities for the winter period. MoES is therefore continuing to engage international partners to ensure the continuity and safety of the educational process.
As part of efforts to build bilateral cooperation, MoES also held consultations with Expertise France, the French public agency for international technical cooperation. The parties discussed further steps to provide expert support for Ukrainian educational reforms and the implementation of recovery projects.
To strengthen international support, the delegation also met with representatives of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), an organization that has already provided more than USD 50 million in support of Ukrainian education.
Ukraine Among the Countries Shaping Global Education Policy
During the visit, the MES delegation participated in a meeting of UNESCO’s Steering Committee on Education Quality. This key global body coordinates efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) — “Quality Education.”
This year, Ukraine became one of only 12 countries worldwide represented on the Committee for the first time. Within the Committee, Ukraine represents the Eastern European region alongside Slovakia and the Council of Europe.
The main purpose of participation is to coordinate international efforts in the field of education with other countries and to help define global funding priorities for the coming year.
As part of this cooperation, the delegation met with Qian Tang Chen, the newly appointed UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education. The parties discussed shared priorities and identified areas for future cooperation.
Maintaining Ukrainian Children’s Connection with Ukraine While Abroad
Another important focus of the visit was a series of bilateral meetings dedicated to preserving the connection between Ukrainian children displaced abroad by the war and Ukraine’s educational system.
MoES continues to actively engage with the governments of host countries to safeguard the educational rights of Ukrainian children, create opportunities for studying the Ukrainian studies component, address learning losses, and prevent excessive academic workload resulting from parallel educational requirements.
In particular, the Ukrainian delegation met with Caroline Pascal, Director General for School Education at the French Ministry of National Education. The discussions focused on integrating the Ukrainian language into educational opportunities for Ukrainian children in France, supporting Ukrainian educational hubs, and exchanging experiences regarding the implementation of upper secondary education reform and school nutrition reform.
Expanding Cooperation in Higher Education
The delegation also paid special attention to higher education and support for Ukrainian students in the European Union.
Meetings were held with representatives of leading French institutions, including the Sorbonne University, Sciences Po, and the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris.
Discussions focused on expanding the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, deepening partnerships between higher education institutions, and exploring French experience in establishing and operating a global campus model.
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine continues to expand its coalition of partners to support the strategic development of Ukraine’s education system.