In-person Training within the Programme “Resilient School Principal in Ukraine – a Key to Effective Educational Reforms”

From April 27 to 30, 2026, an in-person training was held in Kyiv within the framework of the programme “Resilient School Principal in Ukraine – a Key to Effective Educational Reforms,” which brought together newly appointed principals of general secondary education institutions from the Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

The programme was developed by the Education and Research Institute “Teacher Education Academy” in cooperation with the Centrum Edukacji Obywatelskiej (Poland).

It is based on the proven methodology of the School of Educational Leaders (SPLO).

The core value of the programme is to create a safe environment and a community of like-minded professionals, where educational leaders can openly discuss their challenges without fear of judgement, share experience, and jointly find solutions.

The training is organized in the format of Ukrainian–Polish partnerships of experts who jointly deliver the training modules.

The module “Strategic Leadership of the Principal in Times of Crisis” is conducted by Liliia Hrynevych (Ukraine) and Katarzyna Olejnik (Poland); the module “Resilience of the Principal and the School” by Tetiana Holovatenko (Ukraine) and Anna Chełmińska (Poland); and the module “From Resilience to Growth: Support and Evaluation” by Iryna Unhurian (Ukraine) and Sylwia Żmijewska-Kwiręg (Poland).

In line with the methodology, practitioner-mentors worked with participants in small seminar groups: principal of Gymnasium No. 163 (Kyiv) Maryna Kilnytska, principal of Zlatopil Lyceum No. 7 (Kharkiv region) Halyna Pohorielova, and deputy principal of Lyceum No. 172 “Nyvky” (Kyiv) Ihor Kozlovskyi.

Mentor training was provided by Tetiana Datsenko (Ukraine) and Anna Doyer (Poland).

The organizational support of the programme is ensured by Olha Vyhovska and Yevheniia Fadieieva.

The training continues, with further module work and online meetings planned to provide ongoing support for participants and assist in implementing the developed solutions in practice.

The project is co-financed by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation under the RITA – “Transformation in the Region” programme, implemented by the Education for Democracy Foundation. The in-person module is organized with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.