Participation in the International Forum “Human Capital: In the Focus of Transformations” — a Platform for Dialogue Among Government, Business, Educators, and Expert Communities
.png)
On 24 November 2025, Marina Vasylieva, Deputy Director and Professor of the Educational and Research Institute Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogics Academy of Karazin University, and Roman Nesterenko, Deputy Head of the International Relations Office, took part in the VI International Forum “Human Capital: In the Focus of Transformations”, which has become a well-established annual event.
This year’s forum focused on fostering economic development and supporting Ukraine’s integration into the European qualifications framework.
Opening Remarks and High-Level Support
The forum opened with welcoming addresses and expressions of support from:
-
Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
-
Serhii Babak, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Innovation
-
Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine
-
Yurii Balaniuk, Head of the National Qualifications Agency
-
Dmytro Oliinyk, Head of the Employers’ Side of the Social Dialogue Council
Key Sessions and Thematic Focus
The programme of the forum was built around four core sessions, each highlighting a distinct dimension of the transformations shaping Ukraine’s human capital:
-
Ukraine in the EU Skills and Employment Ecosystem
-
Education as a Response to the Needs of the Economy and Labour Market
-
Professional Qualifications in National Security and Defence
-
Professional Qualifications in Education
Insights from International Experts
Particularly valuable were the analytical contributions from international speakers:
-
Ursula Renold, Swiss researcher in vocational education, presented “An Analysis of Skills and Education Alignment with Labour Market Needs During Post-Disaster Recovery”, which strongly resonates with the realities of Ukraine.
-
Michael Paulo, Head of Skills4Recovery, provided an analytical overview of the Ukrainian labour market in 2025, highlighting key trends, challenges, and the role of modern learning solutions and sectoral cooperation in addressing workforce shortages.
-
Kateryna Markevych, Project Manager at Helvetas, outlined a vision for developing innovative education to shape an inclusive labour market.
Qualification Centres Exhibition
As part of the forum, participants viewed an exhibition of qualification centres, featuring:
-
presentation videos
-
master classes
-
equipment demonstrations
-
assessment procedures
A total of nine centres took part in the showcase.
International Support and Implementation
The forum was held with financial support from the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia, and Denmark within the framework of the Multi-Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery, implemented by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) and Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL).
Karazin University’s Contribution and Strategic Meetings
For the Education and Research Institute UIPA, the forum provided an opportunity to present, together with partners from the National Qualifications Agency, the Erasmus+ project CRED4TEACH (“MOOC-based Microcredentials for Teachers’ Professional Development”) and to disseminate project newsletters among forum participants.
On the sidelines of the forum, a productive meeting was held with Iryna Shumik, Director General of the Directorate of Vocational Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The discussion focused on strengthening cooperation between Karazin University and the Ministry in developing joint international projects aimed at transforming Ukraine’s vocational and pre-higher vocational education systems.
.jpg)
.jpg)
