Karazin University Graduate Ruslan Shalamov — Best Teacher of Ukraine 2025

Ruslan Shalamov, a graduate of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, has been named the Best Teacher of Ukraine 2025. He won the prestigious national award, Global Teacher Prize Ukraine 2025, marking the first time in the competition’s history that the top prize has gone to an educator from the Kharkiv region.

Ruslan Shalamov is a biology and ecology teacher at the Kharkiv Scientific Lyceum “Obdarovanist,” a Candidate of Biological Sciences, a Distinguished Teacher of Ukraine, and the Creative Director of the Creative Association “Soniashnyk.” With over 30 years of teaching experience, he has mentored dozens of winners and laureates of national and international Olympiads and is the author of textbooks, curricula, and teaching guides.

In 1993, Ruslan Shalamov graduated from Karazin University with a degree in Biochemistry. His scientific interests include lipid biochemistry, the origin of life, and parasitology, while his professional focus encompasses competency-based tasks, intellectual games, and the creation of educational materials for students.

As part of the award, he received 1 million UAH to implement his educational vision: creating a course for biology teachers on developing competency-based tasks and conducting workshops with leading national experts. Shalamov believes that the main goal of education is not the memorization of facts, but the development of students and the cultivation of transversal skills that enable children to think critically, research independently, and act effectively.

“Ruslan Shalamov once dreamed of becoming a biochemical researcher, but a single lesson revealed his true calling. Since then, he has nurtured Olympiad winners and world-class scientists, authored textbooks, and trained hundreds of teachers,” the award organizers noted.

The Karazin University community warmly congratulates Ruslan Shalamov on this remarkable achievement and thanks him for his dedication to education and scientific excellence. We are proud of our graduate, who represents Kharkiv and Karazin University at the national level, upholding the values of enlightenment and intellectual development for future generations.

We extend our sincere gratitude and best wishes to Ruslan Shalamov for his exemplary pedagogical leadership, unwavering belief in students, and tireless commitment to improving education in Ukraine.