Ministry of Education and Science and British Council sign memorandum of understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation

On 19 May, in London, the British Council and Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding during the Education World Forum, outlining new priorities for cooperation in English language learning, school and higher education development, and support for Ukraine’s education system amid the ongoing war.

The document was signed by Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi, and the British Council’s Chief Executive, Scott McDonald, during a bilateral meeting held as part of the UK-Ukraine 100 year partnership programme at the Education World Forum in London.

Building on years of collaboration between the British Council and the Ministry, the Memorandum is tailored to address the challenges facing Ukraine’s education system during russia’s full-scale invasion. It establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation between the institutions and executive bodies responsible for education policy in both countries, covering the following areas:

• Fostering direct partnerships and experience-sharing between educational institutions to ensure quality education at all levels.
• Supporting collaboration between UK and Ukrainian universities in developing joint (dual) degree programmes, mutual recognition of qualifications, academic mobility, and joint research initiatives.
• Exchanging expertise in education policy to enhance educational quality, teaching excellence, leadership skills, and governance.
• Promoting high-quality professional development for teachers and improving English language teaching.
• Encouraging collaboration between UK and Ukrainian universities to improve gender representation in higher education leadership roles.
• Developing virtual partnerships between UK and Ukrainian schools to foster intercultural understanding among students.
• Enhancing mutual awareness of the UK and Ukrainian education systems through joint informational and promotional activities.

“A robust education system is a cornerstone for strategic partnership, cultural engagement, and building resilient international ties. In these challenging times, we deeply value cooperation rooted in trust, consistency, and a shared vision for the future. Signing this Memorandum with the British Council is a significant step towards systemic, long-term collaboration that is already yielding tangible results and opening new opportunities for Ukrainian teachers, children, and the entire education community. We are confidently advancing these changes,” said Oksen Lisovyi, Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science.

The agreement strengthens cooperation in three key areas that have been prioritised recently, supporting the further development of existing 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 teenagers in Ukraine.

School Sector Collaboration and Reform Support

• SWITLO Programme: Professional development for English teachers to create communities of teaching excellence.
• ENCOURSE Programme: A new initiative supporting the New Ukrainian School reform, aimed at developing students’ mediation skills through English language learning.
• UK-Ukraine School Partnerships: A UK Department for Education-funded collaboration programme that is in high demand, reflecting a strong interest in intercultural exchange and joint learning.

Higher Education Reform

• Training Programme for Academic Managers: A Ministry initiative, implemented by the British Council under a joint project with the World Bank, to strengthen the leadership capacity of Ukrainian universities.
• Gender Equality Partnerships: British Council grants for collaborative projects between Ukrainian and UK universities to address gender imbalances in higher education leadership.

Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, stated that it was evident there was a need to support Ukraine’s education sector, as the war had damaged the country’s educational infrastructure, putting the right to education for millions of young people at risk. He noted that the UK Government had recently announced a Century of Partnership between Ukraine and the UK, which reflected the multifaceted nature of their relationship and their commitment to supporting Ukraine in all circumstances. He added that the British Council had been active in Ukraine for 30 years and expressed their strong belief that, especially now, it was crucial to foster positive connections, mutual understanding, and trust between people, a mission they continued to pursue during the war.