Changing the design of vocational education institutions to create an appealing learning environment is a joint task undertaken by the EdUP project, the urban bureau Big City Lab, and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The outcome of this collaboration is expected to be a design guide for Vocational Education Institutions that will help make them attractive to young people.
The first stage of preparing the guide involves acquainting oneself with the educational spaces of vocational education institutions, which are typical examples of Soviet-era construction. Their interiors and exteriors have a corresponding appearance, such as the lyceum in the town of Brovary. Under the leadership of Director Mykola Ladan, the institution, with the assistance of partners, teachers and students, has already made considerable efforts to improve the design of classrooms and workshops. The institution boasts functional facilities and modern restrooms.
“Regarding the infrastructure component of VET schools, this year we will invest heavily in equipment and workshops. We want vocational schools to be modern, meet the latest standards, be inclusive and safe. And, of course, beautiful, to attract more children and adults who would like to study there."
The guide to design for VET schools will serve as a benchmark for systematic quality space renovation. The Big City Lab team has experience and expertise in transforming Soviet heritage and creating spaces tailored to human needs. According to the concept, new vocational education institutions are planned to be barrier-free, comfortable, technological, and adaptable to various forms of learning. They should meet modern education requirements, promote communication and interaction between students and teachers, making vocational education attractive to its learners.
The guide is being developed by the urban bureau Big City Lab at the initiative of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine within the project “Public-Private Partnership to Improved Vocational Education in Ukraine,” implemented with financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Geberit Trading LLC, Sika Ukraine LLC, and executed by the Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation “Swisscontact.”
