On 2–3 June 2026, 29 representatives of vocational schools from across Ukraine completed the EdUP training programme for Business Partnership Coordinators. The final module focused on planning, monitoring, and negotiating partnerships between education and business.
The programme was developed in response to one of the key challenges identified by EdUP at the beginning of its third phase. On the one hand, businesses often lacked an understanding of how the vocational education system operates and what opportunities it offers for cooperation. On the other hand, vocational schools tended to focus their interaction with employers mainly on practical training and graduate employment, despite the fact that many other forms of cooperation are possible.
This is why EdUP’s Private Sector Engagement component has focused on building a structured dialogue between businesses and vocational schools. The project initially organised learning events for companies and later received a clear request from the private sector: each school should have a dedicated person who understands employers’ needs, can explain partnership opportunities, and support the development of cooperation.
This request was voiced during meetings of the EdUP Business Advisory Board, a consultative body bringing together representatives of the project’s business partners. As a result, the idea emerged to create a dedicated training programme for Business Partnership Coordinators in vocational schools.
Throughout the programme, participants completed three online and four offline modules covering partnership development tools, public-private partnership principles, and practical case studies.
During the final module, participants focused on partnership evaluation, monitoring, risk management, and effective communication with business partners.
A distinctive feature of the programme was its focus on a role rather than a position. Since vocational schools in Ukraine do not currently have dedicated Business Partnership Coordinator positions, each school selected a staff member with the potential to become a key contact point for employers and a driver of partnership development.
Building a Community of Partnership Leaders
One of the programme’s key outcomes was the creation of a community of proactive vocational school representatives from different regions of Ukraine. Participants not only gained new knowledge but also established a professional network for sharing experience, finding solutions, and supporting one another.
“One of the greatest benefits of this programme was meeting colleagues from different regions of Ukraine. We not only gained new knowledge and tools for working with businesses but also formed a professional community where we can exchange experience, seek solutions to common challenges, and support one another. These connections help vocational education develop faster and more effectively.”
“The programme helped me look at cooperation with businesses from a completely new perspective. I realised that successful partnerships depend not so much on a person’s position as on initiative, willingness to take responsibility, and the ability to seek opportunities for development. The training also helped me discover leadership qualities and become more confident in working with employers and partners.”
“For me, this programme was not only a learning experience but also an opportunity to systematise my experience of working with employers. We received practical tools for partnership development, learned to better understand business needs, and build mutually beneficial cooperation. The most valuable outcome is that the programme leaves you not only with knowledge but also with a clear understanding of how to turn ideas into real projects and tangible results for your school.”
“Today, I proudly hold a certificate confirming the successful completion of the Business Partnership Coordinator Programme. Behind this document stand dozens of practical assignments, sleepless nights, lively discussions, and incredible synergy among like-minded people. We did not simply study theory—we learned practical tools capable of transforming vocational education.”
Measuring Results and Scaling Impact
According to Inna Chornomorets, Monitoring and Results Measurement Manager at EdUP, the systematic collection of data from employers is essential not only for assessing the effectiveness of cooperation but also for making informed management decisions about its future development.
During the programme, participants also developed practical skills in designing surveys for employers and business partners. From an MRM perspective, systematic employer feedback is key to measuring project impact and effectively monitoring graduate employment outcomes.
For EdUP, this programme is an example of capitalising on the project’s accumulated experience. Based on the results, a universal training programme for Business Partnership Coordinators will be developed and made available to vocational schools regardless of their profile, region, or organisational structure.
This will allow the successful model of cooperation between education and business to be scaled up and sustained beyond the lifetime of the project.
