The EdUP project team took part in the annual national education conference Serpneva 2026, organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine with the support of partners. The event brought together more than 700 participants.
“Education is Everyone’s Business” — the motto of this year’s conference — is closely aligned with the EdUP project and reflects Swisscontact’s approach in Ukraine. Without the involvement of teachers, students, parents and businesses, as well as changes in management and curricula, it is impossible to imagine a high-quality transformation of vocational education.
Poshan Bahadur KC, Country Director of Swisscontact in Ukraine, shared the project’s experience in creating and modernising shelters in vocational colleges and transforming them into safe and inclusive learning spaces.
Yuliia Yepifanova, EdUP Project Manager, explained how partnerships with businesses contribute to the development of vocational education institutions and improve the quality of vocational education;
Tetiana Pron, Deputy Project Manager of EdUP and Line Manager of Organisational Development and Labour Market Integration, EdUP, moderated a practical session on modern career guidance and shared project cases that take into account changes in the labour market, the challenges of wartime and the needs of future recovery.
Maksym Pekhovka, Line Manager of the Educational Offer Expansion component, shared the project’s experience of how occupational standards influence the content of training in vocational colleges.
The project’s partner institution, Zhytomyr Vocational College of Technical Innovations, also participated in the conference, presenting VR headsets for electrician training in the expo zone. Visitors could try out the profession by completing simulated electrician tasks and learn more about the equipment used to train students in vocational colleges.
Participation in Serpneva 2026 provided another opportunity to share EdUP’s experience and discuss practical solutions for the development of vocational education with educators and partners.