An important component of the Ukrainian Quality Education Forum (UQAF-2025) was the participation of businesses, who shared their vision of cooperation between universities, the state and employers in training competitive specialists.
The panel discussion ‘Synergy Between the State, Employers and Universities’ focused on how to ensure consistency between labour market needs and study programmes. The discussion was moderated by Olena Kolesnikova, Deputy General Director of the Federation of Metallurgists of Ukraine, Chair of the Committee on Sustainable Development of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, and member of the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance.
The discussion was attended by Petro Pylypiuk, co-owner and CEO of the international company Modern-Expo Group, Taras Kitsmey, co-founder and member of the board of directors of SoftServe, and Yevhen Dudka, founder of Volyn-Zerno-Produkt. The speakers emphasised the need for specialists who are able to work in rapidly changing conditions, combining in-depth theoretical knowledge with practical skills and critical thinking.
Special attention was paid to technical education. During the panel discussion ‘Technical Education: Paths to Sustainable Development in Ukraine,’ Bohdan Volchok, CEO of SKF Ukraine, emphasised the key role of technical specialties in modernising production, developing innovation, and strengthening the country’s competitiveness.
The involvement of employers in discussions about the quality of education has once again demonstrated that effective study programmes can only be developed through close cooperation between all stakeholders – the state, universities and business. This approach creates conditions for Ukraine’s sustainable development and prepares specialists who are ready to meet the challenges of the future.