VMII "VMII" Alliance for Modernization of Vocational Education
Platform for institutional modernization of vocational education

Modernizing vocational education in Ukraine

Transforming vocational education institutions into modern centers for human capital development, adult reskilling, and community recovery.

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50+
institutions interested in the model
$4.5M+
total project implementation experience
15+
partner organizations within one consortium

System Model

Institution as a Center of Change

VMII
Reform Business Communities Upskilling & Reskilling VET institutions Donors
VMII
Institutions
A sustainable base for change
Model
National scale-up
Approach
Turnkey College Transformation
Focus
Partnerships and reform
Outcome
Human capital
What is VMII

A practical model for modernizing vocational education in Ukraine

The Ukrainian Alliance for the Modernization of Vocational Education “VMII” is a consortium of organizations developing a practical model for modernizing vocational education in Ukraine.

We work at the intersection of education, economic recovery, community development, and European integration. Our goal is not to create temporary project hubs, but to embed modern solutions into permanent institutions that will continue to operate after donor funding ends.

Problem

The problem is not a lack of initiatives. The problem is a lack of sustainability.

Significant international and public resources are invested in skills development, employment, and new educational formats. But most such initiatives have a short life cycle: once grants end, they disappear without leaving an institutional result.

  • Temporary projects close once funding ends
  • Institutional capacity is not built systematically
  • Communities do not receive long-term development infrastructure
  • The viability of hubs is currently sustained primarily by donor funding
Solution

We invest in institutions, not parallel hubs

VMII offers a scalable model in which vocational education institutions become not only places for training students, but also centers for adult learning, service spaces for the community, and platforms for rapid response to labor market needs.

  • Vocational institutions as a platform for adult learning
  • Service space for the community
  • Partnerships with business
  • European quality standards
Why this model works

Sustainability is built into the model design

Unlike temporary external hubs, our model works inside existing institutions that already have infrastructure, a team, and a long-term role in the community.

Updated governance
Solutions are embedded into the real governance system of the institution.
Modern programs
Learning content is quickly updated to meet labor market needs.
Technical modernization
New spaces, equipment, and digital solutions outlast the grant.
Partnerships with business
Employers become part of the renewal process rather than external observers.
Transparency and compliance
The model is compatible with donor requirements, audit, and public accountability.
Scale-up
Pilot solutions can be transferred to other communities and to the national level.
What we do

Strategic directions of transformation

Turnkey College Transformation

A full cycle of transformation for vocational education institutions: strategic governance, launch of supervisory boards, leadership team development, financial sustainability, and partnership building.

Methodological renewal and technical modernization

Strengthening teams’ management, project, and communication competencies, developing teachers, and creating modern digital learning spaces and qualification centers.

Upskilling & Reskilling

Short-term reskilling and upskilling programs for adults, IDPs, youth, women, veterans, and other groups in cooperation with employers.

Economic Capacity

Career counseling, employment support, youth entrepreneurship, business incubators, and models that help institutions build sustainable sources of development.

How we implement transformation

Implementation Stages

1

Selection of institutions and communities

We work with institutions and communities that have potential for change and are ready for partnership.

2

Preparation for change

Readiness assessment, launch of oversight mechanisms, team strengthening, and transformation planning.

3

Renewal of programs and infrastructure

Modernization of content, teacher development, creation of new spaces, and stronger cooperation with business.

4

Result for the community

The institution becomes a permanent center for learning, career support, reskilling, and community development.

Value for communities

An anchor institution instead of temporary project infrastructure

Employment

Better alignment between education and local labor demand.

New opportunities

IDPs, women, veterans, youth, and people with disabilities gain access to new pathways.

Career navigation

Individual learning pathways and employment support.

Local economy

Professional services, partnerships, and new models of economic self-reliance.

Reform and the European vector

Aligned with vocational education reform and Ukraine’s European trajectory

VMII creates infrastructure and tools for the practical implementation of the new Law of Ukraine “On Vocational Education” (No. 4574-IX) and corresponds to the logic of human capital modernization, a flexible skills system, and alignment with European standards.

Implementation
Practical tools for launching reform at the institutional level
EU vector
Alignment with European approaches to quality, skills, and governance
Reform framework
New law, European quality standards, and the logic of modernizing the skills system
Governance
A new institutional governance model
Programs
Renewal of content and learning pathways
Quality
EQAVET, accountability, and sustainability
System-level outcome
Institutional transformation of vocational education aligned with Ukraine’s reform and European development trajectory
Consortium

Synergy of experienced leaders

VMII brings together organizations with complementary expertise to ensure the full cycle of educational and recovery project implementation — from methodology to implementation and scale-up.

European Institute of Educational and Social Innovations

An expert organization in implementing European standards in vocational education and training, career guidance, development of institutional associations, and launching EQAVET Lab in Ukraine.

NGO “Zahody”

A strong implementation and administrative center with experience in managing large budgets, implementing large-scale programs, business incubation, and supporting projects across different regions of Ukraine.

NGO “Svitlo”

An organization with many years of experience in professional English, media literacy, business education, export support, teacher professional development, and youth engagement.

Project team and experts

VMII brings together professionals in vocational education reform, project management, financial management, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, partnership development, career guidance, and communications.

Team profiles
Yurii Davydenko
Yurii Davydenko
Head of the NGO “Zahody”

10 years of experience in managing and implementing projects in the field of youth and education.

Social media
Anton Plaksun
Anton Plaksun
Project expert

An expert in human capital development, reskilling, and upskilling with 17 years of experience managing 39 projects in social services, local economic development, humanitarian response, and recovery in Ukraine.

Social media
Kateryna Puhachova
Kateryna Puhachova
Project expert

An expert in professional education modernization, human capital development, and the integration of European approaches into the skills system, with experience managing international Erasmus+ projects.

Social media
Yuliia Kozhukhivska
Yuliia Kozhukhivska
Project expert

Expert in quality assurance in vocational education and the implementation of EQAVET

Social media
Daryna Roik
Daryna Roik
Project expert

Expert in the implementation of educational projects, communications, and partnership development. Project and communications manager at the European Institute of Educational and Social Innovations.

Social media
Valeriia Doktorovich
Valeriia Doktorovich
Project expert

Expert in the modernization of vocational education, human capital development, and the implementation of innovative and European approaches in the training system for skilled workers, with experience in managing educational and international projects.

Social media
Olha Yakovets
Olha Yakovets
Project expert

Expert in the modernization and innovative development of vocational education, educational program management, and partnership development.

Cooperation

Building new human capital infrastructure together

VMII is open to cooperation with public institutions, communities, donors, employers, educational institutions, and partners who want to invest in sustainable recovery through education, skills, and modern governance.

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Project News

Project News

News 12.07.2026

EQAVET Lab: The European Institute for Educational and Social Innovation brought together experts to implement the European Quality Assurance Framework for Vocational Education and Training

A member of the consortium "Ukrainian Alliance for the Modernization of Vocational Education (VMII)" has launched the innovative VET initiative — EQAVET Lab. A Quality Assurance Laboratory for Vocational Education based on EQAVET standards A practical environment for testing, adapting, and implementing European quality assurance tools in vocational education and training (VET) institutions across Ukraine.

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News 11.07.2026

A New Approach to Modernizing Vocational Education and the Effective Use of International Assistance

PROJECT ANALYTICAL REPORT The Inefficiency Crisis and the VMII Solution A study of the sustainability of investments in human capital recovery. An analysis of idle assets in temporary hubs and the case for integrating upskilling and reskilling programmes into the sustainable infrastructure of vocational education and training institutions. The Inefficiency Crisis: An Analysis of the […]

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Education 08.04.2026

Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine launches a project to introduce supervisory boards in vocational education.

Ukraine is beginning the implementation of the project “Good Governance of Vocational Education Institutions through the Creation of Effective Supervisory Boards” (GO VET), as announced by the Ministry of Education and Science. The initiative is part of a systemic reform of vocational education and is aimed at modernizing the management of institutions, as well as […]

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