--- title: "Kyiv Aviation Institute and MIT Open Registration for a Free 10-Week Engineering Program" description: "The Kyiv Aviation Institute and MIT have opened registration for a free 10-week engineering program. Around 100 participants will be selected, with the Demo Day finale in February 2027." date: 2026-09-16T15:26:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kai-and-mit-open-registration-for-free-10-week-engineering-program tags: [kyiv-aviation-institute, mit, engineering-program, ukraine-innovation-lab, artificial-intelligence, robotics] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Kyiv Aviation Institute and MIT Open Registration for a Free 10-Week Engineering Program ![Students in an engineering program: a group of young participants working at computers under the guidance of an instructor](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/17/kai-i-mit-otkryli-nabor-na-besplatnu-inzhenernu-programmu/kai-i-mit-otkryli-nabor-na-besplatnu-inzhenernu-programmu-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - KAI, together with MIT, has launched a free 10-week engineering program, Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab, in Kyiv, with registration now open. - Participants (approximately 100 people) will be grouped into teams of 10, each receiving a case and taking a product to prototype with the support of 40+ mentors. - Tracks include AI, robotics, autonomous systems, aerospace technologies, cybersecurity, and digital engineering; the Demo Day finale is in February 2027. Registration has opened in Kyiv for the free 10-week engineering program Ukraine Innovation and Engineering Lab. The project is initiated by the Kyiv Aviation Institute (KAI) and the American Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). As envisioned by the organizers, participants will be divided into teams of 10, each of which will receive its own technology case and go through the full product development cycle — from problem research to a finished prototype. Registration for participation, according to the organizers, is already open. ### What the program entails The project is based on an MIT course but has been adapted to the Ukrainian context, which, by design, should make the acquired competencies applicable to local engineering and technological challenges. The learning is built around hands-on work: teams do not merely study theory but take a specific product from problem definition to a working prototype, which is characteristic of project-based engineering laboratories. ### Learning format and mentorship Weekly offline sessions will be held directly in the KAI laboratories in Kyiv. A team of more than 40 mentors and experts is involved in supporting the participants, helping the teams at every stage of development. This format implies intensive mentoring and regular feedback throughout all ten weeks of the program. ### Tracks and the program finale Among the declared tracks are artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous systems, aerospace technologies, cybersecurity, and digital engineering. The program's completion is scheduled for February 2027: teams will present their developments at a Demo Day, and the best prototypes, according to the organizers, may receive further development together with partner companies. ### Contradictory data The available wording from the organizers contains a minor inconsistency in the figures: in one place it speaks of selecting "more than 100 participants," while in KAI's accompanying infographic the figure is exactly "100 participants." The difference is immaterial for understanding the format, but the exact number of spots at the time of publication is not recorded uniformly, so it is more accurate to speak of approximately one hundred participants. The remaining parameters — a duration of 10 weeks, a team format of 10 people, and more than 40 mentors — are consistent across the sources. ### Context: scholarships and safety at universities The launch of the program comes against the backdrop of other changes in Ukrainian higher education. From September 1, 2026, the size of the scholarship in Ukraine has doubled: the corresponding changes were previously adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and the most common scholarship at universities increased from 2,000 to 4,000 UAH. In parallel, the Ministry of Education and Science has been urging universities to ensure not only the quality of education but also the safety of all participants in the educational process. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Free registration opens in Kyiv for an engineering program: who can take part](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/kievi-vidkrili-bezkoshtovniy-nabir-inzhenernu-1789571187.html) - Источник подтверждает запуск программы КАИ + MIT, 10 недель, команды по 10, 40+ менторов, направления и Demo Day в феврале 2027. Точное число участников (100 vs более 100) в формулировках не совпадает. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How long does the program last and where are the sessions held? **A:** The program lasts 10 weeks, with weekly offline sessions held in the laboratories of the Kyiv Aviation Institute in Kyiv. ### Q: How many participants will be selected and how will they work? **A:** Approximately 100 participants (the wording says "more than 100" or exactly 100). They will be grouped into teams of 10, each receiving a technology case and taking a product to prototype. ### Q: When will the program end and what will happen in the finale? **A:** Completion is scheduled for February 2027: teams will present their developments at a Demo Day, and the best prototypes may receive further development with partner companies.