A large-scale reform of vocational education is gaining momentum in Ukraine, with a key element being the involvement of employers in the direct management of colleges. As of November 10, 2026, 138 supervisory boards have been formed in vocational education institutions, including over 500 business representatives. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, citing data from RBC-Ukraine. In total, the 138 supervisory boards already include more than 1,000 participants, with employer and founder representatives having equal representation at 50% each.
From Consultations to Decisions: The New Legal Status of Boards
Supervisory boards differ fundamentally from previous consultative bodies: they are empowered to make decisions that determine the operation of the institutions. The new governance model is provided for by the Law of Ukraine "On Vocational Education," which the Verkhovna Rada adopted last year and which, according to lawmakers, introduces "fundamental changes in vocational education." The creation of supervisory boards is mandatory for all vocational education institutions with more than 300 students. According to the Ministry of Education and Science, boards have already been formed in every third college where their creation is mandatory. In another 90 institutions, the formation process is ongoing, and 131 institutions are at the stage of preparation for creating such bodies.
Who Sits at the Table: A Profile of Business Representatives
An analysis of the composition of supervisory boards shows that business representatives are most frequently owners or directors of enterprises, accounting for 63% of all members from the business community. The ministry emphasizes that these are the very people who generate the demand for qualified specialists and are well aware of labor market needs. Dmytro Zavhorodniy, Deputy Minister of Education and Science for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalization, explained the logic of the reform: "The strategic task of the vocational education reform is to make training specialists as close as possible to the needs of the labor market. To do this, we are changing the approach to college management and involving employers in making key decisions."
On-the-Ground Practice: The Example of Volyn
One of the institutions where the supervisory board has already started working is the Kolky Center for Vocational Education in Volyn. At its first meeting, the board approved the college's key performance indicators for the academic year. The director of the institution, Liudmyla Panasiuk, noted that when forming the board, it was important to attract people who know the institution and are interested in its development. "Employers understand what specialists enterprises need and can help update educational programs. Our strategic goal is to create a Center of Vocational Excellence where youth and adults can acquire modern professional skills. And the supervisory board should become a team that helps us implement these changes," she said.
The Context of the Reform: From Law to Standard
The formation of supervisory boards is just one element of systemic changes in vocational education. In early October 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a new vocational education standard in Ukraine, which introduces changes for both students and college teachers. The combination of adopted decisions—from the law on vocational education to the new standard and the management mechanism involving business—forms a new architecture for personnel training oriented toward the real needs of the economy. Against the backdrop of the ongoing shortage of qualified personnel in the country, the reform aims to bridge the gap between what is taught in colleges and what employers demand.
