Human capital is a key resource for Ukraine's recovery.
An international forum was recently held in Kyiv “Education, Science, and Innovation: Human Capital in Ukraine’s Postwar Revival”.
The forum brought together:
• key government institutions (relevant ministries);
• leading universities and the academic community;
• international organizations, including UNESCO;
• the business and public sectors.
The “Ukrainian Alliance” NGO co-organized and hosted a panel discussion titled “Youth: The Driving Force Behind the Development of Science and Education.”
Here's what we've come to:
1. Ukraine is entering a phase of competition for human capital.
The question is no longer how to rebuild the country, but Who will do this?.
2. Young people are not a resource, but a competitive arena. Countries, universities, and markets are competing for Ukrainian students and professionals. Ukraine is currently losing this competition.
3. Universities either become places that keep young people around—or they lose their purpose. Educational institutions must transition from formal education to the role of development ecosystems and opportunities.
4. Youth policy in Ukraine remains largely declarative. Without real financing tools, career paths, and integration into the recovery economy, it doesn't work.
5. The return of young people is not a matter of patriotism, but of circumstances.
Competitive salaries, opportunities for growth, and access to science and entrepreneurship—these are the only real factors.
Statement by the “Ukrainian Alliance” Civil Society Organization
Young people are a crucial resource on which Ukraine's national security and economic future depend.
Key points from the speeches given by members of the organization:
Volodymyr Yurchenko, military officer, chair of the Ukrainian Peace Council, chair
NGO "Ukrainian"
"Alliance":
“Today’s youth are not just a social group. They are a strategic resource that nations compete for. If Ukraine does not create clear conditions for the return and integration of young people into the reconstruction economy, other countries will take its place. Patriotism without opportunities does not work.”
Sabina Kotova, Board member of the “Ukrainian Alliance” NGO, researcher of the history of Central and
Eastern Europe:
“Young people are the drivers of intellectual mobility. They integrate quickly into global markets. And if the state does not create competitive conditions for them, they will integrate just as quickly into other economies. The return of young people is not an emotional issue. It is a matter of systemic competition.”
Igor Dzerzhinsky,
member of a NGO
"Ukrainian Alliance," Director
Career and Marketing Center
Donetsk National
Technical University:
“Universities must stop being mere places where diplomas are awarded. They must become hubs of opportunity—for jobs, personal development, and startups. If this does not happen, they will continue to serve as a transit point for young people leaving the country.”
The forum resulted in the following:
• developing proposals for public policy in the areas of youth, education, and science;
• developing initiatives aimed at retaining and attracting young professionals;
• Strengthening the role of the civil society sector in shaping human capital policies.
We would like to express our gratitude To the Ukrainian Peace Council, as the main initiator of the event, for establishing a national platform where challenges of critical importance to Ukraine are discussed and tools for addressing them are developed. And special thanks to the organizers and co-organizers of the Forum.
Let's come together to bring about change! Working together is the path to success!
