In April 2025, a new educational programme, UK-Ukraine School Partnerships, was launched, bringing Ukrainian and British schools together in long-term partnerships centered around the theme of 'The Joys of Reading.] The aim of the programme is to promote intercultural dialogue, improve language and communication skills, and foster collaboration between students and teachers from both countries.
The UK-Ukraine School Partnerships programme is implemented by the British Council in Ukraine, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and is funded by the UK Department for Education. It is part of the UK-Ukraine Centennial Partnership Agreement, signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in January 2025.
The first 15 Ukrainian and 15 British schools have already begun their partnerships. Over the course of 2025–2026, the programme will involve a total of 100 schools — 50 from each country. The second and third cohorts of partnerships will start in the fall of 2025.
"International school partnerships are a valuable opportunity for students and teachers to exchange cultural experiences and improve language and communication skills. At the same time, these initiatives contribute to building sustainable connections between countries at the level of school communities. We are grateful to our British colleagues for their support and for working together on this programme," said Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.
"The centennial partnership between the UK and Ukraine is incredibly important because it builds bridges between our countries in various fields, including education. In the first 100 days, we have been actively working on joint projects, and the UK-Ukraine School Partnerships Programme is a shining example of this cooperation. We hope to establish partnerships between 100 schools from both sides for exchanging experiences, working together on educational projects, and developing professional skills for educators, which will open new educational opportunities for both countries," commented Martin Harris, the British Ambassador to Ukraine.
Partner schools will work on joint educational projects for at least 4–6 months, with the possibility of extension. They will be able to use resources provided by the British Council and the UK National Literacy Foundation, as well as their own materials.
"Working with schools is a pleasure, and it is a great honour for us to have the opportunity to bring together students from both our countries to share knowledge, learn from each other, and explore 'The Joys of Reading' together. I have had the opportunity to see these partnerships in action, and in my opinion, they are a powerful driver for the shared future of the UK and Ukraine," said Colm McGivern, Director of the British Council in Ukraine.
The programme will help students and teachers from both countries better understand other cultures, communicate more in English, and integrate reading into the educational process. Teachers will have the opportunity to develop their professional skills and improve their qualifications. Ukrainian students temporarily residing in the UK will be able to stay connected with their native culture and educational context by participating in the programme.
Note:
UK-Ukraine School Partnerships is a new programme by the British Council, funded by the UK Department for Education. This initiative is part of the UK-Ukraine Centennial Partnership Agreement and is implemented in Ukraine in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
