Kyiv, 16 August 2024 – The Summer school for coaching excelence, an educational initiative of the Higher School of Public Governance and the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service (NAUCS), supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, and other international agencies, has begun. 

Over 130 participating professional trainers delved into the specifics of educational innovations and new training methodologies essential for the professional training of public officials. Additionally, emphasis was placed on teaching public management and administration officials who occupy political positions. 

Welcoming the participants at the Summer School, Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, stressed that continuous professional development, through educational initiatives like this, is the cornerstone of resilient and effective public service. "In the wake of the full-scale war in Ukraine, public officials are facing new challenges that require innovative solutions. At UNDP, we are pleased to see the development of professional training systems and new educational initiatives that help integrate these solutions into public service work. We are particularly proud of our joint human rights programmes, which cover topics of particular relevance in times of war such as barrier-free principles, international humanitarian law, and access to public information," he pointed out. 

Nataliya Alyushyna, Head of the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service, noted that the annual Summer School for Coaching Skills is a unique platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration between scholars and educators in the field of professional development of public officials. "Due to the new challenges posed by the full-scale war, there is a significant demand for professional development. Together with our partners, we are integrating new educational courses and programs to effectively address the evolving needs of public officials," said Ms. Alyushyna.

During the Summer School, with the support of UNDP in Ukraine and funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, a training module on access to public information for state authorities and local self-government bodies was conducted. In times of war, timely and accurate information can be crucial for the safety and lives of people. This places significant responsibility on the authorities, and requires systematic knowledge on how to ensure access to public information under conditions of martial law.

Issues related to access to public information have also been covered in a series of educational videos for public officials entitled “International Humanitarian Law,” which is available on the platform Diia.Education. The educational course was developed at the initiative of the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and the Diia.Digital Education national project, with the support of UNDP in Ukraine and with financial support from the governments of Denmark and Germany.

The Summer School was supported by the “Human Rights for Ukraine, Phase 2” project, which is being implemented by UNDP Ukraine and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, Communications Team Leader, UNDP in Ukraine; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org.