At its meeting on September 25, 2025, the Union of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine summed up the results of the admission campaign and discussed ways to improve the rules for admission to universities in 2026.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science, relevant committees, rectors of leading universities from all regions of the country, as well as heads of frontline educational institutions.
The head of the Rectors’ Union, Petro Kulikov, opened the meeting and emphasized the key role of higher education in ensuring national stability during the war:
“Ukrainian universities not only continue education and science, but also form the personnel base for the post-war restoration of the state. Today, the Union of Rectors is a communication platform between universities, parliament, and the government.”
Deputy Minister of Education and Science Mykola Trofimenko stressed the importance of institutional strengthening of the Union:
“Today, the Union acts as a key partner of the state in shaping educational policy. We must consider the possibility of transforming it into the Association of Universities of Ukraine, which will allow us to represent the interests of higher education even more effectively.”
Deputy Chairman of the Union, Rector of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Volodymyr Bugrov stressed the need to update the regulatory framework:
“The 2025 admission campaign was generally successful, but we see a need to improve admission rules and update legislation.”
Rector of Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University Viktor Hreshta highlighted the challenges faced by frontline universities and the need for state support for such institutions.
Rector of Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture Oleksii Dniprov emphasized the importance of increasing the transparency of admission procedures.
Viktoria Petrushenko, Rector of Vinnitsa National Medical University named after Pirogov, highlighted the risks of lowering passing scores in medical specialties.
Vadym Tkachuk, Rector of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, drew attention to the problems of indicative cost.
Maksym Tymoshenko, Rector of the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy, called for ensuring the key role of creative competitions in art universities.
The meeting was also attended by members of parliament, representatives of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation, deputy ministers, heads of departments of the Ministry of Education and Science, in particular, Oleg Sharov, Director General of the Directorate of Higher Education and Adult Education, who answered questions from participants.
The approved document (decision of the Union of Rectors) states:
The Union of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine is an all-Ukrainian public organization that brings together university leaders to coordinate educational, scientific, and international activities.
Founded in 1992, the organization acts as an advisory partner to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and participates in the development of state educational policy and regulations in the field of higher education.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/projects/1110091.html
Hreshta, KULIKOV, Trofimenko, TYMOSHENKO, Union of Rectors, UNIVERSITY, Бугров, Дніпров, Петрушенко, Ткачук, Шаров
