Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Mykola Kolisnyk, during his speech at the panel discussion "Human Capital in the Energy Sector," held within the framework of the IV International Conference ReBuild Ukraine Construction & Energy, emphasized Ukraine's plans for the strategic transformation of its higher education system. The aim is to introduce specialized educational programs on climate-neutral technologies in energy and to develop specialized postgraduate courses in collaboration with national energy companies.
"Ukraine currently faces the challenge of aligning its education system with market demands in renewable energy. Three key factors are crucial here: a skilled workforce, expertise in investment, and the deployment of generation. These elements are interconnected and cannot succeed without one another," said Mykola Kolisnyk.
The Deputy Minister also noted that despite the global transition to renewable energy, Ukrainian higher education remains predominantly focused on traditional sectors such as oil, gas, and coal.
"Out of over 700 specializations in educational institutions, only a few pertain to renewable energy sources or energy management. This mismatch creates a shortage of qualified personnel for Ukrainian enterprises in the renewable energy sector, reduces investment attractiveness, and hinders our ability to localize the production of equipment for renewable energy," Kolisnyk stressed.
The solution to this issue lies in the strategic transformation of Ukraine's higher education system and its alignment with European standards, such as the European Green Deal Skills Agenda, which is planned for implementation by 2030.
