News

On 21 January, the first cluster training for partner hromadas of the Polaris Programme took place at “PROSVIT” Gymnasium in the Lubny hromada, Poltava oblast. The event aimed to strengthen the capacity of educational institutions in preventing and responding to cases of gender-based violence (GBV). ...

The role is aimed at ensuring that communication activities are aligned with the communication strategy, enhancing Programme visibility and achieving good coverage among the target groups. Deadline: 1 February 2026

Happy holidays!

Hromadas supported under the call will be able to receive computer equipment as well as expert and mentoring support related to the type of service/initiative specified in the application. An online information session for hromadas is scheduled for 12 January 2026 at 14:00

The forum aimed to strengthen the leadership capacity of starostas, facilitate the exchange of best practices in territorial development, and shape a shared vision of the role of starostas in post-war recovery processes in hromadas

The Programme Assistant provides administrative support in Kyiv and works closely with two programme teams. Applications are accepted until January 9, 2026

The Polaris Programme continues to provide systematic support to hromadas under its Locally-led Recovery sphere

During the meeting, the parties discussed the results of cooperation between Polaris and the Ministry in strengthening the capacity of hromadas and the resilience of the administrative service delivery system, as well as the Ministry’s further priorities

On 17–18 December, Olena Rusnachenko, an education expert of the Polaris Programme, paid a working visit to the Berezhany urban hromada in Ternopil oblast.

The Team Leader provides strategic leadership, coordination, and quality assurance for the experts working on LGA capacity development. Applications are accepted until January 15, 2026

On 11–12 December, Kyiv hosted the final Practice Residency for eight partner hromadas working to strengthen systems for the prevention of and response to domestic violence within the Swedish–Ukrainian Polaris Programme.

In December, the education area team of the Polaris Programme continued its systematic cooperation with partner hromadas, visiting the Khotyn hromada in Chernivtsi oblast, the city of Chernivtsi, and the Rava-Ruska hromada in Lviv oblast.

On 9 December, the Polaris Programme brought together practitioners from Administrative Service Centres across Ukraine for a national dialogue in Kyiv focused on developing effective models of professional growth for ASC staff

6 December 2025 our beloved friend and colleague Ayder Seiytosmanov passed away. Like many of his compatriots born in exile, he was a member of the Mejlis, an outstanding civil society leader, a dedicated trainer of a new generation of leaders, a devoted husband and father. Throughout his life, he s ...

On 5 December, the Lubny and Novoorzhytsia hromadas signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of education — the first such document in the region, prepared with the support of the Swedish-Ukrainian Polaris Programme.

On 4–5 December, Lviv hosted the final meeting of ten partner hromadas of the Polaris Programme’s “Citizen Engagement at the Local Level” area — the concluding stage of a nine-month joint effort to develop updated community Statutes

Експерт шведсько-української Програми Polaris Ігор Онищук взяв участь у 20-й щорічній конференції «Київський діалог», що відбулася у Берліні

On 3 December, Poltava hosted the Polaris Programme’s regional forum “Building a Multilevel Governance System” – an event that brought together representatives of central government, local self-government, military administrations, sectoral associations, international organisations and civil society ...

On 1–2 December, the Polaris Programme team gathered in Kyiv for a strategic session to jointly plan the first half of 2026.

During the conference “Quality Education – Effective Hromada”, the Swedish-Ukrainian Polaris Programme “Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine” announced nine hromadas that received STEM laboratories — equipment sets for teaching natural sciences and technology. This support is part of the br ...

On 27–28 November, the expert team of the Education Area of the Polaris Programme carried out two important working visits — to Ternopil and to the Slavuta hromada in Khmelnytskyi oblast. The purpose of the visits was to support education departments and communities as they prepare for the launch of ...

In November, SALAR International – the organisation representing the interests of the Swedish Association of Local and Regional Authorities (SALAR) in international development – celebrates 25 years of work dedicated to strengthening effective local governance and supporting democracy across vario ...

On 25 November in Kyiv, the Polaris Programme, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, held the conference “Quality Education – Effective Hromada”. The event brought together representatives of the Government, education department specialists from hromadas and oblasts, ...

On 20 November, the Swedish–Ukrainian Programme Polaris held a webinar entitled “Project Management and Educational Grant Writing — Tools for Developing a Modern Educational Institution”.

On 19 November, the Hoshchia hromada in Rivne oblast became the starting point for in-depth analytical and strategic work in the field of education with the help of Polaris experts.

The Ukrainian delegation — comprising representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Ministry of Finance, hromadas representatives, and experts from the Polaris Programme — carried out a study visit to Sweden on 3–7 November. The trip was organised by SALAR International wi ...

Deputy Ministers of Education and Science of Ukraine, Nadiia Kuzmichova and Anastasiia Konovalova, together with representatives of the MoES directorates, education specialists from territorial hromadas, and experts from the Polaris Programme, took part in a study visit to Sweden.

Konotop and Blyzniuky hromadas presented on how the local level is laying the foundations for sustainable recovery despite the challenges of the full-scale war

On 17 November, researchers, diplomats, analysts and representatives of veteran initiatives gathered at the Polaris Programme space in Kyiv to discuss the analytical article “Ukraine’s Veterans: From Fragility to a Pillar of European Security”, published by the SCEEUS

The event will present the key achievements of the Polaris Programme in strengthening the capacity of the education system, the Ministry’s approaches to allocating the education subsidy for 2026, and the outcomes of the recent discussion on the state of early childhood education