Estonia to strengthen digital education in Ukraine: edtech centre to get new premises and a development plan
Estonia will support the establishment of the WINWIN EdTech Center of Excellence. The centre will serve as a cooperation platform for educational institutions, policymakers, and entrepreneurs and promote technology-based innovation to develop resilience in the Ukrainian education system.
The future centre of excellence will be located in the same building as the Tallinn Mechanism Project Office and the offices of the Ukrainian digital success, Diia.
The Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) has signed a €300,000 financing agreement with the Ukrainian organisation East Europe Foundation for the renovation of a 225-square-metre office space, which will also house an edtech demonstration centre.
"Once again, we are implementing a project in Ukraine where we combine the renewal of the physical environment with substantive systemic changes. Together with Ukrainian partners, we are designing and building a modern and inspiring work environment that supports innovation and the development of education," said Tarmo Needo, ESTDEV's programme manager for Infrastructure Development.
Future office space of the WINWIN EdTech Center of Excellence Photo: ESTDEV.
Analysis of the Ukrainian edtech landscape
In addition to office space renovations, ESTDEV has assembled a consortium to analyse the Ukrainian edtech sector, led by the Estonian consulting company Civitta, EdTech Ukraine Association and EdTech Estonia. Experts will examine the availability of digital solutions in Ukraine, including the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality, in comparison with the corresponding practices in Estonia, Finland and Singapore.
As a result of the collaboration, policy recommendations and an action plan for 2025–2029 will be developed, providing direction for the growth of the centre and the future of digital education in Ukraine.
Focusing on teachers' digital skills
One of the centre's goals is to enhance the digital competence of teachers and other stakeholders. To this end, a training programme will be developed that introduces international best practices to help them develop the skills necessary for creating and implementing edtech solutions.
"The digital transformation in education brings innovative solutions directly to the classroom. It supports teachers and makes learning more modern and accessible. Estonia's experience in digital education will help Ukraine realise this ambition," said Kristi Kulu, ESTDEV’s programme manager for Education.
Future office of the WINWIN EdTech Center of Excellence. Photo: ESTDEV.
Ukraine and Estonia to work towards a common goal
The Ukrainian education system has had to cope with extraordinary challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the war of Russian aggression, which have required the rapid adoption of distance and hybrid learning. The bottlenecks that have emerged, such as a lack of access to technology, insufficient digital skills among teachers and inadequate infrastructure to ensure inclusive education (especially for children with disabilities), have created a need for systemic change.
The creation of the WINWIN EdTech Center of Excellence, a joint project between Estonia and Ukraine, will help address these challenges and lay the foundation for a more flexible and resilient education system. ESTDEV will invest a total of 425 000 euros into this iniative.
The centre’s creation supports Ukraine's national digital development strategy WINWIN (Digital Innovation Development until 2030), which aims to transform Ukraine into a global innovation hub.
Related articles
