Organisational aspects
Early childhood education and care
Under the Laws of Ukraine on Education and on Early Childhood Education and Care, professional development for teaching staff in early childhood education institutions (ECEIs) is mandatory and takes place at least once every five years.
Teachers are free to choose the form, content, provider and type of professional development, while the employer is obliged to provide the conditions for training and determine the level of funding. Training can take the form of courses, workshops, internships, seminars, online seminars or participation in professional communities. The pedagogical council recognises the outcomes of professional development and records them in the teacher’s professional portfolio.
General secondary education
The Laws of Ukraine on Education and on Complete General Secondary Education, as well as the Procedure for the Professional Development of Teaching and Research-Pedagogical Staff, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 800 of 21 August 2019 (постанова КМУ від 21.08.2019 № 800 ‘Деякі питання підвищення кваліфікації педагогічних і науково-педагогічних працівників’) regulate teacher professional development.
The required volume is at least 150 hours over five years. Educators have the right to independently choose:
- the form of training (in–person, remote, or blended),
- the service provider (HEI, Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education, or a private licensed/certified organisation).
Mandatory elements include institutional approval, recognition of outcomes, maintenance of an individual development plan, and keeping a teacher’s professional portfolio.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
Professional development for teaching staff in VET and PPHE institutions is mandatory at least once every five years. The Laws of Ukraine on Education, on Vocational Education and on Professional Pre-Higher Education define this requirement.
Forms of professional development include:
- internships at enterprises (particularly for master trainers),
- courses at postgraduate education institutions,
- participation in industry competitions, projects, and international programmes.
The outcomes of professional development are evaluated during meetings of the teaching council.
Incentives, supporting measures and funding for participation in continuing professional development activities
Childhood education and care
ECEIs fund the professional development of their staff either from the institution’s budget or from the local authority budget. The employer must:
- maintain the employee’s average salary during the period of training,
- provide the organisational conditions necessary for the teacher’s participation in professional development activities,
- take into account the outcomes of professional development when conducting attestation and assigning qualification categories.
General secondary education
For teachers, continuing professional development (CPD) is funded by the state, local authorities, or a combination of both (see the Procedure for the Professional Development of Teaching and Research-Pedagogical Staff, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 800 of 21 August 2019). Educational institutions must include the relevant expenditures in their budgets. Teachers are guaranteed:
- preservation of their salary during training,
- payment for courses (fully or partially),
- consideration of CPD outcomes during attestation and for calculating allowances.
Additional incentives include opportunities for certification, participation in professional competitions and projects (for example, NUS, EdCamp, GoGlobal, etc.).
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
State and local budgets fund the activities of VET and PPHE institutions, with additional support sometimes coming from partners, donor organisations or international programmes (for example, EU4Skills, Erasmus+). Support measures include:
- work placements in industry with remuneration covered by enterprises or the budget,
- payment of course fees through the educational institution or grants,
- consideration of professional development when awarding allowances, titles and bonuses.