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How to Build the Capabilities Needed for Ukraine’s Green Economic Transition

On April 28, the Green Transition Office under the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine held a practical webinar in collaboration with the National University of Food Technologies. Representatives of higher education institutions, government agencies, and the business sector came together to address a shared challenge: how to equip specialists with the skills needed for the green transition in a context where the labour market is evolving rapidly, while the education system is still struggling to keep pace.

The webinar was opened by Oleksandr Shevchenko, Rector of the National University of Food Technologies, who in his opening remarks emphasized the role of universities in bridging the gap between market needs and educational programs. He stressed that the green transition is already shaping new requirements for professionals and requires closer cooperation between academia, government, and the private sector.

Andriy Kitura, Head of the Green Transition Office, began by addressing the economic context. Ukraine competes with the rest of the world as a small open economy, and structural unemployment is particularly acute in the country: businesses cannot find the specialists they need, while people cannot find suitable employment. In his view, the key reason is that the skills of a large share of the workforce do not match market demand. It is unrealistic to fix this in a few years, but universities that adapt first will gain an edge in the competition for students.

The government is already formulating a response to this challenge. The National Energy and Climate Plan, approved by the government in June 2024, goes beyond the energy sector and encompasses human capital development, particularly through collaboration on updating educational programs, fostering interdisciplinary competencies, and reducing the labour shortage. Andriy Frolov, who coordinates the implementation of the NECP at the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, emphasized that achieving these goals is impossible without coordinated action among key stakeholders:

“None of these elements operates in isolation. Human capital development is a strategic priority and a key condition for Ukraine’s successful transformation and integration into the European space.”

Recognizing the gap between employer demand and the education system for professionals in the field of sustainable development and environmental protection, the Green Transition Office aims to identify specific skills and competencies that need to be integrated into the educational process. In early 2026, the Green Transition Office launched a labour market study to identify employers’ needs. Climate change expert Mykola Shlapak presented the initial results, highlighting that since the beginning of the year, over 220 job openings in environmental protection and sustainable development have been identified.

Most of the open positions can be grouped into the following typical roles:

  • Environmental Engineer – 95 vacancies since the start of the year;

  • Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Engineer – 23 vacancies;

  • ESG Manager – 35 vacancies;

  • Sustainability Consultant / Expert – 19 vacancies;

  • ESIA Consultant / Expert – 8 vacancies;

  • Project Manager / Analyst / Advisor – 31 vacancies.

The role of ESG manager is relatively new but is rapidly developing, primarily in the banking sector, where requirements of international financial institutions providing funding mandate environmental and social risk assessment. Mykola Shlapak noted the importance of adapting educational programs to train relevant specialists: “The position of ESG manager is an example of market demand that is not yet adequately addressed by universities. Individual short-term programs and courses are emerging, but their integration into the higher education system remains limited.”

Lyudmyla Lisova, Lead Specialist at the Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine, highlighted the new opportunities offered by the Horizon Europe program as a tool not only for funding but also for developing systematic approaches to building competencies for the green transition. According to her, participation in such projects allows higher education institutions to establish close cooperation with Ukrainian and international stakeholders. In total, since 2024, Ukraine has signed 246 grant agreements under the program and attracted over 60 million euros of funding. Additional support is planned for Ukrainian participants in 2026–2027.

Oleksandr Dlugopolsky, a representative of the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance and Western Ukrainian National University, highlighted the need to measure progress in education for sustainable development. According to him, higher education institutions often focus on processes, whereas it is important to assess real changes, particularly how the behavior and competencies of students are transforming. He emphasized the need to shift from activity indicators to outcome indicators, as well as to integrate sustainable development into all university functions. In the absence of clear and measurable KPIs, such changes risk remaining merely declarative.

Special attention was given to the practical experience of higher education institutions. During the event, practical initiatives from three universities were presented:

  • National University of Food Technologies,

  • Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv,

  • Lutsk National Technical University.

All three examples share a proactive approach to change: the universities did not wait for higher education standards to be updated but are already adapting their educational programs to market demands through international projects, the implementation of interdisciplinary programs, and the development of partnerships with businesses and government institutions.

 

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