In 2025–2026, the Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine, with the support of international partners, implemented the project ‘InConnect 2: Strengthening VET-Business Partnership'. The project aimed to contribute to Ukraine's economic recovery by deepening cooperation between vocational education and employers.
Participant selection and training 
From the very beginning, 33 vocational education institutions from 16 regions of Ukraine joined InConnect 2, demonstrating high interest in the topic and a readiness to develop partnerships with business.
Their teams took part in an intensive online training course lasting two and a half months, which combined theoretical training with practical work on their own projects — from the initial idea to a full-fledged project.
The training programme consisted of three modules:
- Strategic planning and building partnerships between education and business;
- Project management and preparation of project proposals;
- Practical skills in project management and implementation.
Project results
Following the training, 72 participants received certificates confirming their new competencies in the field of partnership development and project management.
Teams from vocational education and training (VET) institutions and the business sector successfully defended their projects. A commission consisting of representatives from the Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine (including the State Employment Service) and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine selected the strongest projects.
10 vocational education institutions received grants to implement their own projects. The total funding amounted to €40,000.
InConnect 2 supported partnerships between vocational education institutions and businesses in key economic sectors: transport and logistics, agriculture, construction and services.
The teams implemented joint initiatives: updating curricula, short-term training, introducing dual education, developing technologies and providing practical training for students at enterprises.
However, the project’s most significant achievement was the genuine collaboration between vocational education institutions and business.
9 out of 10 institutions secured co-funding from the business sector, and the total contribution from businesses to the implementation of educational initiatives amounted to over UAH 958,000.
In addition, vocational education institutions and businesses signed 22 memoranda of cooperation, which open opportunities for further joint programmes, work placements and new educational projects.
A handbook on replicating the experience of successful partnerships between vocational education institutions and business
Based on the real-life experience of teams that have progressed from training and partnership-building to implementing their own projects in communities, the Handbook on replicating the experience of successful partnerships between vocational education institutions and business has been created. This publication is intended for educational institutions, employers and anyone seeking to develop modern vocational education through collaboration.
Strategic significance 
The project demonstrated that vocational education can and should be an active partner to business and communities. Educational institutions have strengthened their collaboration with employers, attracted new resources and updated their curricula to meet market needs. Businesses gained the opportunity to influence training and invest in what they truly need. At the same time, the project helped strengthen local economies within communities.
“InConnect 2 proved that partnership begins not with the signing of memoranda, but with the willingness of all participants to work together. The project gave teams the opportunity to build this cooperation through support, mentoring and joint action. Most importantly, it does not end with the project, but continues in new ideas and initiatives aimed at strengthening local economies,” — Nataliia Malynovska, Project Manager.
The project “InConnect 2: Strengthening VET-Business Partnership” was implemented by the NGU ‘Foundation for support of reforms in Ukraine’ with the financial support of the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia, and Denmark within the framework of the Skills4Recovery Multi-Donor Initiative implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ Ukraine) GmbH and Solidarity Fund PL - Fundacja Solidarności Międzynarodowej (SFPL).