Creative exams have begun: veterans are applying to KNUBA

At the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (KNUBA), the admission campaign is in full swing – creative competitions for applicants began in early July. Among those taking exams this summer are Ukrainian defenders. In particular, veteran Vadym Honcharenko and several fellow servicemen decided to enroll at KNUBA. They chose modern and in-demand specialties such as architecture, industrial and civil engineering (PTsB), physical culture and sports (coaching), cybersecurity, as well as a field to which the university pays special attention – ecology and environmental protection technologies (TZNS). According to the veterans, they fully understand the importance of higher education and retraining: new knowledge will help them join the great reconstruction of the country and find their place in peaceful life. Vadym Honcharenko, who uses a wheelchair, notes that for him continuing his studies is both a challenge and a chance. For the university and the Veterans Cluster of Ukraine, this case highlights the relevance of accessibility: a joint search is currently under way for funding to adapt the educational space to the needs of students with disabilities.

“The war will end sooner or later, but education and reconstruction will certainly come. We must prepare for this now”, said Nataliia Honcharenko, head of the Veterans Cluster of Ukraine, quoting a well-known thought about the inevitability of peace and development. As a leader of a veterans' organization, she stresses the need to invest in veterans' knowledge today. Nataliia added that the admission campaign is ongoing, and those who wish to obtain a master's degree on a state-funded basis still have a chance to submit documents – the state and partners provide veterans with separate opportunities for funding their studies. Through the efforts of the Veterans Cluster and KNUBA, with the support of business partners, a program of special scholarships for veterans and their families. The first benefactor of this initiative was the company Axor Industry. At a recent event dedicated to the launch of the reintegration program Re:Veterans Platform, Axor's deputy marketing director Olena Kreknina presented a program of employer cooperation on internships and employment of veterans. As a stakeholder representative, Olena is preparing to teach at the university from the next academic year in order to pass on her experience directly to veteran students.

These innovations are being introduced in line with the state policy of supporting defenders. On July 11, KNUBA and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs signed a memorandum of cooperation, which expands opportunities for education and professional adaptation of male and female veterans of Ukraine. “For the university, the veteran track is a response to one of the country's main challenges. We help veterans acquire a new specialty and return to civilian life with up-to-date knowledge and skills”, stressed KNUBA rector Oleksii Dniprov. According to Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs Yuliia Kirillova, combatants and members of their families can now obtain a master's degree free of charge at KNUBA, as well as obtain another specialty on the basis of a previously earned diploma. In addition, veterans and their children can study at the colleges affiliated with the university under the state program (Cabinet of Ministers resolution No. 432). The university, for its part, provides the Ministry with expert support in creating modern veterans' infrastructure. In particular, specialists of KNUBA and the Veterans Reintegration Institute «“Architecture of Resilience”» involved in developing the concept of “veteran spaces” – a network of multifunctional support centers for veterans and their families. Recall that KNUBA students who are children of veterans can already receive compensation for a year of study. All these steps are intended to ensure our defenders a smooth transition from military service to a successful civilian career.

Veteran reintegration: employment and entrepreneurship after the war

The Veterans Cluster of Ukraine emphasizes: the most important result of all educational initiatives is an employed veteran (and their family) or a veteran entrepreneur who has opened his or her own business. The goal is not only to obtain a diploma, but also for defenders to become economically independent and successful in peaceful life. World experience confirms that integrating veterans into the economy through education, work or entrepreneurship gives a powerful boost to a country's development.

• After World War I (Great Britain): the government introduced a program to support higher education for former servicemen. In 1919–1923 there operated the Higher Education Scheme for Ex-Servicemen, under which about 28,000 veterans in England and Wales received grants to study at universities. It was an unprecedented step that effectively doubled the student body compared with the pre-war period and laid the foundation of the post-war system of university grants.
• After World War II (USA): adopted the legendary “GI Bill” – a law on benefits for veterans. Thanks to this program, almost half of the 16 million American veterans of World War II received education or vocational training at public expense. Such a large-scale investment project spared the country postwar unemployment and laid the foundation for an economic boom. Many military graduates not only built successful careers but also started their own businesses – according to estimates, 49.7% of US veterans after World War II became owners or managers of businesses, and after the Korean War – about 40%. This is how millions of jobs came into being, created by veteran entrepreneurs for their generation. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush noted that the GI Bill changed the lives of millions, “replacing old barriers with paths to opportunity.”
• Postwar reconstruction (Great Britain): Britain too bet on education and social support for the demobilized. A system of state grants was created, known as Further Education and Training Scheme (FETS), which covered the tuition costs of all ex-servicemen who wished to study. As a result, annual university admissions in the country rose from ~50,000 (before the war) to 80,000 after the war. Veterans acquired new professions – engineers, architects, teachers – and joined the rebuilding of the economy at all levels. This social elevator significantly increased social mobility and allowed talented people, regardless of background, to fulfill themselves after the war.
• Israel – “Startup Nation”: mandatory army service in Israel became the foundation for the phenomenal rise of the country's high-tech business. Today Israel has the world's largest number of startups per capita and record volumes of venture capital. The culture of enterprise and innovation there has in many ways been shaped by veterans of the Israel Defense Forces. Former servicemen, in particular graduates of elite units such as Unit 8200, apply the leadership, teamwork and non-standard problem-solving skills acquired in the army to business. Not only Unit 8200 – veterans of various specialties found companies in cybersecurity, programming and engineering. Veteran startups have become the driving force behind Israel being called the “startup nation.” According to Israeli investors, army service teaches young people responsibility, perseverance and creativity – precisely the qualities an entrepreneur needs. As a result, the state gets a powerful layer of educated business leaders hardened by service experience.

Examples from around the world show: by investing in veterans' education today, society gets not only socially protected heroes but also new professionals, managers and innovators capable of developing the economy. “Veterans are not only a force that protects, but also a force that builds”, stress representatives of the company Axor, which supports veteran initiatives. The main task is to help defenders realize their potential in peaceful life. In Ukraine this philosophy is already being put into practice through retraining programs, partnerships with business and support for entrepreneurship among former servicemen. After all, every employed veteran or successful veteran-owned business is not only a personal victory of the soldier but also a contribution to the sustainable development and recovery of the country.

REMINDER:

📢 Education for veterans, defenders and their children – at universities of Ukraine!👀

Veterans Institute “Architecture of Resilience” opens opportunities for:

✅ Free education* in more than 30 specialties and >100 educational programs

✅ Retraining, courses, a second degree, master's and postgraduate studies

✅ Psychological support and rehabilitation

✅ Participation in projects for the reconstruction of Ukraine

✅ Partner programs with employers (Axor, Barks, Google, Microsoft, Cisco, etc.)

🎯 Study formats: full-time, part-time, online.

🎓 We work with communities across Ukraine.

📍 Individual support from admission to employment.

💡 We invite everyone interested to online or offline meetings with our team. We will explain:

▪ how to submit an application

▪ what benefits veterans and their children have

▪ how to receive compensation for studies

▪ which educational programs are most relevant for reconstruction

Program details:

👉 www.Veterano.info

📩 Write to us or leave a request on the website:

📞 +38 073 94 96 179

📞 +38 050 22 35 182

📞 +38 067 49 81 098

📩 center@uvc.in.net

📩 veterano@knuba.edu.ua

📞 Head: Artem Honcharenko – +38 073 177 72 73

Together we are building the future. Start with education today!

Participating partner universities:

• Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
• National University of Physical Education and Sport of Ukraine (NUFVSU) is the key institution on the basis of which a training and rehabilitation center for veterans was established.
• West Ukrainian National University
• National University “Yuriy Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
• Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
• National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine
• Drohobych National Pedagogical University
• Ivan Puluj Ternopil National Technical University

*“Free education” means participation in state compensation programs, grants, scholarships and support from employers.

Important: admission during the basic admission campaign within standard deadlines.