Three main conditions to keep young people in Ukraine: KSE President’s view
19 September 2025 19:06
OPINION
During the discussion forum of educators and employers “You can’t let go of young people”, organized by
“Perhaps we have a somewhat distorted view of the situation because we only survey our students. But many of them are not choosing between Ukrainian universities, but between Ukrainian and foreign ones. They already have their desired universities outside the country,” Milovanov said.
He explained that all the applicants interviewed as part of the study can be divided into three groups.
The first group. They are choosing between state universities (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Vasyl Karazin Kharkiv National University).
The second group. Considering an alternative between private Ukrainian institutions (Kyiv School of Economics, Ukrainian Catholic University, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy).
The third group. They hesitate between Ukrainian education and studying in Europe, particularly in Poland or Germany.
For young people, the key is not only the university’s brand, but above all, the conditions for development.
Students need attention. It is important for them to see their development. There is an unofficial survey on why young people are leaving now, especially after the opening of the exit for 18. The first reason is to see their parents. The second is to see the world. Not to escape, not to move, but to see,” said Milovanov.
According to the KSE president, young Ukrainians think very pragmatically. They focus not only on educational quality but also on life prospects after graduation.
They name three simple but crucial things: education, housing, and work. It is this combination that determines their choice: where to live, study and work. And how much to earn,” Milovanov explained.
He also added that despite their interest in the world, many young people retain an emotional connection to Ukraine.
“Many want to come back. They miss their friends. This is a real problem for young people – a sense of belonging,” summarized the president of the Kyiv School of Economics.
At the same time, Tymofiy Mylovanov left open the main question for the state, the educational community and employers: is Ukraine able to create conditions for young people that will make them not want to leave?
on September 19, at 13:00, IQ Business Center hosted a large-scale discussion “You Can’t Let the Youth Go” organized by the independent Ukrainian online business publication
The first panel of the discussion is dedicated to the topic “How and who competes for Ukrainian students with foreign universities and whether Ukraine is really losing in this competition”. The participants discussed how many young people continue to leave Ukraine, what the results of this year’s admission campaign look like, whether lawmakers recognize the crisis, and whether the National Multisubject Test does not really test knowledge but becomes a barrier for those who want to study at home.
The second panel is dedicated to the topic of “Silent Migration,” which will discuss the conditions of admission and the scale of student outflow. The panelists include experts in demography and migration, educators, and representatives of the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment, which is responsible for admission rules.
The third panel will focus on the business perspective. Representatives of large employers will discuss how the outflow of young people affects the staff shortage and why businesses have to invest in education now.
The media partners of the event are the European Women’s Association of Ukraine, RBC-Ukraine news agency and Delo.UA business portal. The event partners are Morshynska, IQ Business Center, and QUOROOM.
Читайте нас у Telegram: головні новини коротко
