The Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE project, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, is announcing a competitive selection process for local communities to join the creation of a modern career guidance system!

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This is an important step in the reform of the ‘New Ukrainian School’, especially in terms of its third stage: the development of specialist senior schools in Ukraine!

Developing a career guidance system helps to foster partnerships between educational institutions and businesses in your community and region. This creates opportunities for every child in Ukraine to build a future for themselves in their homeland.

Career guidance for pupils in Grades 8 and 9 of general secondary schools will be provided in two areas:

– for further admission to vocational and technical colleges and choosing a profession;

– for continuing education in academic lyceums, with the aim of further admission to universities.

About the DECIDE Project

The DECIDE project is implemented in Ukraine by the NGO ‘DOKKU’ in partnership with the Zurich University of Teacher Education (Switzerland) with the support of Switzerland. The DECIDE Project aims to support two important reforms: education and decentralisation. The Project’s goal is to promote citizen involvement in democratic governance and ensure equal access to its results and quality education.

Selection process

Via the selection process, up to 20 communities from each region of Ukraine will be selected to take part in the national pilot of the career guidance system for children and adolescents.

The selected communities will have the opportunity to:

– participate in a grant programme to develop modern career guidance spaces (for the 50 most active communities).

– establish cooperation between schools and businesses, vocational and technical colleges to conduct career guidance excursions, internships at enterprises and joint career guidance events;

– introduce an optional ‘Career Guidance in Schools (JOBs)’ course in Grades 8 and 9 to help students make informed choices about their future careers;

– become a participant in the career counsellor training programme for schools developed by the Zurich University of Teacher Education (Switzerland).

Terms and conditions of the Selection process

Territorial communities in regions that meet the following criteria are invited to participate in the Selection process:

1. willingness to appoint a community career coordinator from among the employees of the local government (education authority) or the centre for professional development of teaching staff;
2. willingness to identify secondary education institutions in which the ‘Career Guidance Education in Schools (JOBs)’ course will be introduced into the curriculum for Grades 8 and 9. At the same time:
3. in territorial communities where a regional centre or a former city of regional significance is located, no more than four secondary schools may be designated for piloting;
4. in territorial communities that do not include a regional centre or a former city of regional significance, no more than one secondary school may be designated for piloting;
5. Priority in the selection process is given to those communities that have designated an institution (or one of the institutions) of general secondary education that is a participant in the all-Ukrainian innovative educational project ‘Development and Implementation of Teaching and Methodological Support for General Secondary Education Institutions in the Context of the Implementation of the State Standard for Basic Secondary Education’ (2021–2027).
6. willingness to appoint two (2) career advisors in general secondary schools from among teaching staff who will teach the ‘Career Guidance in Schools (JOBs)’ course in Grades 8 and 9;
7. willingness to provide premises, equipment, and ICT resources for the use of career counsellors;

8. willingness to organise at least five career guidance excursions to enterprises, vocational, pre-higher and higher education institutions, as well as other institutions and organisations (for communities where education takes place in person and/or in a hybrid format);

9. willingness to organise at least five career guidance excursions to enterprises, vocational, pre-higher and higher education institutions, as well as other institutions and organisations (for communities where education takes place in person and/or in a hybrid format).

Who can participate in the Selection process?

All territorial communities of Ukraine can participate in the Selection process.

The following formats of participation are available for territorial communities:

online: for territorial communities temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation in which active hostilities are ongoing (pursuant to Order No. 376 of the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine ‘On Approval of the List of Territories in which Combat Operations are (Were) Conducted or which are Temporarily Occupied by the Russian Federation’ dated 28 February 2025), and for territorial communities in which general secondary education institutions designated for piloting operate exclusively in a distance learning format; hybrid and/or offline: for territorial communities in which general secondary education institutions designated for piloting operate in a face-to-face (daytime) or hybrid format.

The submission of applications is to be made by communities only.

Who is NOT eligible to submit an application form?

The following are not eligible to submit an application:

– individuals (teachers, parents, community residents, etc.);

– educational institutions;

– public organisations and other non-governmental organisations.

Selection deadlines:

– submission of applications: 15–22 September 2025 (inclusive);

– selection of communities: 23 September – 10 October 2025.

Methodology for selecting winners:

– communities that receive the highest scores in the questionnaire evaluation will be invited to interviews;

– during the interview, the competence and motivation of the Selection participants will be evaluated, as will the acceptable format of their participation.

In order to participate in the selection process, applicants must:

1. Fill in the Participant Questionnaire.

NB! The questionnaire must be completed on the official letterhead of the community, signed by the head of the territorial community and certified with a seal.

2. Fill in the application form: https://forms.gle/zUuNJ5imGw3m2jTf8

The Selection Committee will shortlist communities that meet the above criteria. The results will be published on the DECIDE Project’s official website and Facebook page, as well as those of its partners.

Please bear in mind that:

– the Committee’s decision is not subject to review;

– the Committee reserves the right to refuse participation in the national piloting stage of the career guidance system without disclosing the reasons for doing so.