Finnish cooperation helps build guidance competence in Ukraine
Ukraine needs support in modernising its guidance and education system. A reform known as New Ukrainian School is underway, in which the education system will be reformed according to models sought in other European countries. Guidance and career counselling will also be developed in this context.
Together with its partner, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) is creating a 60-credit education programme for guidance counsellors in Ukraine.
“Guidance counselling and career guidance in Ukraine are sporadic, and there is no standardised education programme for counsellors. The education sector reform should bring guidance counsellors to schools already in 2026, however”, Carita Cruz, Senior Advisor from HAMK, describes the concrete goals of the project.
A group of 15 experts visited Finland in October. They familiarised themselves with guidance counsellor education at HAMK as well as practical guidance activities in different services and educational institutions.
“The aspects of the Finnish system that the visitors found particularly inspiring were the principle of lifelong guidance, One-Stop Guidance Center model and learner-centered approach. The next step in the development work will be a series of webinars aiming to support our Ukrainian colleagues in producing a competence framework for guidance counsellors and a curriculum for the education programme”, Cruz explains.
Interest in European cooperation
Ukraine is reforming its guidance and career counselling functions as well as its education system with a view to European integration.
On their visit to Finland’s national Euroguidance Centre, which operates at the Finnish National Agency for Education, the Ukrainians were informed about lifelong guidance in Finland and European cooperation on developing the field of guidance. Euroguidance promotes information exchanges in the guidance sector and supports the practical work of guidance professionals, including by finding good practices and tools in different countries.
"The visitors were interested in the European dimension of guidance and the operation of the Euroguidance network”, says Emma Aalto from Euroguidance Finland.
“We were also able to inform them of the resources produced by the network, which are posted on the website and can be used by all countries, not only the network members.”