UKRENERGY, university-level education for building energy efficiency in Ukraine
Developing skills to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction: this is the aim of UKRENERGY, the Erasmus+ project coordinated by the University of Genoa, which has supported the development of new educational programmes in eight Ukrainian universities.
The project’s results were presented on 28 and 29 October 2026 in Via Balbi 5, in the University of Genoa’s Rectorate, during the final dissemination conference titled “The Role of Higher Education and Social Resilience in Ukraine Recovery”. The conference was dedicated to the role of higher education and social resilience in the country’s recovery.
New skills for Ukraine’s building stock
The project “UKRENERGY — Innovative Master Courses Supporting the Improvement of the Energy and Carbon Footprint of the Ukrainian Building Stock” was launched in March 2023 and is due to conclude on 30 November 2026 within the framework of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education action.
The project has supported the development of Master’s-level courses on energy efficiency and energy planning through collaboration between Ukrainian universities and European Union partners: UniGe, the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, and AGH University of Krakow.
The programmes have been tailored to the local needs and labour market requirements, with the aim of improving graduates’ employment prospects. The joint efforts of academic staff and project management teams have also supported the upgrading of laboratories and the development of new teaching materials.
The Ukrainian agency SAEE also took part in the partnership, helping to strengthen links between universities and stakeholders in the energy sector and promoting the exchange of data and solutions for improving energy efficiency in building.
The conference in Genoa
The first day of the conference focused on UKRENERGY’s academic achievements and the implementation of the courses at Ukrainian universities, opening up a discussion on the contribution of education and training to the country’s recovery.
The second day combined a partnership coordination meeting with an exchange of experiences with UNICOM, another Erasmus+ project coordinated by UniGe. An online session led by the Head of the Erasmus+ National Office in Ukraine explored future cooperation opportunities offered by European Commission programmes.
Among the speakers from outside the partnership, Vladyslav Rashkovan, Alternate Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund, joined remotely from Washington to discuss the prospects for Ukraine’s reconstruction, also in light of the Ukraine Recovery Conference held in Gdańsk in June 2026.
Building on the partnership
An agreement is currently being prepared to establish the Network EU – Ukrainian Institutions, with the aim of ensuring continuity in cooperation and highlighting the role of universities in energy efficiency policies, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the priorities of the European Green Deal.
The goal is to make the expertise, educational resources and partnerships developed through the project available to support Ukraine’s reconstruction.
