Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager, and Oleh Hryhorov, Head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, signed the document.

Sumy region was selected as a partner region for DECIDE Project. The five-year cooperation includes:

• support for the implementation of specialised secondary education reform in terms of establishing a network of academic lyceums and providing advisory support to communities;
• support for the implementation of vocational education reform;
• strengthening cooperation between communities on the joint establishment of academic lyceums, which includes a grant programme for the creation of new laboratories;
• support for the updating of regional development strategies with a focus on education;
• development of agglomerations with a focus on educational services;
• professional development programmes for community leaders, education administrators, local councillors and heads of educational institutions;
• development of a career guidance system for children and adolescents and grant programmes for the creation of career guidance hubs;
• internship programmes for young people in the Regional Military Administration and local councils;
• DECIDE Summer Clubs initiatives ‘We are at home — in Ukraine’;
• professional development programmes for community leaders, heads and employees of education departments and administrations in all communities of the region.

‘We are pleased to welcome Sumy region as a DECIDE partner for the next five years. Sumy region is a true outpost of Ukraine, and I am confident that our Project will become a reliable ally for communities in developing quality education.

At the regional level, we will focus on strategic planning with an emphasis on restoring human capital, building effective cooperation between communities, and professional development programmes for community leaders and education administrators. All communities in the region, without exception, will have access to seven key support programmes: implementation of senior specialised school reform and creation of academic lyceums, launch and scaling of a career guidance system for children and adolescents with the involvement of business, strengthening of democratic governance and strategic planning, and expansion of youth participation in decision-making and community development,’ said Valentyna Poltorak, DECIDE Project Manager.

‘Today, we are embarking on a long-term partnership in which education is seen as a tool for community development. It is important for the region that decisions in education are strategic and aligned with regional priorities and the needs of communities and the region,’ said Oleh Hryhorov, Head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration.

Four pilot partner communities will also be selected in the region, with which DECIDE Project will work in defined areas.

The project implementation is planned until August 2030 within Phase 2 of DECIDE Project.

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