Education and retraining are a path back for veterans

“Education and the learning process itself are not only about a diploma. It is an important element of social adaptation and mental rehabilitation of veterans.
A university is a large ecosystem of a new type, where a veteran can find themselves again, feel the support of the environment, acquire new competencies and, as a result, find a job and return to active life”, — stressed Artem Honcharenko, Head of the KNUBA Veterans Institute.

With precisely this approach, at the Veterans Institute of Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (KNUBA) was held Ukraine's first Open Discussion Day with veterans and their families.

The event became a space for open dialogue, practical support and interaction among veterans, their families, representatives of the university community, medical professionals and socially responsible business.

The event took place as part of the Open Day for veterans and their families at the KNUBA Center for Culture and Leisure in Kyiv and brought together participants from various higher education institutions of the capital and the regions.

The educational community as a supportive environment

Representatives of leading universities of Ukraine took part in the event:

• National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport (NUFVSU),
• Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI),
• National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NUBiP),
• Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (KNUBA).

The co-organizer of the event was the Kyiv City Employment Service, which underscored the systemic approach to supporting veterans — from education and health to professional retraining and subsequent employment.

Practical training: “Don't panic. Act correctly.”

An important part of the Open Discussion Day was a practical training in first aid “Don't panic. Act correctly.”.

The training was led by Denys Boichuk — a neurologist and epileptologist who focused on situations that anyone can encounter in everyday life.

An epileptic seizure can happen suddenly — at home, at work or on the road. In such moments, what is decisive is not emotion but clear and correct actions. During the training, participants examined:

• what is important to take into account before, during and after an epileptic seizure;
• typical mistakes that can harm a person;
• why some “tips from the internet” are dangerous
  (in particular the myth of the “spoon in the mouth”, which has no medical basis whatsoever).

A separate block was devoted to medical check-ups for veterans andtheir families — building the habit of checking one's health in good time, monitoring the consequences of stress and injuries, and supporting loved ones systematically rather than sporadically.

The meeting was practical in nature — no theory for theory's sake, with a focus on real actions and reducing risks.

Socially responsible business in cooperation with veterans' initiatives

During the event, the organizers also held a prize draw and presented gifts to participants, which became a vivid example of a resilient business that cooperates with veterans' organizations.

Among the partners of the event:

1. Poparada.ua — frameless lightweight soft furniture, convenient for moving quickly to a shelter and for comfortable stay there.
2. Axor Industry — thermoses, thermal mugs and hiking sets from a Ukrainian manufacturer of hardware for windows and doors.
3. CosmoMultimall — tickets to Kinoman cinemas, an ice rink and bowling.

These examples show that a partnership between business and veterans' initiatives can be not a formality but genuinely useful and oriented toward people's needs.

A space for return, development and action

The Open Discussion Day at the KNUBA Veterans Institute became not just an event but the first step toward forming a permanent ecosystem of support for veterans and their families — through education, practical knowledge, professional retraining and cross-sector cooperation.

Education in this context appears not as a formality but as a real path back to an active, dignified and fulfilled life.

We remind you that document submission is already open:

📢 Education for veterans, defenders and their children — at universities of Ukraine!👀

Veterans Cluster of Ukraine and KNUBA Veterans Institute “Architecture of Resilience” opens opportunities for:

✅ Free education* in more than 50 specialties and >100 educational programs

✅ Retraining, courses, a second degree, master's and postgraduate studies

✅ Psychological support and rehabilitation

✅ Participation in projects to rebuild Ukraine

✅ Partnership programs with employers (Axor, Barks, Google, Microsoft, Cisco, etc.)

🎯 Study formats: full-time, part-time (by correspondence), online, distance

🎓 We work with communities across Ukraine.

📍 Individual support from admission to employment.

💡 We invite everyone interested to online or offline meetings with our team. We will explain:

▪ how to submit an application

▪ what benefits veterans and their children are entitled to

▪ how to receive compensation for tuition

▪ which educational programs are most relevant for rebuilding

Program details:

👉 www.Veterano.info

📩 Write to us or leave a request on the website:

📞 +38 073 94 96 179

📞 +38 050 22 35 182

📞 +38 067 49 81 098

📩 center@uvc.in.net

📩 veterano@knuba.edu.ua

📞 Head: Artem Honcharenko – +38 073 177 72 73

Together we are building the future. Start with education today!

Partner universities taking part:

• Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
• National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport (NUFVSU) — the key institution on whose basis an educational and rehabilitation center for veterans was created.
• West Ukrainian National University
• National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
• Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
• National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine
• Drohobych National Pedagogical University
• Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute
• Ternopil Ivan Puluj National Technical University
• University of Education Management

*“Free education” means participation in state compensation programs, grants, scholarships and support from employers.

Important: admission takes place during the main admission campaign within the standard deadlines.