On 17 July, Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko participated in a briefing entitled “How Young People from the Temporarily Occupied Territories Can Enrol in Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions in 2025,” held at the Ukrinform Media Centre. The event focused on key aspects of the admission campaign for youth from the TOT, mechanisms for simplified access to education, recent legislative changes, and the support provided by the state to applicants facing the challenges of occupation.
The event also featured the participation of Ihor Reva, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, and Radmila Sehol, PhD in Social Communications, Associate Professor, and Vice-Rector for Admissions and Online Education at the State University Kyiv Aviation Institute.
Olha Kuryshko emphasized that these initiatives are part of a broader state policy developed since the beginning of the temporary occupation, aimed at ensuring the right to education as a tool for reintegrating individuals from the temporarily occupied territories into the Ukrainian space.
In her remarks, the Permanent Representative also noted that around 80 educational centers Crimea–Ukraine and Donbas–Ukraine currently operate across the country. These centers were established to assist residents of the temporarily occupied territories in accessing Ukrainian education. She also highlighted several information platforms that provide up-to-date resources on educational opportunities in Ukraine for residents of temporarily occupied territories, including the platforms Ukraine Awaits Youth from TOT and Educational Information Platform for Residents of the Crimean Peninsula.
Olha Kuryshko emphasized that parents of children from the temporarily occupied territories often hesitate to bring them to Ukraine due to security concerns. She also mentioned cases where occupation administrations refused to issue educational documents during Ukraine’s admission period. Olha Kuryshko pointed out that the information blockade significantly hampers access to reliable information about Ukrainian educational opportunities, making it crucial to share the experiences of those who have already successfully navigated this path.
In the context of support for the adaptation of children from the temporarily occupied territories, the Permanent Representative spoke about the strategy of cognitive de-occupation of Crimea, developed by the Mission in cooperation with experts to identify approaches and tools for integrating residents of the peninsula into Ukraine’s socio-political space. She highlighted, in particular, the workshop series Crimea and Youth: Visions of Resilience, Values of Cohesion, aimed at Ukrainian youth, which seeks to strengthen civic awareness and reinforce Ukraine’s reintegration policies and national unity.
In closing the discussion, participants emphasized that Ukraine eagerly awaits children from the temporarily occupied territories and has created all the necessary conditions for their safe relocation, integration, and education. Experts stressed that the state provides individual support even to those without the required documents, assists in obtaining them, and guarantees access to special admission quotas, scholarships, dormitory accommodation, psychological support, and adaptation-focused educational programs. The speakers urged families not to delay their decision and to take full advantage of the available opportunities to ensure their children’s access to quality education.