Youth Connect for Ukraine Summer School on Artificial Intelligence Launches in Lviv

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Youth Connect for Ukraine Summer School on Artificial Intelligence, Leadership, and Professional Development Launches in Lviv

The Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports, together with the British Council, has launched the Youth Connect for Ukraine: Artificial Intelligence for Professional Development and Leadership summer school at the Ukrainian Catholic University. The programme brings together 24 first- to fourth-year students from frontline regions, all members of the Fund’s community, who will spend five days working on critical thinking, communication, and the creation of AI-powered projects.

The programme combines the British Council’s methodology with hands-on training in AI tools. The summer school aims to help young people build the skills needed for professional growth, addressing social challenges, teamwork, and developing their own project solutions.

The summer school opened with welcoming remarks from representatives of the organisers and the project team: Anastasiia Kuleba, Head of Community Strategic Development at the Fund of the President of Ukraine; Daryna Petrenko, Head of Certificate Programmes at the Faculty of Applied Sciences of the Ukrainian Catholic University; and Anna Hladka and Nadiia Yurova, certified British Council trainers.

The opening addressed the Fund’s mission — “Empowering talented young people to strengthen Ukraine” — and the programme’s importance for building a community of talented young people.

"Every technological revolution has sparked fears that professions will disappear. But history shows otherwise: it is not technology itself that wins out, but the people who learn to use it. Artificial intelligence is not a competitor to humans — it is an amplifier of human potential,"

said Anastasiia Kuleba.

Daryna Petrenko spoke about the university and the inspiration for self-development.

Particular attention was paid to the strength of community. During the opening, British Council facilitators Anna Hladka and Nadiia Yurova told participants about the programme’s five-day journey and the opportunities Youth Connect for Ukraine opens up for Ukrainian youth.

Oleksii Molchanovskyi, Director of Innovation at UCU and a member of the Board of the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports, opened the programme’s AI segment with a lecture titled “AI as a Leadership Tool,” covering the history of artificial intelligence and its capabilities and limitations.

From 13 to 17 July 2026, the programme will cover modules on leadership, active listening, empathy, non-violent communication, critical thinking, cognitive biases, and social action, with a separate track dedicated to the practical use of AI.

"Recent reports from the World Economic Forum highlight that in a world shaped by artificial intelligence, countries' competitiveness is increasingly determined by the quality of human capital development in relation to the use of AI tools. That is why teaching talented young people to use AI tools ethically and responsibly is an effective way to empower them. This is exactly why, together with the Ukrainian Catholic University, we launched a summer school dedicated to using AI for professional development and leadership. It is especially important to us that students from frontline regions — who need additional support and opportunities today — are taking part in this programme. We thank the British Council, which partnered with us to bring this school to life,"

said Yuriy Petrushenko, Director of the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports.

As part of the programme, participants will work on their own projects with mentoring support from experts. The final stage will be a pitching session for AI-powered projects, followed by a certificate ceremony.

Background

The Youth Connect for Ukraine: Artificial Intelligence for Professional Development and Leadership summer school is delivered by the British Council in partnership with the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science, and Sports and the Ukrainian Catholic University.

For the Fund of the President of Ukraine, delivering such programmes is part of its systemic work to build a community of talented young people. Youth Connect for Ukraine is a space where young people can learn to put their knowledge into practice to strengthen Ukraine.

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