On May 1, NATO launched an institutional audit of Ukraine’s higher military education institutions, the positive results of which could pave the way for the recognition of Ukrainian military diplomas in NATO member states.
If the results of the audit—conducted by NATO experts—are successful, this will allow for the certification of professional military education courses according to NATO standards. Documents certifying the completion of these courses would then be recognized by Alliance countries. This would promote the interoperability of Ukraine’s military education system with that of NATO.
The audit will take place in several stages and will be funded by partners from Lithuania.
Initially, NATO experts will provide military education institutions with criteria for compliance and evaluation, based on which the audit and final certification of professional military education courses will be conducted. According to the schedule, in May, higher military education institutions and military departments of civilian higher education institutions must prepare self-assessment reports and complete questionnaires concerning their compliance with NATO education standards.
From June through September, NATO experts in military education will review the submitted reports and questionnaires. In the fall, a NATO expert group will visit Ukraine to meet with representatives of the military education system.
The final report from the auditors is expected in December 2025.
“The results of the institutional audit of the military education system will provide an objective assessment of how the recommendations from the 2020 audit have been implemented. Professional military education in Ukraine is gradually reaching a new level of development,” said Volodymyr Mirnenko, Director of the Department of Military Education and Science at the Ministry of Defense.
It should be noted that with the support of NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP), Ukraine is already enhancing the training of its professionals in areas such as professional development, leadership, best practices in training and combat operations, language training, and more.
