News

The Swedish-Ukrainian Programme Polaris – Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine invites hromadas to partner within its direction Education at Local and Regional Levels. Currently, 10 partner hromadas are receiving support in improving the quality of education services, building effective sc ...

On 17–19 June, the Cities Forum is taking place in Krakiv. The event is one of the most important events dedicated to developing European municipalities. Held biennially, the Forum is the European Commission’s flagship event on urban and cohesion policy. It brings together representatives of cities ...

Second round of selection for partnership with the Swedish–Ukrainian Polaris Programme under the direction “Institutional Capacity Development of the Starosta Institute” has been completed The application period lasted from 8 to 22 May 2025. A total of 87 applications were received from hromadas i ...

The Memorandum outlines joint efforts across several key areas, including the development of analytics and project prioritisation for recovery, the assessment of investment potential for hromada recovery, and systematic support for reconstruction and rebuilding processes

On 17 June, the Polaris Programme conducted an online training session titled “Effective Communication and Conflict Prevention in Interaction with Community Residents”. The event was organised for representatives of local self-government from Polaris partner hromadas who are working to introduce eff ...

On 13 June, a working meeting took place in Kropyvnytskyi between experts of the Polaris Programme and the leadership of the Kirovohrad Regional Military Administration, along with specialised services working with veterans. The visit was part of Polaris’ systematic efforts to integrate the veteran ...

In May–June 2025, the Polaris Programme conducted a series of field visits to partner hromadas selected for cooperation in strengthening coordination mechanisms in the field of domestic violence prevention and response. Eight territorial hromadas from various regions of Ukraine have joined the partn ...

The Polaris Programme champions equality, dignity, and safety for everyone

On 13 June, experts from the “Education on Local and Regional Level” team of the Polaris Programme carried out a working visit to Kozelets settlement hromada in Chernihiv oblast. The visit was part of the Programme’s ongoing work to strengthen hromadas’ capacity in education management. The visit p ...

On 12–13 June, the inspiring atmosphere of Chernihiv’s Art Museum was filled with the energy of professional development. These days were dedicated to the training of local self-government officials who represent the closest level of government to residents – the starostas. Fifty starostas from Bobr ...

On 12 June, Deputy Minister of Finance Roman Yermolychev met with Alexander Mazurkin, Polaris Programme Manager, Susanna Dellans, Polaris Team Leader in Ukraine, and programme experts. The parties discussed the enhancement of the automated education management system "AIKOM" and the improvement of ...

On 12–13 June, the Polaris Programme conducted a two-day online training session titled “Development of Emotional Intelligence and Prevention of Professional Burnout for Administrative Services Centre (ASC) Employees”. The event brought together 35 ASC representatives from various regions of Ukraine ...

On 10–11 June, the Polaris Programme “Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine” held a strategic session in Kyiv. Over two days, team members from various regions of Ukraine, together with international experts, gathered to review the progress made during the first half of 2025 and to chart the w ...

Special attention during the meeting was given to discussing the next steps under the memorandum of cooperation between Polaris and UADRC.

SALAR International – the organisation representing the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) in international development cooperation – has been working in Ukraine since 2014, supporting decentralisation processes and building the capacity of local self-government. Since 20 ...

On 3 June, a working meeting was held in Kyiv to discuss improving the regulatory framework for organising the educational process for learners from occupied, de-occupied, and frontline territories of Ukraine. The event brought together representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukr ...

The Polaris Programme announces an open call "Grant Support for Swedish–Ukrainian Partnerships" for hromadas that have established or are planning to establish cooperation with Swedish municipalities..

From 3 to 5 June 2025, a working visit of the expert group from the “Local-Level Education” component of the Polaris Programme took place in the Kobleve rural territorial hromada, Mykolaiv oblast. The visit was carried out at the invitation of the Kobleve Village Council with the aim of monitoring ...

On 5 June, an online focus group titled “Professional Development Centres for Teachers as a Key Tool for Advancing Professional Excellence” was held on the initiative of the Swedish-Ukrainian Polaris Programme. The event brought together 15 participants from Professional Development Centres (PDCs) r ...

On 3–4 June 2025, an expert visit from the Polaris Programme took place in the Avanhardivska hromada of Odesa oblast. The hromada submitted an application for an ASC audit and was selected to participate in the Programme. This reflects Avanhardivska hromada’s proactive approach to implementing mode ...

On 30 May and 2 June, the Polaris Programme “Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine” organised a two-day online training titled “Ethics of Interaction and Communication with Veterans in the Provision of Administrative Services at ASCs”. The training gathered 30 participants – staff members of A ...

On 28–29 May in Ternopil, the Swedish-Ukrainian Polaris Programme hosted a two-day training titled “The Role of the Starosta in a Hromada: Tools for Strengthening Institutional Capacity”. The event brought together nearly 50 representatives of partner hromadas from across Ukraine – including starost ...

The integration of tax-related administrative services into Administrative Services Centres (ASC) is a highly relevant issue, given the significant reduction in the number of territorial offices of the State Tax Service and the growing demand for these services from residents.

On 28 May, a regional forum titled “Gymnasium of the Future: Key Vectors of Development” took place in the Velyka Omelyana hromada, Rivne oblast. The event brought together heads of education departments, directors of existing and prospective gymnasiums, educators, and experts from three oblasts – R ...

On 27 May, in the city of Lutsk, the Polaris Programme “Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine” held a roundtable with political leaders of Ukraine’s national associations of local self-government bodies

The Polaris Programme, “Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine,” has launched a new partnership with 10 hromadas under the “Local Engagement” direction, following an inaugural meeting held in Kyiv on 22–23 May.

On 26 May, the Committee on State Building, Local Governance, Regional Development and Urban Planning held a presentation of the study “Oversight Functions of Starostas”, prepared at its request by the Swedish-Ukrainian programme Polaris “Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine” and the NGO DE ...

Within the framework of the Swedish-Ukrainian Municipal Partnership Forum, on May 20, 2025, Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukraine) and Luleå (Sweden) officially became partner cities. The partnership was made possible by the initiative Cities4Cities, which is part of the Polaris programme. "The part ...

On 22 May in Lubny, Poltava region, the forum “New Ukrainian School: Educational Horizons of the Lubny Hromada” brought together nearly 50 participants – educators, representatives of local self-government, experts from the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), the New Ukrainian School Implementa ...

On May 20-21, Sweden hosted the Second Swedish-Ukrainian Forum on Municipal Partnerships