The Center for Vocational Education and Innovation in Civil Engineering has been operating at the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technology (USUST), since May 2025, within the framework of the Joint European Erasmus+ project VETpartEx – “Future-Oriented Vocational Education and Training for the Construction Sector in Ukraine in a Partnership for Excellence.
The Center aims to:
• To create a learning environment for implementing initiatives in the field of civil construction, including the development of training materials on energy-efficient construction, Building Information Modeling (BIM), lean construction, and building standards for vocational schools (VET), colleges, and higher education institutions (HEIs), using the best national and international practices.
• To support the adaptation of vocational education curricula to current scientific and technological challenges, labor market demands, and societal needs.
• To promote interdisciplinary research in energy- and resource-efficient technologies, information technologies in civil construction, reuse of materials, environmental protection, eco-innovation, and sustainable development.
Objectives:
1. Educational Objectives:
• Analysis and updating of vocational education and training programs for VET, colleges, and HEIs in line with best European practices in the fields of energy-efficient construction, BIM, sustainable construction, and European construction standards;
• Development of training materials and delivery of training sessions for representatives of VET institutions and colleges;
• Cooperation with employers in Ukraine and the EU to align training programs for skilled workers with labor market demands;
• Raising awareness among stakeholders about the capabilities of vocational (vocational-technical) education institutions in training specialists for Ukraine’s construction sector;
• Development of distance learning platforms for training skilled workers in energy-efficient construction, building information modeling, sustainable construction, and European construction standards.
2. Research Objectives:
• Promote participation in European research (Horizon 2020) and educational (Erasmus+) framework programs to support integration into the European research and education area.
• Facilitate international cooperation in vocational education in construction and related sectors.
• Engage and coordinate interdisciplinary research groups from various academic and educational institutions and colleges.
• Unite various stakeholders to develop a strategy for the advancement of vocational education in construction and related fields.
The Centre for Vocational Education and Innovation in Civil Construction is an integral part of the Educational and Scientific Centre for the Development of Vocational Education. Its main task is to create a vocational education environment at the university in collaboration with industrial partners.
Head and staff of the Center:
Director of the Center – Denys Volchok, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Operation and Repair of Machines, SEI ‘PSACEA’
Educational Activity Coordinator – Anastasiia Haidar, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Construction Technology, SEI ‘PSACEA’
Research Coordinator – Oleksandr Trehub, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor Department of Road Engineering, Geodesy and Land Management, SEI ‘PSACEA’
The Coordination Council, which includes all partners of the VETpartEx project, ensures their active involvement in the Center’s activities and training sessions, as well as participation in the dissemination of training outcomes and methodological developments in regional partner institutions.
Thanks to active cooperation with national and international partners, the Center will become a key platform for modernizing vocational education in the construction sector of Ukraine and will contribute to the successful implementation of the VETpartEx project objectives.
