OSCE-supported study identifies corruption risks in Ukraine’s higher education system and ways to address them

A new strategic analysis, “Corruption Risks in Higher Education”, developed with OSCE support and in partnership with the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, was presented at an event in Kyiv on 10 November 2026. 

The paper, available for download here, highlights vulnerabilities at different levels, ranging from relations between universities and the authorities, and the work of the institution responsible for assessing education quality, to issues related to academic practices within higher education institutions, including academic integrity. The research was prepared by the NACP officers jointly with a group of experts, with funding from the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine. 

“It is not an exaggeration to say that corruption in education may rob the nation of its future. It is equipping young people with a false hierarchy of values. The nation cannot have strong and promising leaders if they can buy their way up - in science, the economy, politics. A transparent, accountable and trustworthy system of higher education is essential for preparing professionals who will rebuild the country and secure its future in the family of democratic European nations,” said Ambassador Petr Mares, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairpersonship – Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, in a recorded address to presentation participants. 

“The quality of education depends on how transparent decision-making is, how resources are allocated, how fair the rules are, and whether these rules apply equally. We have analyzed the sources of corruption risks and the potential impact should they materialize, and we have prepared practical recommendations for minimizing or eliminating them. These recommendations can be used to improve legislation, shape state policy, develop anti-corruption measures, and implement internal procedures for integrity-based governance within universities,” emphasized Viktor Pavlushchyk, Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention.

For the system of state management of higher education, among other things, the researchers propose enhancing transparency in the distribution of public funds between universities, the funding of scientific research projects, as well as of the process of assessing universities’ compliance with licensing conditions. 

There are also proposals on how to minimize risks of malpractices in the process of obtaining scientific degrees. These include introducing administrative liability for providing services to produce dissertations and other academic works on behalf of others, improving the process of forming scientific councils that review applications for academic degrees, and establishing a transparent payment mechanism for academic supervisors, external examiners and reviewers, who currently work without remuneration. The research also examines and recommends improvements to admission procedures for postgraduate studies and unified state qualification examinations for bachelor and master degrees. 

"The Ministry of Education and Science will review this document. Naturally, we are taking note of it. Will we implement everything proposed therein? I believe that, in some instances, we will be able to achieve even better outcomes than those suggested. However, I am certain that, for every single point raised, we will be able to demonstrate that it has either been implemented or addressed in a better way. Therefore, I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who worked on this document," noted Oleh Sharov, Director General of the Directorate for Higher Education and Adult Education at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, during the presentation.

This effort is part of the project “Supporting the Development of Effective Tools for the Prevention of Corruption and Enhancing Anti-corruption Compliance in Ukraine” implemented by the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine in partnership with the National Agency for Corruption Prevention.