Marko Stermsek leads on the development and implementation of EBRD’s human capital recovery and resilience programmes in Ukraine, engaging closely with employers, municipalities and policy partners across a range of economic sectors. EBRD’s engagements in this area cover a range of topics, promoting livelihoods restoration; access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities; and restoration of vital services for people and communities affected by the ongoing war on Ukraine. Prior to joining EBRD, Marko obtained a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and held labour economics positions with ILO, OECD and in the consulting sector.

Mychailo Wynnyckyj was Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Education and Science (responsible for higher education) from May 2023 to August 2025, and previously served as Head of the Secretariat of Ukraine’s National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance (2019-2022). He was also an Advisor to three of Ukraine’s Ministers of Education, responsible for PhD reform (2015-2019).

Originally from Canada, Mychailo has lived permanently in Kyiv for over two decades. He was awarded a PhD in 2004 from the University of Cambridge (U.K.), and gained Ukrainian citizenship in 2019.

He is currently associate professor of sociology at the National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” where he is also founding chair of the Liberal Arts and Sciences program.

Laura E. Rumbley, PhD, is Director for Knowledge Development and Research at the European Association for International Education (EAIE). She completed her bachelor's degree in international politics at Georgetown University, her master's in international and intercultural management at the SIT Graduate Institute (formerly the School for International Training), and her PhD in higher education administration from the Center for International Higher Education (CIHE) at Boston College. Her doctoral dissertation focused on internationalisation in the universities of Spain. Laura is the former associate director at CIHE, a former deputy director of the Brussels-based Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), and a former US Foreign Service Officer. In the earliest stages of her career, she was an international student advisor and a volunteer coordinator for a refugee resettlement organisation in the United States. Laura is currently a member of the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Studies in International Education and an external advisory board member of SEA-EU, a European University alliance.

Olga Budnyk is an expert in civic and political education and a specialist in public administration. She currently serves as the Adviser – Commissioner of the President of Ukraine on the Fund of the President of Ukraine for the Support of Education, Science and Sports.

Olga holds a degree from the Faculty of Economics of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine and has gained leadership skills through the Lviv Business School at the Ukrainian Catholic University.

From 2014 to 2021, she served as Executive Director and Head of the Civic and PoliticalEducation Program at the NGO “Centre of Political Studies and Analytics ‘Eidos’.” She has interned at the European Parliament and think tanks in Brussels and Strasbourg, and completed professional development programs in Germany, Hungary, Belgium, and the United States.

Olga is the co-author of an alternative report on the legitimacy of establishing educational institutions by religious organizations, a policy brief on non-formal education, and several publications on the transparency and accountability of public finances. She initiated the development of a national plan to improve psychological support systems and ensure a safe educational environment.

Under her leadership, the President of Ukraine’s Foundation has launched presidential scholarships and awards for winners of national and international academic competitions, hosted the first National Forum of Talented Youth, and is developing a program to build a community of the Presidential Talent Pool. Together with international partners, she launched the Twinning initiative, establishing over 100 partnerships between Ukrainian and UK universities. She also initiated dual-degree programs with leading UK universities and the creation of the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies.

The United Kingdom and Ukraine are collaborating to establish a dynamic and robust partnership in Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I), bolstered by the significant 100-Year Partnership Agreement (100YP) that was signed in January 2025.

The UK Government’s Science and Technology Network (STN) works with the British Embassy Kyiv, the UK Government’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) Ukraine Early Recovery and Reconstruction Department. The STN supports delivery of the 100YP through targeted programmes that facilitate two-way exchange of knowledge to support both recovery and growth objectives and pursue the opportunity to build strong institutional partnerships between our R&D sectors.

With over 20 years in international higher education, Charles has built partnerships for universities in more than 30 countries. He founded a consultancy dedicated to supporting universities, governments, and private operators in creating innovative, profitable projects globally, with a focus on Eastern and Central Europe.

Charles’s private sector experience brings a fresh perspective to higher education, enabling him to pioneer new models in transnational education and partnerships. He also founded Retinent, a consultancy specializing in student retention and engagement across the UK and Europe.

Outside of work, Charles is an avid runner, an enthusiastic woodcarver, and keeps busy with his handsome but slow racehorse on winter weekends.

Jamie was appointed Director of Universities UK International (UUKi) in November 2022. Prior to taking on this role, Jamie led Universities UK’s research and innovation policy programme (2014-2017) before becoming Assistant Director for Policy Engagement at UUKi (2017-2022).  Before joining Universities UK in 2010, Jamie was a research associate and ESRC research fellow at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Education and Social Research Institute.

Catriona is the British Council's Global Head of Student Mobility and Internationalisation of UK Education. She joined the British Council having spent more than two decades leading on global strategies, engagement, and operations within the UK Higher Education sector.

During that time, she also served as Vice Chair and then Chair of the British Universities International Liaison Association. 

Catriona has served as a member of both the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) International Advisory Group and of the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) Strategic Advisory Committee. She is also a Non-Exec Director and board Chair at the development charity, Trocaire. 

Dr Oleksii Dniprov, Rector of the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, Doctor of Laws, Senior Research Fellow.

A legal scholar, economist and intellectual property professional. A civil servant of the highest (1st) rank.

 He has worked in the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. His portfolio included humanitarian and social policy as well as freedom of speech.

He has been involved in academic and teaching activities since 2008 and remains actively engaged in various public initiatives.

 Dr Dniprov serves as Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, President of the Badminton Federation of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Padel Federation, and Vice President of the Sports Student Union of Ukraine.

Professor Sally Wheeler is the Vice-Chancellor of Birkbeck, University of London. She previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the Australian National University (ANU), where she held the corporate and international portfolios, and as Pro Vice-Chancellor at Queen’s University Belfast.

An academic lawyer by background, Sally continues to pursue an active research career alongside her leadership responsibilities. Her work spans legal scholarship and higher education governance, and she is widely recognised for her contributions to academia and university strategy.