NATO experts: Ukraine has achieved significant progress in professionalizing military education despite the challenges of war

A NATO expert group has completed an institutional audit of Ukraine’s professional military education (PME) system, conducted throughout 2025. The international experts’ principal conclusion was the recognition of Ukraine’s significant and convincing progress in bringing its military training system closer to Alliance standards, despite the challenges of russia’s full-scale armed aggression.

The purpose of the audit was to review the recommendations issued in 2020 and assess the readiness of higher military education institutions to certify courses in accordance with NATO standards.

The audit was conducted in several stages, ranging from institutional self-assessments to the expert group's direct review activities in the autumn of 2025. The analysis covered the regulatory framework, educational programmes, and the governance system.

Experts noted that since 2020, the Ministry of Defence, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and higher military education institutions have implemented most of the systemic recommendations. Key achievements include:

• The establishment of a multi-level education system (L-1 to L-5) for officers, alongside the reform of NCO education based on NATO models.
• The incorporation of planning and decision-making procedures in line with Alliance standards (TLP, MDMP, OPP/JOPP) into educational programmes.
• The integration of leadership principles and the Mission Command approach into training programmes.
• The strengthening of English language proficiency requirements in line with STANAG 6001.
• The formal recognition of military professions within the National Qualifications Framework of Ukraine.

It was also noted that Ukraine’s higher military education institutions have been successfully integrated into the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) network.

The Ministry of Defence has already begun analysing the recommendations from the NATO expert group to incorporate them into the ongoing transformation of the military education system.