The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has successfully completed a round of courses on collaborative governance aimed at improving the efficiency of decision-making and implementation in the MoD.

The collaborative governance model emphasizes the importance of cohesive interaction between the civilian leadership of the Ministry and the military command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in decision- and policy-making. Employed effectively by EU and NATO countries, this strategy aids in aligning Ukraine with Euro-Atlantic standards.

MoD initiated training courses for the Defense Forces' employees and military personnel to integrate the new system. A total of 71 specialists have been trained through the program.

The curriculum covered the role of committees, modern approaches to governance in the defense sector, policymaking, and the economic aspects of wartime and postwar governance. The training was finalized with a practical assignment to prepare for and conduct a joint governance committee meeting.

First Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk emphasized the importance of these training initiatives:

“For the successful implementation of collaborative governance, it is necessary to train specialists who understand the modern principles of managing decision-making and implementation processes within the Ministry of Defence. Through these courses, the Ministry's military personnel and employees acquire the additional knowledge and skills required to drive Defence Sector reforms.

The MoD's collaborative governance model currently comprises three levels of governance. The Minister of Defence leads the Strategic Council at the top level, addressing critical matters. The executive level is represented by committees, each with its own area of responsibility. At the third level, subsidiary commissions and working groups assist in decision-making.

By employing collaborative governance, the Ministry of Defence has already enacted several important measures, like introducing a Human Capital Policy and collaborating with recruitment agencies for military recruitment. This demonstrates the readiness of the Ministry's staff to work effectively under the new governance system and to further improve decision-making and implementation processes.

The training program was developed by experts of the National Defence University of Ukraine, the PROTECT 2 international project, and the Governance School of the National University of Ostroh Academy at the request of the Department of Military Policy and Strategic Planning of the Ministry of Defence. Certificates of completion were awarded to all participants who successfully completed the course.