University in central Ukrainian city of Poltava reopens building for thousands of students after EU-backed renovation
A university in the central Ukrainian city of Poltava has reopened an academic building used by almost 3,000 students and staff following an energy-efficiency renovation financed by international donors including the European Union. The Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic’s upgraded building “F” now also includes a shelter for more than 400 people to help ensure in-person education can continue during air-raid alerts amid Russia’s war.
The renovation was financed by a €1.75 million grant from a multi-donor fund known as the “Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership”, or E5P, to which the EU is the largest contributor. E5P has a number of partner organisations including the European Investment Bank (EIB), whose own “Ukraine Higher Education” project adds an EIB loan to grant support for improvements to university buildings across Ukraine.
“Even in wartime, Ukraine’s universities remain places where people learn, teach and build their future,” said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. “By modernising them, we are helping keep education going today while investing in the skills and knowledge Ukraine will need for its recovery and beyond.”
The renovation of building “F” at Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic took around 20 months to complete, with works running from January 2025 to September 2026. In addition to automated heat controls and upgraded metering that will reduce energy use and improve comfort, the building now has new ramps and tactile navigation for people with disabilities.
In total, 2,888 students and doctoral candidates and 86 academic staff from seven university departments use building “F”. It has classroom capacity for 1,422 students as well as lecture halls, specialised laboratories and computer labs.
“Ukraine’s students are continuing their education under extraordinary circumstances,” said EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová. “The EU is helping universities provide the conditions they need to do so while supporting a more modern and energy-efficient education system that will serve Ukraine well on its path towards the EU.”
“Ukraine cannot put education on hold until the war is over,” said Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Andrii Butenko. “We need our universities to keep developing so that students can gain the knowledge and skills our country needs. With the support of the EU and the EIB, we are able to continue this modernisation even in the most difficult circumstances.”
“International support delivers its greatest value when people can see its impact in their daily lives,” said Deputy Minister of Finance of Ukraine Olga Zykova. “In Poltava, this means a modern university building serving thousands of students and staff, while improving energy efficiency and reducing operating costs.”
Building ‘F’ is part of wider upgrades of Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic including work taking place at dormitory No. 2 and scheduled renovations of academic buildings “7” and “P”. The EIB’s Ukraine Higher Education project covers ten of the university’s buildings with €10.8 million in financing.
“This project is enormously important for us,” said President of National University Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic Volodymyr Onyshchenko. “Each completed renovation means better facilities and a more energy-efficient campus for our students and staff.”
Background information
The Ukraine Higher Education project aims to enhance the energy efficiency of 16 Ukrainian universities by refurbishing teaching, research and supporting facilities. This effort supports the recovery of higher education infrastructure as part of the country’s broader reconstruction initiatives. Thermal refurbishments of 13 universities are funded by a €120 million loan from the EIB, with €50 million specifically reallocated to provide urgent support to Ukraine in 2022. The project is also co-financed by the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) with loans to a total of €12 million for another three universities. In addition, six out of 16 participating universities will receive €10 million in grant funding through the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) Fund. To facilitate the project’s implementation, the European Commission also provided €3.15 million in technical assistance. This funding was used for project coordination, conducting energy audits, and preparing documentation and procurement according to international standards at the university level. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is coordinating the implementation of the project.
The EIB in Ukraine
Present in Ukraine since 2007, the EIB Group has significantly stepped up its financial support for the country’s resilience and modernisation following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Since then, EIB financing in support of Ukraine has reached €4.5 billion. Through its EU for Ukraine (EU4U) Initiative, coupled with its key role in implementing a dedicated window under the Ukraine Facility, the EIB is strongly committed to stepping up and accelerating its activities in line with the mandate given by EU leaders and in close cooperation with the European Commission, the European Parliament, Member States and international partners.
About E5P
Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) is a multi-donor and multi-IFI support fund created thanks to an initiative of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union in 2009. The E5P fund for Ukraine totals €249 million representing pledges made by the European Union, as the largest contributor, Sweden as the largest bilateral contributor to the fund, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, United States, Denmark, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland and Slovakia. Ukraine is also a donor to the E5P with €20 million. The E5P grants are used alongside the IFI loans to support municipal infrastructure investments that will boost Ukraine's energy efficiency, while also having a beneficial impact on the environment and combating climate change.
Press contact
Olga Sushytska, o.sushytska@eib.org
Website: www.eib.org/press