18.09.2026
Universities are already capable of responding to the practical needs of energy companies by delivering short professional development programmes, training specialists for local communities and preparing designers of modern backup power systems.
Yevhenii Koshelenko, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at Dnipro University of Technology, made these remarks during the online meeting “Business and Universities: How to Prepare Professionals for Ukraine’s Energy Sector Together”, held by Energy Club on 14 September as part of the Energy Freedom talk show.
Koshelenko joined the university’s Rector, Oleksandr Aziukovskyi, in presenting the practical experience of Dnipro University of Technology. He focused on educational programmes and projects that have already been implemented in response to specific needs expressed by businesses and local communities.
One example is the cooperation between Dnipro University of Technology and Lviv Polytechnic on professional development programmes for DTEK Academy. The universities are jointly delivering seven programmes designed to strengthen the competencies of professionals working in the energy sector.
“We are already responding together to the practical needs of businesses. These are seven professional development programmes for specialists who are effectively maintaining the country’s energy security,” Koshelenko said.
The programmes enable employees to update their knowledge, adapt to technological and regulatory changes and acquire the competencies required to address practical challenges at energy companies.
This work is not limited to the academic education of students. It also involves the continuing professional development of people who are already employed in the sector. Amid rapid changes in the energy industry and the realities of war, specialists need to acquire knowledge of new technologies, backup power solutions and energy market models without delay.
Koshelenko identified cooperation between universities and local communities as another important area. It includes training local professionals, particularly employees of hospitals, schools and other institutions whose continued operation is essential to community resilience.
Such projects can be implemented with grant funding. Joint applications prepared by universities, communities and other partners make it possible not only to resolve immediate problems but also to plan the development of local energy infrastructure several years ahead.
“Joint work between universities and communities influences not only the situation today but also the development prospects of our country over the next three to five years,” the Dean emphasised.
According to him, training local specialists should proceed alongside the development of decentralised energy systems. Installing solar panels, energy storage systems, inverters or backup power sources is not sufficient on its own. Communities also need people capable of operating, maintaining and further developing this infrastructure.
Koshelenko also described the university’s cooperation with ATB and EDS. According to him, companies approach the university not only to request professional development programmes or address gaps in employees’ theoretical knowledge.
Businesses need specialists who can calculate, design and integrate backup power systems while taking their future operation into account. The university is therefore already training designers of such systems.
“Companies approach us not only about professional development programmes. We are already training designers of backup power systems with their future operation within the energy market in mind,” Koshelenko reported.
This means that future specialists need to understand more than the technical parameters of the equipment. They must consider consumption and generation patterns, energy storage capabilities, system control principles, reliability requirements and the potential use of these systems across different market segments.
A backup power system can perform more functions than maintaining a facility’s operation during outages. If configured correctly, it can help optimise consumption, manage loads, take advantage of price differences over time and create additional economic value for its owner.
“We are developing technical solutions that will not only provide backup power today but also make these systems commercially attractive tomorrow,” the representative of Dnipro University of Technology stressed.
This type of professional education requires a combination of electrical engineering knowledge, an understanding of the physical principles of energy generation and storage, design skills and basic knowledge of energy market mechanisms. The need for close cooperation between universities and companies arises at the intersection of these competencies.
According to Koshelenko, Dnipro University of Technology has been implementing relevant practical projects for several years. The university is ready to share its experience, develop cooperation with other educational institutions and participate in new industry programmes.
He also confirmed the university’s readiness to join Energy Club’s educational initiative, which is intended to combine the practical expertise of energy companies with the capabilities of Ukrainian universities.
“We are ready to join this initiative together with other educational institutions and representatives of the country’s energy sector,” Yevhenii Koshelenko concluded.
