Ukraine Global Faculty

What Ukraine Global Faculty does

Ukraine Global Faculty (UGF) is a non-profit online education initiative launched in 2022 and operated by KIEF Academy (Kyiv International Economic Forum Academy), a Ukrainian non-profit NGO, under the formal auspices of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine. The platform delivers free online lectures, workshops, and masterclasses to Ukrainian university students, postgraduates, academics, and small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the war, with simultaneous Ukrainian/English translation provided for most sessions. Core content is hosted on the Learn Worlds learning management system, with a catalog spanning economics, business strategy, grant writing, AI/digital skills, and entrepreneurship. The participant base has grown to more than 34,000 users served through 60+ Ukrainian university partnerships, with 140+ lectures contributed by 50+ international academics and practitioners.

The operating model is grant-funded rather than commercial: UGF charges no fees to participants, and its programming is financed by grants from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl), the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, and Activitis, supplemented by Ukrainian government endorsement. Governance is anchored by a Supervisory Board including Michael Nobel, former IMF First Deputy Managing Director Anne Krueger, Charles Whitehead, Erik Reinert, and Ukrainian businessman Vasyl Khmelnytsky, which functions as both a credentialing signal and a fundraising asset. Distribution runs entirely through institutional partnerships and the Learn Worlds platform, with no proprietary consumer-facing app or paid channel.

UGF is widening its product surface from academic lectures toward applied SME training: the 2025 Economic Training for Businesses program and the May 2026 Summer School 'Business Reboot' (run with KIEF Academy and Activitis) target Ukrainian entrepreneurs and war-affected businesses, while a 2025 partnership with Penn State Extension has added an English-language Grant Writing course. The combination of free access, ministry-level endorsement, and Western donor backing gives UGF a distinct position in Ukrainian continuing education, but the model is fundamentally dependent on continued grant support and on the durability of its university distribution network.

Name

Ukraine Global Faculty

Legal name

UGF Academy

Website

https://ugf.academy

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ukraine Global Faculty is a non-profit online education initiative launched in 2022 that delivers free lectures, workshops, and business training in Ukrainian and English to Ukrainian students, academics, and war-affected SMEs through 60+ partner universities, operated by KIEF Academy under the auspices of the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Education Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online International & Cross-Border Universities (Global/Transnational Providers) (EDAHALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual/Hybrid International Short-Term Academic Programs (EDAIAIAL), International Branch Campus & Offshore Program Partnerships (EDAIABAI)

Keywords

• Online education platform
• Non-profit education
• Academic masterclasses
• Business training programs
• University partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyiv

HQ country

Ukraine

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Non-profit / Impact Initiative: UGF is a not-for-profit impact initiative funded by institutional donors and government support. Revenue is generated through grants and partnerships rather than commercial activities. The organization operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine with support from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl), Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, and Activitis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ukraine Global Faculty is a non-profit online education platform that delivers free lectures, workshops, and training programs for Ukrainian students, postgraduate researchers, academics, and businesses affected by the war. The platform connects international experts with Ukrainian learners, providing live and recorded sessions with simultaneous translation, certificates of participation, and integration with partner universities.

Product overview

Ukraine Global Faculty (UGF) is a not-for-profit educational platform operated by KIEF Academy under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine. The platform provides a portfolio of online educational products including: (1) Online Lectures featuring world-class knowledge from international academics with simultaneous Ukrainian translation, (2) Workshops covering business, technology, and professional development topics, (3) Economic Training for Businesses affected by war in Ukraine, (4) Grant Writing Training Course in partnership with Penn State Extension, (5) Summer School intensive programs for entrepreneurs, and (6) Certificates of Participation. The platform connects over 60 partner universities across Ukraine with more than 50 global contributors who deliver content across disciplines including economics, technology, science, and business. UGF uses the Learn Worlds LMS platform for participant management and content delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Lectures
• Workshops
• Economic Training for Businesses
• Grant Writing Training Course
• Summer School 'Business Reboot'
• Certificates of Participation

Quantifiable outcome

• 34,000+ participants engaged with educational content
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.

• KIEF Academy (Kyiv International Economic Forum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGF is a not-for-profit impact initiative run by the Kyiv International Economic Forum Academy (KIEF non-profit NGO). KIEF Academy operates the platform and manages the overall initiative, providing organizational infrastructure and programmatic direction.
• Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of UkraineflagshipOthersUGF operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine. The ministry provides official endorsement and support for the educational initiative.
• Ministry of Education and Science of UkraineflagshipOthersRecognized and endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for quality assurance and educational impact.
• National Agency for Higher Education Quality AssuranceflagshipOthersOfficial recognition and endorsement by NAQA Ukraine for educational quality standards.
• Ministry of Veteran Affairs of UkrainemajorOthersRecognized and endorsed by the Ministry of Veteran Affairs of Ukraine for supporting educational needs.
• Ukrainian Partner UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner60+ major universities from across Ukraine including Kyiv National University, KPI, Lviv Polytechnic, Kharkiv Polytechnic, NaUKMA, and others. These institutions integrate UGF lectures into curricula and facilitate student access.
• Penn State ExtensionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided educational content for the Grant Writing training course, with financial support from the WOSKOB New Century Fund. Instructors Neal Fogle and Judy Chambers deliver grant writing curriculum.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• edX: edX is a non-profit online learning platform founded by Harvard and MIT that offers university-level courses from global institutions. Highly comparable to UGF as a non-profit, university-partnered online education provider serving international learners.
• Prometheus: Prometheus is a leading Ukrainian MOOC platform offering free courses from top Ukrainian and international instructors. Directly comparable as a Ukrainian-language online education platform serving similar student and self-learner audiences in Ukraine.
• Coursera: Coursera partners with universities globally to deliver online courses, specializations, and degrees to learners worldwide. Directly comparable to UGF's model of partnering with universities and international faculty to deliver structured online educational content at scale.
• FutureLearn: FutureLearn is a UK-based online course platform owned by Global University Systems that partners with universities globally to deliver short courses, programs, and degrees. Comparable in university-partnered, multi-discipline online course delivery model.
• Open Society University Network (OSUN): OSUN is a global network of universities and academic institutions focused on equitable access to higher education, including for displaced and refugee students. Highly comparable to UGF's mission-driven, network-based approach to expanding educational access in crisis contexts.

Broad incumbents

• Khan Academy: Khan Academy is a large-scale non-profit online education platform offering free, world-class educational content across many subjects. Comparable to UGF as a non-profit, free-access online education provider, though operating at significantly larger scale and in a broader subject range.
• Udemy: Udemy is a global online learning marketplace with thousands of courses on business, technology, and professional development. Comparable to UGF's business training and workshop offerings, though Udemy operates as a commercial marketplace with paid courses.

Others

• European University Foundation (EUF): EUF is a non-profit network supporting internationalization of higher education in Europe, including blended mobility and online collaboration programs. Comparable as a Europe-focused education infrastructure organization supporting cross-border academic exchange.
• WISE (World Innovation Summit for Education): WISE is a Qatar Foundation initiative that promotes innovation in education globally through summits, research, and partnerships. Comparable as a mission-driven, internationally funded education initiative focused on expanding access to quality education and supporting reform.
• Erasmus+ (European Commission programme): Erasmus+ is the EU's flagship education and training programme supporting international student mobility, university partnerships, and online collaboration. Comparable as a European institutional mechanism for international academic exchange and educational continuity in Ukraine.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ukraine Global Faculty