Lviv IT Cluster Recognized as One of the Winners of the 2023 Partnership for Sustainability Award 

The United Nations Global Compact Network in Ukraine organized the competition, which sought to recognize outstanding projects in four distinct categories. Among the finalists, the Lviv IT Cluster stood out in the Economic Development category due to its notable contributions to the advancement of innovative education.

The official award ceremony took place in Kyiv on October 17. Over 160 companies from 13 countries around the world participated in the competition. These included representatives from Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Croatia, Poland, Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.

“We started this initiative six years ago because we saw that projects born from partnerships are more effective. They engage a larger number of people and benefit a broader range of stakeholders,” says Tetiana Sakharuk, General Director of the United Nations Global Compact in Ukraine.

The Lviv IT Cluster was honored for its project, IT Expert, which stands as one of the most significant educational initiatives within the community. Over the course of eight years, the Lviv IT Cluster has modernized technological education through collaboration with tech companies and four universities in Lviv. Currently, more than 4,500 students are enrolled in 19 innovative bachelor’s programs, and from their very first year, these students engage in project creation alongside industry practitioners.

“IT Expert is an example of a successful partnership between a professional community, business, and education. The next important stage of the project is the creation of a Research Center for students in engineering specialties. Modern laboratories for interdisciplinary research, lecture rooms, and workshops will create an ecosystem that will foster the emergence and realization of new ideas. The launch of the center is a logical consequence of the rapid development of the Ukrainian technology sector and the transformation of our economy into an innovative and global one,” says Sviatoslav Kavetsky, Supervisory Board Chairman of the Lviv IT Cluster.

The Lviv IT Cluster expresses gratitude to participating companies, partner universities, program curators, instructors, and mentors for their collaborative efforts in delivering high-quality education for Ukrainian youth. Our community also extends its thanks to the USAID Competitive Economy of Ukraine Program, the Lviv City Council, and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for their support of this ambitious project: the creation of a Research Center.

Among the finalists of the Partnership for Sustainability Award 2023 competition are Lviv IT Cluster member companies. Sigma Software and SoftServe were recognized in the Society category, while EPAM Ukraine and Intellias were acknowledged as Warriors of Light.

The Partnership for Sustainability Award has been presented since 2018 by the United Nations Global Compact Network in Ukraine with the main goal of promoting the Sustainable Development Goals and fostering partnerships between businesses, business associations, governments, civil society, and academic institutions.