Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) has identified defence industries education as a strategic development priority. Valentyna Sakhno, formerly the head of KSE Business School, transitions to the role of KSE Vice President to lead this initiative.

Defence industries is a field where knowledge moves rapidly from the classroom to real-world application. Therefore, education in this sector must be highly practical: teaching not only technology or management, but also how to work at the intersection of these competencies, understand market and state needs, build efficient processes, and make decisions under high-stakes conditions.

Valentyna Sakhno will be responsible for the KSE defence industries education strategy, the launch and scaling of educational programs, partnerships with the defence and technology sectors, and the involvement of practitioners in education. She brings entrepreneurial experience and a proven track record of launching and developing new departments.

“Ukraine has already become a global hub for defence innovation. The next step is to invest in the people who will create and scale these solutions. This requires a modern defence industries education system and strong institutions. That is why this direction is strategic for KSE,” says KSE President Tymofiy Mylovanov.

“At KSE, we aim to combine academic expertise with the experience of entrepreneurs, engineers, the military, and technology teams to create an educational ecosystem for those already working in the defence industries and for those just entering the sector,” commented KSE Vice President Valentyna Sakhno.