PUMB has doubled its annual contribution to scholarship support for Kyiv School of Economics students, to $200,000 — 30 KSE University students will receive tuition grants and gain a profession thanks to this support. The decision was announced by Serhii Chernenko, Chairman of the Board of PUMB.
Investing in education is a systemic position for the bank, and PUMB has been a strategic partner of KSE for 9 years now. During this time, thanks to the partner’s contributions, scholarships have been awarded to around 100 students with high national testing scores — including children of military servicemembers, veterans, and young people who lost their homes due to the war.
Serhii Chernenko, Chairman of the Board of PUMB: “This year, despite the difficult situation, we decided to increase our support to $200,000 per year. I believe this is one of our best investments. We see how KSE is growing, bringing people together, finding talented young people, and how the quality of its programs is improving. A talented student should not have to give up a quality education due to financial circumstances. Especially today, when Ukraine cannot afford to lose young people with strong potential. By supporting their education, we are investing in professionals who will develop Ukrainian business and the economy.”
KSE University is chosen by applicants with high results and strong academic preparation: this year, the average competitive score for the bachelor’s program is 174.4, and the average math score among admitted KSE applicants is 180.5 — the highest among Ukrainian universities. PUMB’s contribution removes the financial barrier for talented young people, allowing them to stay and build their future in Ukraine.
Svitlana Denysenko, Executive Director of KSE Foundation: “This support is a very powerful signal from business that there are opportunities in Ukraine, and that its future is worth building here. For a young person, a tuition grant is an opportunity to receive a quality education and fulfill their potential regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. The partnership with PUMB shows how such an investment works in the long run: 96% of last year’s KSE graduates remain in Ukraine and work for its growth.”
In addition to financial support for students, the partnership extends to developing KSE’s educational infrastructure. With PUMB’s support, modern classrooms, spaces for individual and group work, relaxation areas, sleep pods, and recreation zones have been created and are maintained. The bank also consistently supports KSE Foundation initiatives aimed at preserving and developing human capital and saving lives — from setting up school shelters to strengthening medical air evacuation from frontline areas.
For KSE, supporting such students is part of broader work on developing Ukraine’s human capital. The university trains specialists for the technology, business, science, and government sectors — people who, in the coming years, will shape the pace of the country’s development. The partnership with PUMB is an example of how business can influence not only young people’s access to education but also their decisions about their future in Ukraine.
