This happens on my first day back in Kyiv after a stay in the UK, when I host an event at the residence to mark the planned opening of the British International School’s new campus in central Kyiv.
The garden is filled with education professionals, parents and business types with some people belonging, Venn-diagram-style, to all three groups.
I begin by speaking in praise of British education, delivered both in the UK and through institutions overseas, and note the famous work-ethic of Ukrainian students. The acting head of department for education and science of the Kyiv City Administration, Victoria Chelombitko, then speaks passionately about the importance which Ukrainians attach to education.
The Chair of the board of directors of the British International School, Jonathan Edwards, then sets out the philosophical underpinnings of education at the BIS.
The three interventions fit together perfectly, illuminating another key theme: that the cross-fertilisation of ideas which brings together teachers and pupils from different backgrounds tends to be a win-win for everyone. That’s one reason why 370,000 international students are studying in UK universities and colleges at any one time.
Ukrainians attach immense importance to education and training, which is why they feature so often in this blog (see eg: "Skills for Millions"; "How Education can drive Charity"; "Choose the Best: British Education"; "Why School No.92 is brilliant"; and "World Class British Universities in Kyiv").
So it’s good to see British know-how (provided in this case by ABE Group (United Kingdom)) and the Ukrainian will to learn combining to produce an exciting new educational project in the heart of Kyiv.
P.S. One of the other speakers at this event delivered a wonderful Winston Churchill quote about the importance of teachers which I’ve been unable to find on the internet (the only one I can track down is "My education was interrupted only by my schooling", which is terrific but doesn’t quite fit). Can anyone help?
British Ambassador Leigh Turner opened the reception to mark the opening of a new campus of the British International School in Kyiv.
Leigh Turner’s speech was followed by Jonathan Edwards’, the Head of the Board of the British International School.
Victoria Chelombitko, Acting Head of Department for Education and Science, Kyiv City State Administration.
Leigh Turner has been the British Ambassador to Ukraine since June 2008. You can read all his blog entries at blogs.fco.gov.uk/roller/turnerenglish (in English) or blogs.fco.gov.uk/roller/turner/ (Ukrainian)
