Viktoriia Neiman graduated from Kings College London this year on a Chevening Scholarship with an MSc in Public Policy and Management. Mere months after graduating, Viktoriia is already putting her learnings into practice, working on the UK-led Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine to support reconstruction efforts in her home country.
I applied to Chevening to access a world-class education in the UK, build a global network, and enhance my skills and perspectives to help me contribute meaningfully to Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts and development.
The most important lesson I gained from Chevening was the power of diverse perspectives and collaboration, fostering an environment where I could learn from a rich tapestry of cultures and experiences. Here in the UK, I met civil servants from the UK, Indonesia, Japan, Chile, Taiwan, and Georgia – which made for extremely fruitful group discussions on different country approaches to public policy. My Georgian groupmate, in particular, shared such helpful insights on policies implemented in her country to speed up economic growth. Since Georgia and Ukraine have much in common, I am already putting the lessons learned from her into practice in Ukraine.
Chevening also helped me to land a job immediately after graduating from King’s College London earlier this year. I now work on a multi-donor project, led by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, that aims to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery efforts at the state border and in frontline areas. This work is crucial to restore people’s access to public services in war-affected areas, while also contributing to social cohesion within the community and increasing trust in the government. Some of the most recent projects I have worked on have included the restoration of hospitals, schools, administrative service buildings, and cultural centres, as well as helping to ensure bomb shelters are adequately equipped.
My Chevening experience was instrumental in providing me with the skills, insights, and connections necessary to contribute meaningfully to this role and to Ukraine’s recovery efforts more broadly.
The Chevening and university networks I gained in the UK will also be invaluable assets for my future endeavours, providing an ongoing source of collaboration and knowledge exchange. This network serves as a dynamic platform for staying informed about global best practices, fostering partnerships, and accessing mentorship opportunities that will enhance my contribution to Ukraine’s post-war development.
Looking ahead, I aim to continue playing a pivotal role in Ukraine’s reconstruction, utilising the expertise and global network cultivated during my Chevening journey to drive positive change and sustainable development.
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