The experience of European countries in forming an inclusive environment is valuable for the effective development of the system of inclusive education and training in Ukraine. In particular, this need is becoming increasingly relevant in the context of the New Ukrainian School reform, which includes special education as one of the components for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The goal of the BRAVE project is to familiarize participants with the Finnish system of training special education teachers and to promote the development of special education at the university level in order to develop an educational course (5 ECTS credits), which will be offered as an elective discipline on inclusive education for students of the second (Master's) level of higher education of various specialties. In addition, this course will be offered as a variable part for the professional development of teachers who already work in the inclusive education system and do not fully possess knowledge about the education of persons with special educational needs.

Work within the framework of the project tasks involves academic mobility of the academic and pedagogical staff of the Department of Special and Inclusive Education at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University to Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) to familiarize themselves with the Finnish, European, and global systems of inclusive education and the competency framework of special education teachers. The project also provides for a series of webinars to introduce the specifics of creating an inclusive environment within the educational process of educational institutions at various levels.

Expected project results: The main result of the project will be the development of an educational course that will ensure the familiarization of specialists with the system of creating an effective inclusive environment in educational institutions of various levels, the interaction of specialists in such an environment, and taking into account the special educational needs of students when planning their educational trajectory. The educational course will be created on the Moodle platform and offered as an elective discipline on inclusive education for students of the second (Master's) level of higher education of various specialties. Furthermore, this course will be offered as a variable part for the professional development of educators who already work in the inclusive education system and do not fully possess knowledge about the education of persons with special educational needs. For the professional development of teachers, the course can be taken both in an online format and through blended learning technologies. The main advantage for educators will be the study of the principles of ensuring the inclusive education system and examples of practical implementation of creating an effective inclusive environment in an educational institution. Such an approach will allow participants of the educational course to promptly resolve situational issues and make balanced decisions in the management of inclusive education.

Project implementation period: September 2024 – December 2026.

Project team:

• Klishevych –PhD in Education, Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Social Work and Special Education (Coordinator);
• Pavliuk –PhD in Education, Associate Professor, Deputy Dean of the Faculty for Scientific, Methodological and Academic Work (Co-coordinator);
• Martynchuk – Doctor of Science in Education, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (Co-coordinator);
• Skrypnyk – Doctor of Science in Psychology, Senior Researcher, Professor of the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (Participant);
• Babych – PhD in Education, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (Participant);
• Vasylieva – PhD in Education, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (Participant);
• Ganevich – Lecturer at the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (Participant).