Bidny: If Not for the Persuasion to Transfer Sports Universities to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, They Would Have Become Faculties

During a press conference titled 'The Future of Ukrainian Sports' held in Kyiv on Thursday, Ukraine's Minister of Youth and Sports, Matviy Bidny, made a significant statement regarding the country's sports universities. He noted that if the Ministry of Sports had not succeeded in convincing the government to transfer sports universities under its management, at least two of these institutions would undoubtedly have already become faculties within other consolidated universities.

Bidny explained that the challenge in subordinating these universities stemmed from the Ministry of Education and Science already having approved plans for the consolidation of these educational institutions. 'In fact, if we had not been able to convince the government and transfer them to the jurisdiction of our ministry, at least two of them would definitely be faculties in other consolidated universities,' he emphasized.

Specifically, Minister Bidny referred to the transfer of institutions such as the National University of Physical Education and Sports, the Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture, and the Lviv State University of Physical Culture named after Boberetsky. These educational establishments are crucial for the development of sports science and the training of specialists in the field of physical culture.

He also pointed out that one of the main arguments for keeping these universities under the Ministry of Sports is their specialization. 'The sports specificity is very specialized, and such institutions are needed to fully develop the scientific component and the training of specialists,' Bidny stressed. This underscores the importance of having specialized educational institutions that can provide a high level of education in the field of sports.

Additionally, the minister noted that national teams should partially undergo training at facilities available in sports universities. This indicates that these institutions not only educate specialists but also provide the necessary infrastructure for training athletes at a high level.

It is worth recalling that in December 2025, three sports universities returned to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This decision marked an important step in the development of sports education in Ukraine and contributed to the preservation of specialized educational institutions that play a key role in preparing future athletes and specialists in the field of physical culture.