Ministry of Education to Decide on Internal Investigation Regarding Kyiv University of Culture Based on Law Enforcement Findings

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MES) has expressed its plan to evaluate whether an internal service investigation is warranted regarding the Kyiv University of Culture. This decision will hinge on the findings of an investigation currently being conducted by law enforcement authorities.

In response to a request from the Interfax-Ukraine agency, the ministry indicated that it has forwarded materials related to the preparation and approval of documents for the university's funding under the relevant budget program to law enforcement. "The ministry is cooperating with law enforcement agencies within its competence," the MES stated in its response.

Additionally, the ministry emphasized that the responsibility for the results of the financial and economic activities and the preservation of the property of the higher education institution lies directly with the head of that institution. "Regarding the intention of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to conduct a service investigation, we inform you that further decisions on this matter will be made considering the results of the law enforcement investigation and within the ministry's authority," the MES added.

Furthermore, when asked about the possibility of audits regarding the use of the budget program "Training of specialists by higher education institutions and ensuring the operation of their practical bases" by other higher educational institutions, the ministry noted that internal audits of educational institutions under their jurisdiction are conducted according to the approved Internal Audit Activity Plan for the relevant years.

Specifically, as of the date of preparing the response to the inquiry, the activities of the internal audit department are proceeding according to the Plan for 2026-2028, which was approved on March 16, 2026. "Regarding the official of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine who coordinated the implementation of the budget program 'Training of specialists by higher education institutions and ensuring the operation of their practical bases' in 2022-2024, including the signing of documents, we inform you that the processing of issues under this budget program and the signing of documents were carried out by authorized officials of the ministry in accordance with the distribution of powers, regulations on structural divisions, job responsibilities, and signing authority established in the prescribed manner," the MES stated, without specifying any particular officials.

It is worth recalling that on March 27, law enforcement agencies announced that officials from the Kyiv University of Culture, in collusion with officials from the Ministry of Education, organized a scheme for the illegal appropriation of budget funds allocated under the state program for training specialists by higher education institutions. Specifically, during 2022-2023, approximately 760 million UAH was allocated from the state budget to this educational institution under the program "Training of specialists by higher education institutions and ensuring the operation of their practical bases." Sources from the Interfax-Ukraine agency within law enforcement reported that searches were also conducted at the former rector of the Kyiv University of Culture, Mykhailo Poplavskyi.

In turn, Education Minister Oksen Lisovyi stated that the officials involved in the case of misappropriation of state funds at the University of Culture were not part of his team and are currently not employed by the Ministry of Education and Science. He also noted that in 2024, the ministry uncovered one of the schemes that could lead to the embezzlement of state funds intended for higher education financing, and all materials were handed over to law enforcement authorities.