Institutional cooperation for reforms: WUNU presented its experience and capabilities in a new international project
Recently, at the initiative of Oksana Koval, Director of the Education and Research Centre for Communications at West Ukrainian National University, a joint online meeting was held as part of the Dutch-Ukrainian project ‘Fair, Transparent and Accountable Criminal Justice System in Ukraine’.
The project aims to strengthen the professional capacities of criminal justice bodies and introduce modern approaches to working with war veterans. In the new phase of the project (2025–2027), the focus will be on conducting comprehensive research, developing methodological recommendations and training programmes, and organising and implementing specialised training courses for representatives of the criminal justice system.
The meeting was a logical continuation of previous joint discussions held earlier in The Hague with representatives of the Centre for International Legal Cooperation (CILC, Kingdom of the Netherlands), during which key areas of cooperation were outlined, common priorities were identified, and the foundation was laid for building a sustainable partnership between Ukrainian and Dutch institutions in the field of criminal justice.
The event was attended by Nataliia Vereshchynska, Director of the International Foundation ‘Centre for Judicial Studies,’ and expert Andrii Aleksieiev (Kyiv); representatives of the National Police of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zakharenko (first deputy head of the Department of Main Inspectorate and Human Rights Compliance of the NPU, police colonel), as well as senior inspectors for special assignments, police majors Iryna Nikolaieva and Vadym Kulyk.
West Ukrainian National University was represented by: Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Research Uliana Koruts; Director of the Education and Research Centre for Communications Oksana Koval (moderator of the event); Head of the International Relations Office Yuliia Voityshyn; Professor of the Department of International Economics Ihor Lishchynskyi; Associate Professor of the Department of Psychology and Social Work Mariia Bryhadyr; Head of the Department of International and European Law Liudmyla Savanets and lecturers of this department Hanna Poperechna, Olha Zastavna , Anzhelika Baran, Mykhailo Samuliak; as well as lecturers from the S. I. Yuriy Department of Finance: Zoriana Lobodina, Volodymyr Horyn, and Viktoriia Sidliar; and Diana Boiko, a specialist at the Centre for Communications.
The purpose of the discussion was to create a common space for meaningful dialogue, agree on approaches to implementing the new phase of the project for 2025–2027, and identify areas in which WUNU can most effectively contribute to joint activities. The participants outlined key areas of cooperation and identified priority steps that will allow for a coordinated start to the new phase of work.
Experts from the Centre for Judicial Studies, which has been working for many years to improve the professional capacity of the judicial community and develop modern approaches in the field of the rule of law, presented the concept of the updated phase of the project. The Centre has a long-standing and fruitful cooperation with CILC, a Dutch organisation that implements programmes to strengthen the rule of law around the world.
Within the framework of the next phase of the project ‘Fair, Transparent and Accountable Criminal Justice System in Ukraine’ (2025–2027), emphasis was placed on the importance of addressing the issue of working with war veterans who have committed criminal offences, as well as including evidence-based research, methodological materials, educational programmes and training courses. Particular emphasis is placed on continuing initiatives aimed at developing probation and non-custodial sentences.
WUNU presented its many years of experience in developing these areas. In particular, the university has significant achievements in the field of law enforcement and international law, crisis communication and negotiations, psychology and social support, financial security, as well as many years of experience working with veterans within the framework of the Norway-Ukraine project, the activities of the military personnel conversion centre, and international programmes for the rehabilitation and resilience of veterans.
The Department of the Main Inspectorate and Human Rights Compliance of the National Police of Ukraine presented its experience, which covers the unification of approaches to working with police veteran centres, the organisation and support of official investigations, the development of an internal management and control system, as well as support for the accessibility movement and the introduction of custody records. Such activities of the Department create the basis for a comprehensive combination of legal, organisational, psychological and managerial decisions necessary to modernise practices in the criminal justice system and strengthen the institutional capacity of law enforcement agencies.
The participants expressed their readiness for further close cooperation and agreed on the format of the next stages of work. The parties agreed to continue working on joint initiatives, develop a roadmap for the project implementation, and form working groups on key areas. The partners emphasised the importance of combining expertise and resources to build a fair, effective and people-centred criminal justice system in Ukraine.
