Andriy Butenko, Minister of Education and Science: Biography, Career, and Scientific Activity

Andriy Butenko is a Ukrainian scientist and manager in the field of education, who has worked for over two decades in the system of general and higher education. He began his professional career as a teacher of history and law, later held leadership positions at a higher education institution, and also headed the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance. In July 2026, the Verkhovna Rada appointed him Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.

Biography

Andriy Petrovych Butenko was born on November 11, 1978, in the town of Hrebinky, Bila Tserkva district, Kyiv region.

He obtained higher education at the Mykhailo Drahomanov National Pedagogical University, where he studied History and Law. He also graduated from the Luhansk State University of Internal Affairs named after Eduard Didorenko with a degree in Law.

From 2001 to 2004, he studied in the postgraduate program at the Mykhailo Drahomanov National Pedagogical University. In 2006, he defended his candidate dissertation in the specialty "History of Ukraine" at Bohdan Khmelnytsky Cherkasy National University and earned the scientific degree of Candidate of Historical Sciences. He holds the academic title of Associate Professor.

Career in Education

Andriy Butenko began his professional activity in the general secondary education system. From 1999 to 2003, he worked as a teacher of history and law at Vyshneve Secondary School No. 2 in Kyiv region.

From 2003 to 2019, he worked at the private higher education institution "European University," where he successively held positions of senior lecturer of the Department of Social and Humanitarian Disciplines, advisor to the rector, associate professor of the Department of History and Theory of State and Law, dean of the Faculty of Law, and vice-rector for educational and methodological work.

In February 2019, he was appointed Deputy Head of the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance (NAQA).

From April 1, 2022, to July 16, 2026, he headed NAQA. In this position, he dealt with issues of higher education quality assurance, accreditation of educational programs, development of the internal quality assurance system, and implementation of European ESG standards in the Ukrainian higher education system.

Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine

On July 16, 2026, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, upon the submission of Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky, appointed Andriy Butenko as Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine. He replaced Oksen Lisovyi and officially began his duties on July 17, 2026.

On his first working day, the minister participated in a special meeting of the Political Committee of the Ukraine-NATO Council dedicated to the role of higher education in ensuring the resilience of the state during the war.

During his speech, he presented to international partners the Ukrainian experience of the higher education system functioning under conditions of full-scale war, emphasizing the necessity to simultaneously ensure the continuity of the educational process, the safety of participants, and support for communities.

The minister also drew attention to the scale of destruction of educational infrastructure and the need for its restoration, referring to the World Bank’s assessment of the resources required to rebuild the education system.

Scientific and Expert Activity

Andriy Butenko is the author and co-author of scientific works dedicated to issues of higher education quality assurance, academic integrity, accreditation of educational programs, and implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG 2015).

His scientific research focuses, in particular, on the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with European quality assurance standards, the role of the educational program guarantor, preparation of educational programs for accreditation, and development of the higher education quality assurance system.

Public and Expert Activity

Over the years, Andriy Butenko has been a member of interdepartmental working groups on reforming legal and higher education, headed the Coordination Council of Young Lawyers of Ukraine under the Ministry of Justice, and participated in preparing legislative changes in the field of education.

He was also a co-organizer and coordinator of several educational and legal initiatives, including the All-Ukrainian Forum of Young Lawyers "Lawyers to Society," the Legal School "Path to Success of a Young Lawyer," and competitions "My Rights," "I Have the Right," and "Young Lawyer of the Year."

As an expert in educational policy, he contributed to the development of regulatory legal acts regarding higher education quality assurance, academic integrity, accreditation of educational programs, and implementation of European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ESG).

The appointment of Andriy Butenko as Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine was a natural continuation of his many years of professional activity in the field of education. Before joining the government, he worked for over twenty years in the general and higher education system, progressing from teacher to head of the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance. His professional experience covers teaching, management, scientific, and legislative activities related to higher education quality assurance and educational system reform.

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