Future School for Ukraine Gets Ready for URC 2025: pre-conference event took place in Milan
In the lead-up to the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2025, Future School for Ukraine was presented at the “On the Road to URC 2025” event in Milan on March 5 2025. The project was introduced by Ambassador-at-Large Darius Skusevičius, who coordinates Lithuania’s engagement in Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery, and architect Alessandro Scandurra, whose studio is developing the technical design of the school.
The winning project aims to deliver adaptive project for modern, sustainable, and safe schools for Ukraine, following the principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB). With one in seven schools severely damaged or destroyed and nearly two million pupils lacking access to safe classrooms, rebuilding educational infrastructure in Ukraine is critical.
“Education is the key to Ukraine’s recovery. Without swift action, we risk losing the potential of an entire generation,” emphasized Ambassador Skusevičius.
During this working visit to Italy the Lithuanian delegation also met with Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Tetyana Berezhna to discuss Future School and other projects.
Scalable and Innovative School Design
Lithuania is committed to developing a ready-to-use, scalable technical design, allowing for efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality school construction across Ukraine. The first school built under this initiative will serve as a model for future educational infrastructure. Lithuania has committed €5 million toward its construction, with the total project budget expected to reach €17 million. The Milan event served to engage EU institutions, international donors, and investors in making this initiative a flagship Team Europe project in Ukraine’s educational reconstruction.
A Vision Aligned with the New European Bauhaus
The architectural design for Future School for Ukraine was selected through an international architectural competition, with Scandurra Studio Architettura (Italy) and Ukrainian architect M.A. Vustianskyi winning the opportunity to bring this vision to life. The project fully embraces the principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB)—sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusivity—which shape modern, people-centered, and forward-thinking environments.
Future School for Ukraine translates the NEB philosophy into action, making education spaces functional, inspiring, and deeply connected to the communities they serve. The school design integrates modular and flexible construction, allowing for rapid deployment and adaptability in different locations across Ukraine.
More than just a school, this initiative fosters social connections and inclusivity, transforming schools into community hubs that bring together students, teachers, and local residents. It reflects the core values of NEB—creating spaces that are not only functional and beautiful but also meaningful for people—and sets a new standard for sustainable and socially driven reconstruction in Ukraine.
This initiative also opens up significant opportunities for European and Ukrainian businesses. “This project is not just about rebuilding schools. It is an opportunity to create new business partnerships and showcase their innovative solutions”, D. Skusevičius stressed, inviting the private sector to join the initiative.
Lithuanian Fund for the Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid allocated €500,000 for the project development.