Kyiv opens Higher School of Lobbying, the first international-level lobbyist training center
The capital has officially opened the Higher School of Lobbying, a new educational center and structural unit of the National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine, which will shape the professional environment for lobbyists in line with European and American standards. The event took place at the Hyatt Regency Kyiv hotel and brought together over 100 participants.
Among the guests were members of the Ukrainian parliament, representatives of the diplomatic corps, international business, and scientific institutions. For the first time, practicing lobbyists from the US and the UK have officially joined the educational process in Ukraine and will teach alongside Ukrainian experts and scientists.
Project leader and director Oleksiy Shevchuk emphasized that the launch of the school has a practical goal: to train personnel for economic recovery and integration into Western markets. "For us, lobbying is a tool for public policy, protecting competition, and attracting investment. We are creating a transparent, ethical, and professional market for services that will work in the interests of the state, society, and business. Our graduates must be equally confident in Kyiv, Brussels, and Washington," Shevchuk said.
During the opening ceremony, the flagship international program “Kyiv-Brussels-Washington” was presented. The program aims to train specialists who can effectively represent and promote Ukraine's interests in European and American institutions and build partnerships with international companies, government agencies, and think tanks.
Key elements of the program will include standards and regulation of lobbying in the EU, US, and UK; designing advocacy campaigns; working with EU institutions and the US Congress; GR, public affairs, and strategic communications; codes of ethics; transparency; conflict of interest prevention; lobbying as a tool for attracting investment and regulatory reform
Historical background: how lobbying developed in the US and Europe
US. The American model is the most institutionalized. In the 19th century, the term “lobbyist” came into use to describe individuals who communicated with congressmen behind the scenes.
The modern system is based on mandatory registration of lobbyists, reporting on clients, budgets and topics of influence, public registers and compliance.
Principles – transparency of contacts with officials, disclosure of expenses, restrictions on gifts and travel funding, disciplinary responsibility for covert activities.
Europe. In the EU, lobbying is formalized as the participation of interested parties in policy-making. There is a Joint Transparency Register of the European Commission and the European Parliament, which requires disclosure of information about organizations and consultants, their goals and resources, and meetings with senior officials are published online.
National regimes vary, but common standards include public registers, codes of ethics, traceability of influence on regulations, and impact assessments for new acts.
The principles of professional lobbying include:
1) Legality and transparency—working exclusively within the public legal field, disclosure of clients and the subject of the mandate
2) Ethics and absence of conflicts of interest – compliance with codes of conduct, rejection of practices that create corruption risks
3) Expertise – preparation of analytical materials, data, and policy proposals, rather than “access for access' sake”
4) Equal access – involvement of business, the public sector, and regions in the decision-making process
5) Measurability – clear advocacy goals, KPIs, and reporting to clients and society
The launch of the Higher School of Lobbying in Ukraine is the next step towards the implementation of modern European approaches in the interaction between the state, business, and civil society in Ukraine. The organizers announced open enrollment for the first academic year, the participation of international mentors, and a workshop on preparing policy positions for EU and US institutions.
Interfax-Ukraine is an information and event partner of the National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine and the Higher School of Lobbying.
