The American University Kyiv expanded to Dnipro in late 2024 with the first 34 students enrolling for American master’s programs in the central Ukrainian city. This initiative is the first stage in the ambitious development of the AUK presence in Ukraine following the university’s February 2022 launch just three weeks before the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
AUK students in Dnipro can now choose from master’s programs in Global Management or Technological Leadership and AI, with studies taking place in the city’s centrally located and impressively equipped Menorah Center and online. The start of master’s programs is the first step in what university officials envisage as a long-term AUK presence in Dnipro, with discussions already underway over a potential further expansion of the city’s AUK program in the next few years to include undergraduate studies.
The AUK launch in Dnipro has been possible thanks to strong backing from local businesses. This year’s initial intake of master’s program students represent some of the largest companies in the Dnipro region, with the objective being to equip students with the skills to enhance the business community. This dovetails with AUK’s broader goal of helping to create a new generation of young Ukrainians capable of leading the country’s development.
“We want the university to be a catalyst for positive change in Ukraine,” says AUK President Dan Rice. He points to three decades of Ukrainian post-Soviet economic underachievement, and argues that the country’s future progress will depend to a signicant degree on its ability to make the most of growing interest from international corporations and investors. “Billions of dollars are potentially going to come to the country, but in order for Ukraine to truly thrive, international companies are going to need Ukrainian talent. We believe the American University Kyiv can be the prime producer of future leaders with the necessary mindset, education, and language skills.”
Rice sees the recent launch of master’s programs in Dnipro as a model for similar initiatives in other major cities across Ukraine. He identifies Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kherson as potentially appealing options, while underlining that in each case, much will depend on identifying the right partners from within the local business community. Wherever AUK establishes a presence, the key message will be the same: ambitious young Ukrainians no longer have to leave the country to advance their education. “There is no need to go abroad to access world class academic programs anymore,” says Rice. “Students can get a top tier education right here in Ukraine at AUK.”
In addition to developing cooperation with the Ukrainian business community, Rice and his team are also working to enhance AUK’s program of paid student internships with international companies. During 2024, the first group of eighteen undergraduates from the university undertook internships in the United States and the United Kingdom with a range of corporate partners including the likes of J.P. Morgan, Blackstone, and 7-Eleven. The feedback from both students and host companies has been overwhelmingly positive, with new companies signing up and a number of participating CEOs already preparing to welcome more Ukrainian interns in 2025.
Rice expects to see the internship program expand dramatically in the coming years, with hundreds of AUK students embarking on potentially life-changing professional placements each summer in the US itself and also in Canada, the UK, Poland, and other countries. “Our first group of interns thrived and made a very strong impression on host companies. I can’t wait for the coming year to see the impact when we have 200 students going abroad,” he says. “I think that’s going to be unbelievably exciting. Eventually, my dream would be to have every AUK student receiving an internship every summer.”
As more students gain practical business experience, Rice believes they can go on to serve as a crucial recruitment resource for companies entering the Ukrainian market. He sees the American University Kyiv playing a key role in this process as a partner for the international business community. “Working with corporations that have an interest in coming to Ukraine is a big part of our job at the university and a core aspect of our internship program. It’s beneficial for the companies, beneficial for Ukraine, and most importantly, it’s beneficial for our students.”
The initial success of AUK’s global internship initiative is already attracting attention within the Ukrainian business community and has helped persuade a number of Ukrainian companies to also offer paid interships. Rice sees this as a welcome development, particularly as it creates opportunities for male students who are currently unable to travel internationally due to martial law restrictions in place in wartime Ukraine. There are also plans to offer locally-based internships with international companies operating in Ukraine, creating further chances for male undergraduates to participate.
American University Kyiv’s expansion within Ukraine and its rapidly growing global internship program come at a time when the Ukrainian education system is facing unprecedented challenges. With Russia’s full-scale invasion about to enter a fourth year, many young Ukrainians are seeking to pursue their education elsewhere. Rice is sympathetic to the difficult choices facing the current generation of Ukrainian students, but is convinced that AUK can offer an appealing alternative to studying abroad. “We don’t want to be a brain drain pulling people away from Ukraine. We want to be a brain draw bringing people back to the country,” he says. “I think the future of Ukraine is bright, and AUK wants to be a major part of that.”