On 12 June 2026, the CMR webinar “Education or Work? Ukrainian Youth Facing Systemic Challenges” was co-organised by the Laboratory of Urban and Regional Migration Policies at the Centre of Migration Research UW, Skills Alliance in Poland platform, CIVICA Research Hub TRANSCONNECT, the Department of Political Studies at SGH Warsaw School of Economics, and the Union of Polish Metropolises. The discussion focused on the growing tendency of young Ukrainians in Poland to enter the labour market earlier and more frequently than their Polish peers, often at the expense of continuing education. Participants examined how recent policy changes and legal regulations are shaping young people’s decisions regarding education, employment, and their prospects in Poland. The event brought together Dr Svitlana Shevchenko (Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine), Przemysław Stachura (Polish Center for International Aid, Warsaw, coordinator of the “Towards Independence Together” programme), Izabela Przybysz (Catalist Education, Warsaw, Managing Director), Igor Lisin (Ukraine Foundation, Wrocław, Vice-President of the Board, Viktoriia Synelnyk (CARE International in Poland, Warsaw, Labour Activation and Economic Inclusion Manager and coordinator of the U-READY project) and Kamil Janta-Lipiński (Speak Up Foundation, Świnoujście, Vice-President). The webinar was moderated by Karolina Łukasiewicz, Justyna Szałańska, and Marta Pachocka.

The event was held in Polish; its recording is available on YouTube of the CMR UW.