The Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary has successfully completed another cycle of international institutional review and received both institutional and program re-accreditation from the European Council for Theological Education (ECTE). The decision was made by the ECTE Accreditation Commission at its session on September 22, 2026, following a cyclical review that included an online site visit from May 25 to 28, 2026.
The ECTE Accreditation Commission granted UETS institutional re-accreditation and confirmed program re-accreditation for three degree programmes:
- Bachelor of Theology in Applied Theology
- Master of Theology in Transformative Leadership
- Master of Mission in the Urban City
A partnership spanning nearly three decades
UETS has maintained its partnership with ECTE since 1998 — and this latest re-accreditation, earned under wartime conditions, may be the most meaningful milestone in more than 25 years of that relationship.
ECTE accreditation is a recognized international quality standard for theological education and paves the way for academic mobility and international recognition of qualifications. In practical terms, ECTE accreditation means that UETS graduates hold degrees whose quality and level have been independently verified against European standards — an important marker of credibility for international academic partners, donors, and prospective students.
High praise in a time of war
In their assessment, the experts not only confirmed the seminary’s compliance with European standards of theological education quality, but also called the UETS experience exemplary.
The fact that UETS obtained a state license as a higher education institution of Ukraine in the conditions of active hostilities was considered by the ECTE commission as an exceptional achievement. The seminary did not simply survive institutionally — it continued to develop, invest in library resources, theological publications, and academic infrastructure at a time when many organizations were transitioning to a minimal functioning mode.
The Commission specifically noted Ukrainian regulatory requirements, according to which each licensed UETS program is submitted for public discussion with the participation of a wide range of stakeholders, including civil society. The Commission’s assessment was unequivocal: this is the most robust curriculum development and approval process it has ever encountered.
Special thanks were expressed to the seminary faculty for their extraordinary flexibility, resilience, and dedication during the crisis, as well as for the significant personal energy and effort invested in supporting quality academic and spiritual education.
The ECTE Commission noted another important dimension of the work of the UETS: the seminary not only continued its educational activities, but actively served Ukrainian society throughout the war. This experience — serving under pressure — became part of a living curriculum and, in the Commission’s assessment, transformed the UETS into an experimental laboratory and a model for the wider community of theological institutions in Europe.
The commission also praised the safe campus environment and practical emergency preparedness (including backup power); attention to the needs of students with special needs; persistent support for library resources and theological publications; and the organic weaving of spiritual formation into the curriculum and community life.
The ECTE Commission expressed its gratitude for the stability and clarity of the goals of the UETS Board in performing its supervisory functions — all in an environment where forward planning is a challenge in itself.
About ECTE and EQAR
The European Council for Theological Education (ECTE) is a quality assurance network serving Christian theological education institutions in Europe and the Middle East. The agency is registered with the European Register of Quality Assurance Agencies for Higher Education (EQAR) and is a member of leading international organizations – INQAAHE, ENQA and ICETE.
The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) is Europe’s official register for accrediting agencies that conduct regular quality assurance reviews of institutions of higher education and study programmes, in line with an agreed-upon common framework.