Universe Group, a group of product IT companies, is launching an internal educational project called UNIVERSity — a platform for learning and development for the company’s employees. The initiative aims to systematize learning during a period of rapid team growth and support the development of specialists at all levels — from individual contributors to managers. It will also help build a strong leadership culture that will allow the company to scale while maintaining high operational efficiency.
Over the past year, the Universe Group team has doubled in size, which increased the need for a structured approach to developing competencies. Previously, learning initiatives were mostly implemented in response to individual requests. Now the company is establishing a full Learning and Development direction and bringing initiatives together into one system — an internal learning platform.
“Education has always attracted me as a tool for changing the world. Basic self-awareness, emotional management, the ability to communicate clearly and respectfully, taking responsibility for your own happiness, and developing at the pace of the world — these are minimal skills for a high-quality and fulfilling life. But they often remain outside the boundaries of formal education.
That is why, when the business needed to develop people faster into managerial roles and eventually C-level positions, it became an opportunity for me to combine my personal mission with the company’s needs by creating our own UNIVERSity. Historically, internal educational initiatives have much higher attendance and satisfaction than external ones: the programs are based on specific business needs, reinforced through real work tasks, and at the same time have a strong team-building effect,” — Iryna Kraichyk, COO & Partner at Universe Group
Structure of UNIVERSity
UNIVERSity consists of five faculties, each responsible for a specific area of development:
Human Effectiveness — development of communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence skills.
Domain Mastery — professional and technical competencies.
Leadership & People Management — leadership and management skills.
Business Thinking — development of business thinking and results orientation.
AI Mindset — integration of artificial intelligence into work processes to improve efficiency.
The focus areas of the faculties were formed based on regular feedback from employees and managers, as well as competencies evaluated during performance reviews. A special focus will be placed on developing managers, as the company currently has around 70 managers at different levels, and this number continues to grow.
Learning Formats and Current Programs
Learning will take place in a blended format. Programs will include recorded lectures for self-paced learning, practical sessions, and live work with case studies. In addition to long-term programs, UNIVERSity will also offer short intensives, practical workshops, and lecture-based formats.
Part of UNIVERSity is the Learning Hub — a library of educational materials with video lectures, workshops, and articles available to employees at any time. This allows the combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning.
Currently, within the Leadership & People Management faculty, long-term programs are running for two groups of new managers — Hiring School and Management Program. These programs focus on developing skills in effective hiring and recruitment, as well as mastering basic tools for managing teams.
Among the current educational events are the Managers Debate Club and a series of workshops called Lead with Clarity, focused on communication skills for managers. In the near future, the company also plans to launch a course called Self-Management: Core Skills, aimed at developing self-management skills.
Who Will Teach Employees?
Lecturers at UNIVERSity will include internal experts from Universe Group as well as invited professionals from the market. This approach combines the company’s practical expertise with external experience, helping to avoid an “internal bubble” in decision-making and the development of new approaches.
Development and Future Plans
The concept and structure of UNIVERSity were developed with the involvement of HR and Learning & Development teams, business leaders, and the company’s C-level executives. Design and technical teams were also involved in launching the platform. Work on the project has been ongoing for about three months.
At Universe Group, the expectation is that UNIVERSity will become a long-term development platform that will strengthen internal expertise, support knowledge exchange between businesses, and form a shared approach to leadership and decision-making.
