UNOWA

Inclusive education is no longer about having more tools—it’s about building systems that help every learner succeed. At UNOWA, we’re excited to join TES SEND Show 2026 and discuss how AI, evidence-based methodologies, and hands-on implementation can make inclusion practical, scalable, and sustainable. From MIKKO for inclusive education to ULabs for STEM learning, our goal is the same: helping educators turn good intentions into real classroom impact. Looking forward to meeting partners, educators, and innovators at Stand C50. If you’re interested in what real implementation looks like beyond policy, our latest article explores this challenge: https://lnkd.in/e24cwYhJ

This is exactly how STEM should begin. A 4.5-year-old doesn’t need a lecture about mechanical advantage to start thinking like an engineer. Curiosity comes first. Questions come naturally. Concepts follow. Watching children experiment with simple mechanisms reminds us that meaningful STEM learning isn’t about memorizing formulas—it’s about exploring, testing ideas, making predictions, and discovering patterns. That’s exactly why we build learning experiences at ULabs: hands-on first, understanding second, technology as an enabler—not the starting point. We recently shared more thoughts on why home STEM experiences matter and how hands-on exploration helps children build confidence, curiosity, and problem-solving skills long before formal science lessons begin: https://lnkd.in/e4sRpBfK

Inclusive education is no longer about whether we should include children with additional educational needs. Today, the real question is: How do we make inclusion work in every classroom, every day? Ireland's continued investment in inclusive education-including the expansion of special classes and the introduction of Inclusive Special Classes for the 2026/2027 school year-is an important step in the right direction. However, creating new classes is only the beginning. Successful inclusion depends on much more than policy. It requires: well-supported teachers, engaged families, multidisciplinary collaboration, practical, evidence-informed educational resources. As a psychologist working in both Ukraine and Ireland, I have seen that inclusion becomes meaningful only when children are able to participate, communicate, regulate their emotions, and experience a genuine sense of belonging in the classroom. This is one of the reasons I enjoy collaborating with UNOWA. Their educational solutions are designed to help bridge the gap between inclusive policy and everyday classroom practice by supporting communication, engagement, and participation. The next challenge is implementation. How do we ensure that every new inclusive classroom has the confidence, resources, and support needed to help every child thrive? I'd love to hear perspectives from teachers, school leaders, educational psychologists, and inclusion professionals. #InclusiveEducation #EducationalPsychology #Ireland #SpecialEducation #UNOWA

One useful way to look at events like this is as a snapshot of where the field is moving. The 2nd International Summer School on Inclusive Education and Inclusive Technology will take place on 21–26 June 2026 in Ancient Olympia, Greece. The programme brings together selected participants, academics, and professionals around inclusive education, inclusive technology, and practical educational approaches. For UNOWA, this is valuable because it helps us stay close to the questions that matter in practice: How can technology support inclusion without adding complexity? How do educational ideas become usable models? What is actually helpful for specialists, schools, and learners? These are the kinds of questions we pay attention to most. We will share a few practical takeaways after the Summer School. #UNOWA #MIKKO #InclusiveEducation #EdTech #InclusiveTechnology #AIinEducation

Inclusion is not created by technology alone. And it is not sustained by policy alone either. At its core, inclusion starts much earlier — with the ability to see another person fully, and meet them with dignity. One story captures this better than many frameworks ever could. A journalist was interviewing a Paralympic athlete. To speak with him at eye level, she knelt down. There was no protocol behind that decision. No formal instruction. No performance. Just a natural human response rooted in respect. This is what often gets lost in conversations about inclusive education. We focus on systems, platforms, accessibility tools, and implementation models. These things matter. Deeply. But tools do not create inclusion by themselves. People do. Technology becomes meaningful only when it is guided by empathy. Methodology becomes effective only when it is applied with respect. Support becomes inclusive only when human values shape the experience. At UNOWA, this is a principle we take seriously. We build educational solutions, but we do not mistake tools for inclusion itself. Because true inclusion is not just about access. It is about how a person feels when they enter the system. Whether they are seen. Whether they are respected. Whether the environment adapts with dignity, not pity. In the full interview, UNOWA co-founder Mykhailo Kalitkin reflects on why this distinction matters: why inclusive technology without human values is never enough, and why empathy remains the real infrastructure behind meaningful support. Listen to the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/dafHF5zB #UNOWA #MIKKO #InclusiveEducation #Inclusion #EdTech #HumanCenteredAI #EducationInnovation #Empathy #SpecialNeedsEducation

What stands behind the modernization of the Rivne Professional College of Restaurant and Hotel Business? As part of the EU-funded EU4Skills programme, UNOWA contributed to the modernization of vocational education infrastructure in Ukraine by supplying modern training and laboratory equipment to eight vocational education institutions. One of the key projects was the Rivne Professional College of Restaurant and Hotel Business. Together with our Ukrainian partner ProTech, we supported the creation of modern, practice-oriented learning environments that bring vocational education closer to real industry standards. The project included equipment and infrastructure for: • food technology laboratories • dairy processing • brewing technologies • professional kitchen and restaurant training spaces • modern learning environments for practical education These upgraded spaces allow students to learn not only from textbooks, but through real professional practice. They can work with modern equipment, train in conditions close to the restaurant and hotel industry, and develop the skills needed for future careers. For UNOWA, this project reflects a simple but important principle: vocational education becomes stronger when students have access to real tools, real environments, and real professional experience. We are proud to have contributed to a project that supports young people, strengthens vocational education, and helps prepare specialists for Ukraine’s recovery and future growth. Project page: https://lnkd.in/dR-bumhi #UNOWA #ProTech #EU4Skills #VocationalEducation #Ukraine #EducationInfrastructure #PracticalLearning #SkillsForTheFuture

A meaningful moment for vocational education in Ukraine — and for one of the projects UNOWA contributed to. On 22 May 2026, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Rivne Professional College of Restaurant and Hotel Business and met with its students. The college was modernized and equipped as part of EU4Skills — a programme supporting the reform of vocational education in Ukraine. UNOWA is proud to have contributed to this modernization by supplying part of the modern training and laboratory equipment for the college. This included equipment supporting practice-oriented learning in food technology, hospitality, and professional training environments. During the visit, the President highlighted the importance of vocational education and applied professions for Ukraine’s recovery and future economic development. For us, this visit is an important reminder of why educational infrastructure matters. Modern vocational education is not only about new classrooms or equipment. It is about giving students access to real tools, real practice, and real opportunities for their future careers. We are proud that UNOWA’s contribution became part of a project that strengthens practical education and supports the next generation of skilled professionals in Ukraine. Photo source: Official website of the President of Ukraine https://lnkd.in/dJQGUA-E Project page: https://lnkd.in/dR-bumhi #UNOWA #EU4Skills #VocationalEducation #Ukraine #EducationReform #PracticalSkills #FutureOfEducation #HospitalityEducation

Inclusive education can no longer be discussed separately from technology. And the international agenda has already made that clear. That is why Yelena Yegorova’s participation in the International Summer School on Inclusive Education and Inclusive Technology is not just another company update for us. It is an important professional signal. From 21 to 26 June 2026, Yelena Yegorova, Head of MIKKO, will join an international community of researchers, educators, and experts working at the intersection of inclusive education, pedagogy, and technology in Ancient Olympia, Greece. The value of this platform is not in visibility. It is in the context. Today, the strongest conversations in inclusive education are no longer about principles alone. They are about differentiated pedagogy, AI-driven inclusive practices, Universal Design for Learning, and the real conditions needed to make inclusion work in everyday educational practice. This is exactly the context where solutions like MIKKO must grow. For UNOWA, being part of this space means staying aligned with the international expert framework, exchanging practices, and contributing to the shift from talking about inclusion to building it as a working system. And that is what matters most. #UNOWA #MIKKO #InclusiveEducation #EdTech #AIinEducation #UDL #SpecialEducation

Not every STEM solution is an ecosystem. And not every ecosystem is built for real school implementation. At UNOWA, we see one core challenge in K–12 STEM education: schools often receive isolated tools instead of a complete learning system. That is why ULabs was designed around three connected pillars: 1. Spaces More than 100 sets of didactic materials for primary and secondary education — across mechanics, physics, biology, chemistry, and geography. Built for real classroom use and aligned with international curricula, including IB and Cambridge. 2. Knowledge A Learning Management System integrated with an AI agent that helps explain scientific concepts in a way children can actually understand. Not abstract theory, but accessible learning support. 3. Innovation R&D equipment and wireless sensors that transfer real-time data directly into the system. This allows students not only to observe scientific laws, but to work with them, interpret them, and connect them to real-life processes. What matters here is not AI for the sake of AI. What matters is building a STEM environment where content, equipment, and intelligence work together. Because schools do not need more fragmented innovation. They need systems that make science teachable, measurable, and scalable. #UNOWA #ULabs #STEMEducation #EdTech #K12Education #AIInEducation #LearningSystems #EducationInnovation #SchoolInnovation #FutureOfEducation

What happens when experts in AI, computer vision, mathematics, cybersecurity, and digital transformation start asking questions about inclusive education? That was one of the most inspiring moments of the Opening Day of the EDAI 2026 Conference in Porto. Today, our CEO and Co-Founder, Mykhailo Kalitkin, presented: “Barriers to AI Adoption in Education and How We Overcame Them: The MIKKO Case Study.” What made this experience especially valuable was the audience. Researchers and professors from leading universities and research institutions across Portugal, Germany, Bulgaria, South Korea, Brazil, and other countries engaged in a discussion about how artificial intelligence can be applied in inclusive education. Many of them came from highly technical fields rather than educational practice. Yet their questions went straight to the core: • How can AI support specialists without replacing professional expertise? • How do we ensure transparency and trust in educational recommendations? • What challenges arise when implementing AI in real educational environments? • How can such solutions be adapted across different countries and educational systems? For us, this was a strong reminder that inclusive education is becoming an interdisciplinary field where educators, scientists, engineers, and AI researchers must work together. We are grateful for the thoughtful questions, constructive discussions, and genuine interest in the practical application of AI for children with diverse learning needs. Looking forward to the next days of EDAI 2026 and the conversations ahead. #AIinEducation #InclusiveEducation #EdTech #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalTransformation #EducationalInnovation #SpecialEducation #MIKKO #UNOWA