General competences
Common Subjects · minimum 180 TU
- Theoretical knowledge and professional ethics — 54 TU
- Guiding techniques, communication and group management — 108 TU
- Business skills, marketing and digital tools — 18 TU
Member of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition
Competence-based training, validation and digital certification in tourism and hospitality
NGO “Academy of Tourism and Hospitality of Ukraine” is a registered public organization and an educational and qualification hub within the UTGA ecosystem. It combines professional training, validation of competences, digital certification and public verification of qualifications.
Programmes are built on EN 15565, aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the National Qualifications Framework of Ukraine, and extended through Open Badges and transparent digital verification.
Learn → Validate → Certify → Verify
Institutional status
The Academy has been officially registered as a public organization
NGO “Academy of Tourism and Hospitality of Ukraine” was registered on 09 July 2026. Its EDRPOU code is 46262255. The Academy is developing as an educational, qualification and methodological centre for tourism, hospitality, tourist guiding and heritage interpretation.
Academy ecosystem
Not only training. A complete cycle of recognising professional competences.
The Academy connects competence-based learning with validation, certification, digital profiles, professional standards and public verification.
Training and upskilling
Professional courses, seminars, field practice and training programmes for guides, hospitality professionals, cultural institutions and communities.
Validation of non-formal learning
Recognition of skills acquired through professional practice, previous learning, field experience and documented evidence.
Standards and quality
Development, consultation and implementation of professional standards, qualification logic and internal quality assurance.
Digital verification
Open Badges, registry profiles and verifiable digital evidence make professional competences portable and transparent.
Quality and standards
European standards are the foundation of trust.
Our quality framework is built on EN 15565:2008 and its implementation in Ukraine as DSTU EN 15565:2016. We extend this training standard through digital validation, public verification and qualification transparency.
- competence-based training structure;
- strong emphasis on practical preparation and independent assessment;
- professional ethics and inclusive service standards;
- internal quality assurance of content, trainers and assessment procedures.
Validation and certification
From experience to qualification.
The Academy’s validation framework applies a European model for recognising skills acquired through practice, real guiding experience and non-formal learning.
- identification of existing competences;
- documentation through a digital portfolio and registry profile;
- expert assessment, demonstration and evidence review;
- certification through Open Badges and qualification status.
EN 15565:2008
European training standard for professional tourist guides
EN 15565:2008, issued by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), defines minimum requirements for professional training programmes and qualifications of tourist guides.
What the standard defines
- key competences of a professional tourist guide;
- structure of the training programme;
- requirements for practical training;
- approaches to assessment and quality assurance;
- language competences for professional guiding.
EN 15565 is a baseline standard: it sets a common European minimum while allowing countries and providers to expand content and introduce higher levels of assessment.
Key technical requirements
- 600 training units as the minimum programme duration;
- 1 training unit = 60 minutes;
- minimum 40% practical training of the total volume;
- 240 training units of practical training as the minimum;
- use of lectures, e-learning, practice and independent learning;
- assessment through written, oral and practical forms.
Common subjects
Common subjects — minimum 180 training units
- Theoretical knowledge — minimum 54 TU: world history, European political and legal context, religions, art, literature, geography and professional ethics.
- Guiding techniques and skills — minimum 108 TU: presentation, communication, group management, risk and crisis situations, guiding persons with specific access needs.
- Business knowledge — minimum 18 TU: tourism industry structure, legal aspects, marketing, health and safety, quality control.
Area-specific subjects
Area-specific subjects — minimum 180 training units
- Theoretical knowledge — minimum 162 TU: local history, archaeology, architecture, natural heritage, culture, local economy and contemporary life of the area.
- Working conditions — minimum 18 TU: local regulations, operational aspects, client profiles and visitor management.
This block allows the European standard to be adapted to a specific country, region, city or route.
Academy position
EN 15565 as a baseline for professional training
The Academy treats EN 15565:2008 as a key European reference point for the preparation of qualified tourist guides.
We integrate this standard into training programmes, validation procedures, certification, the EQF/NQF pathway, Digital Skills Passport logic and the Open Badges ecosystem.
This gives Ukrainian tourist guides a transparent and Europe-compatible system of professional development.
EN 15565:2008 / DSTU EN 15565:2016 · EQF/NQF · Open Badges
Training programme for the profession “Tourist Guide”
A modular professional training and upskilling programme for tourist guides, built on European standards, competence-based learning, field practice and digital verification of qualifications.
600 TUminimum volume
240 TUpractical training
40%field practice
EQF 5 / NQF 5professional level
Regional specialisation
Area-specific Subjects · minimum 180 TU
- History, archaeology and cultural processes of the region
- Material and intangible heritage
- Professional working conditions and local regulation
Practical training
Practical Training · minimum 240 TU
- Demonstration tours with professional feedback
- Walking, museum, site-based and coach-tour practice
- Guide portfolio and supervised field practice
Micro-credentials
Specialized Guide · Open Badges
- Memory Routes
- Gastronomy Guide
- Military Heritage
- Inclusive Guiding
Assessment and certification
Independent validation of competences
Assessment may include a written test, oral interview, portfolio review and demonstration tour. After successful completion, the participant can receive a digital Open Badge and be included in the digital registry of tourist guides.
- Language: professional guiding language competence
- Format: test + interview + practical demonstration
- Output: Open Badge + digital registry profile
Ready to implement a European training standard for guides?
The programme can be used for training, validation, certification and professional development of tourist guides.
Qualification logic
Learn → Validate → Certify → Verify
This pathway makes qualifications understandable to learners, employers, partners and European institutions.
LearnDevelop knowledge, professional skills and real field competence through structured modules and guided practice.
ValidateSubmit evidence of competence, practical experience and prior learning for expert review.
CertifyReceive competence-based recognition and digital credentials linked to qualification level.
VerifyMake qualification visible through registry-based public verification and trusted digital identity.
Digital credentials
Open Badges and Skills Passport for the digital economy.
Validated guides can receive digital credentials issued through the Academy / UTGA Open Badges system and displayed through a public professional profile.
- JSON-LD compatible Open Badges;
- qualification level and additional competence badges;
- registry-based public verification;
- Skills Passport logic for professional mobility.
Verifiable digital profile
The guide profile combines qualification level, competence badges, evidence of learning and public verification in one professional identity layer.
EQF/NQF pathway
A structured progression from entry-level competence to sector leadership.
The Academy uses a transparent pathway that makes progression visible, measurable and linked to digital credentials.
Verified credential
EQF 4Start Competence
Entry-level foundation for guides building core professional skills.
Verified credential
EQF 5 / NQF 5Base Competence
Competence-based qualification for guides with validated practice.
Verified credential
EQF 5Specialized Guide
Additional fields such as heritage, gastronomy, memory routes, digital or inclusive guiding.
Verified credential
EQF 6Master Guide / Trainer
Advanced role combining expertise, mentorship and trainer capacity.
Featured programme
Professional Tourist Guide Certification Programme
A competence-based programme for aspiring and practising tourist guides, integrating heritage interpretation, digital tools, inclusive practice, field experience and qualification visibility.
- professional guiding methods and route planning;
- digital tools and AI-assisted content support;
- inclusive and ethical service delivery;
- assessment linked to certification and registry visibility.
Mentorship
Masters guiding masters.
The Academy supports work-based learning through a mentorship model that connects professional development with field practice, trainer formation and quality culture in the sector.
- mentor pathway for experienced guides;
- trainer development and national capacity building;
- peer review and competence transfer;
- CoVE-ready logic for European collaboration.
Institutional architecture
UTGA and Academy institutional architecture 2026
The system is designed as a national sectoral infrastructure that connects governance, standards, education, data, partnerships and regional presence.
1. Governance
Governance
Strategy, oversight and institutional legitimacy.
- General Assembly
- Board
- Head of the Board
- Secretariat
- Audit and control functions
2. Standards & Qualifications
Standards and qualifications
Rules of the profession and trust in qualifications.
- Sectoral council
- Qualification centre logic
- Expert council
- National trainer network
3. Education & Training
Education and professional development
Training, reskilling and development of the profession.
- Academy of Tourism and Hospitality of Ukraine
- Adult learning department
- Digital education and innovation
- Veteran training initiatives
- Youth learning initiatives
4. Research, Data & Validation
Research, data and validation
The central infrastructure layer for evidence, transparency and skills intelligence.
- Data Management & Registry Hub
- Open Badges System
- Competence validation
- Skills Intelligence & Labour Market Analytics
- Knowledge & Publications Hub
5. Partnerships & Impact
Partnerships and impact
Connections, scaling and social effect.
- International cooperation
- Government relations
- Employer liaison and career support
- Veteran adaptation working group
- Scientific advisory support
6. Regional Network
Regional network
Presence, data and coordination across Ukraine.
- Regional Academy branches
- Central, Western, Eastern and Southern clusters
- Regional youth centres
- Local coordinators
Governance→Standards→Education→Data→Impact→Regions
Registry and verification
Public guide profiles create immediate proof of trust for partners, organisers and visitors.
Policy and research
The Academy and UTGA develop standards, reports and analytical materials for modernising the profession.
Partnerships
We are open to cooperation with VET providers, cultural institutions, municipalities, employers and European partners.
Electronic consultation on the professional standard “Tourist Guide” is open
Tourist guides, educators, employers, public authorities, communities and partner institutions are invited to submit proposals. Feedback will be reviewed by the working group and used in the further development of the professional standard.
Ready to work with the Academy as a learner, guide or partner?
Explore our programmes, validation system and standards, or contact us regarding certification, VET cooperation, Erasmus+ partnerships and sector development.