Ukrainian Culture Ministry Launches Probe into Music Academy Following Foreign Student's Complaint

Complaint from an NMAU Student

According to Главком: A formal complaint to Ukraine's Ministry of Culture has been filed by Wu Yuanyuan, a second-year master's student at the National Music Academy of Ukraine (NMAU). In her complaint, she alleged potential illegal fee collection, academic fraud, and official negligence by staff in the academy's department for international students and other administrative units.

On November 25, 2025, Culture Minister Tetiana Berezhna issued an order to establish an inspection commission for the NMAU, citing Wu Yuanyuan's complaint as the reason. Minister Berezhna retained oversight of the order's execution. Halyna Gryhorenko, Berezhna's first deputy, was initially appointed to lead the commission, but leadership was later transferred to Yevhen Lahno, Director of the Department of Arts and Creative Industries.

Scope and Extension of the Investigation

The inspection, which began on November 26, 2025, was originally scheduled to conclude on February 10, 2026, but was extended to March 20, 2026. The extension was attributed to the academy's examination period and holidays, as well as disruptions to electricity and heating caused by Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The probe's primary focus areas are:

• The operational practices of the department for international students;
• The state of educational process organization for foreign students at the academy.

Viktor Bondarchuk, NMAU's Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, stated that the student had not approached the academy's administration directly. The academy's leadership was unaware of the complaint's specific details at the time of his comment. While the Ministry of Culture had informed the NMAU leadership of the inspection order, the results were not yet known. This investigation highlights the ongoing challenges for Ukrainian institutions operating under wartime conditions.

It is worth noting that in late 2025, the Ministry of Culture decided to rename the institution, which was formerly known as the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine. It is now called the National Music Academy of Ukraine. The renaming decision was made in accordance with Ukrainian laws 'On Condemnation and Prohibition of Propaganda of Russian Imperial Policy in Ukraine and Decolonization of Toponymy,' 'On Higher Education,' and 'On Culture.' The basis for the change was an expert assessment from the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, which concluded that using Pyotr Tchaikovsky's name in the institution's title symbolized Russian imperial policy and contravened current legislation.

The situation surrounding the NMAU and the complaint from student Wu Yuanyuan reflects broader issues within Ukraine's education system, particularly under the strain of war and external threats. The outcome of this inspection could impact trust in educational institutions and their ability to provide quality education for international students. Ensuring transparent results is crucial for improving conditions at Ukraine's higher education establishments.