Professional Integration HUB

Ten Ukrainian professionals successfully completed internships in leading Austrian institutions and organisations.

On 30 November 2025, the third round of the Professional Integration HUB (HUB 3.0) was successfully completed — a flagship program supporting the professional integration of Ukrainian women in Austria through paid internships, study visits, skills development and community-building. The Professional Integration HUB is initiated and funded by ERSTE Foundation. The project is implemented by the European Centre for Freedom and Independence.

For the organisers, HUB 3.0 became a key milestone: it clearly demonstrated how participants’ positions, expectations and needs have evolved over three years, from initial adaptation to more strategic career planning and long-term professional pathways. These shifts reflect a broader reality: the growing need for structured, systemic solutions to support the labour market integration of displaced Ukrainian women in Austria.

“Every year we witness one thing, and it’s change. In people, in energy, in ambitions. HUB 3.0 confirmed the program’s effectiveness while also showing a new level of readiness among participants. They are more focused, more resilient, more confident in communication. German proficiency has noticeably increased, as has strategic persistence. We see cases where applicants applied two or even three times returning stronger each time. This is a powerful marker for us: HUB does not simply offer an opportunity; it helps build real integration trajectories,” — Olena Bekreniova, Co-Founder of the European Centre for Freedom and Independence.

CONTEXT AND RELEVANCE OF THE PROFESSIONAL INTEGRATION HUB

The program’s relevance is reinforced by the scale of displacement. As of 30 November 2025, Austria hosted 91,795 people from Ukraine under Temporary Protection.

The demographic profile is striking: women constitute a significant share of the displaced population, confirmed both by EU-wide statistics and Austria-specific data. According to Eurostat, adult women represent the largest group among Temporary Protection beneficiaries in the EU, while children account for almost one third. In Austria, this trend is also reflected in the gender distribution: in 2024, among all registered displaced persons from Ukraine under Temporary Protection (including children), 64.2% were female and 35.8% were male.

This highlights a crucial reality: a significant proportion of displaced people in Austria are working-age Ukrainian women with strong professional backgrounds, yet facing systemic barriers — language requirements, qualification recognition, local hiring standards, and limited professional networks.

This is precisely where the Professional Integration HUB plays a strategic role: it offers not only support but a structured pathway into Austria’s professional ecosystem through paid internships, institutional cooperation and real team-based work. For participants, it is a chance to gain hands-on experience, rebuild professional identity and competitiveness, and in many cases secure contract extensions or long-term employment.

KEY FACTS ABOUT HUB 3.0

• Internship duration: 3 months (1 Sept–30 Nov 2025)
• Participants: 10
• Hosting organisations: 10
• Locations: Vienna, Linz
• Core components: paid internships, study visits, joint sessions, German language club, networking
• Stipend: EUR 1200/full-time

SELECTION PROCESS

Applications were open from 10 June to 10 July 2025. Within one month, the program received 200+ applications from Ukrainian professional women ready to take the next step towards labour market integration in Austria.

The selection followed a three-stage process with 78 interviews, leading to 45 candidates recommended to hosting organisations. The final selection was made by the hosting institutions and organisations. Ultimately, 10 fellows joined HUB 3.0. Selection details available here.

PROGRAM LAUNCH

The official launch took place on September 12, 2025, at the premises of ERSTE Foundation, bringing together HUB 3.0 fellows, the organising team and alumni from previous rounds who shared practical insights and integration stories, supporting the new cohort with peer-based guidance and confidence.

INTERNSHIPS

Each participant received a dedicated position, workplace setup and responsibilities, aligned with prior professional experience.

Ten leading Austrian institutions and organisations hosted fellows:
Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport; Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure; City of Linz; Austria Tourism; OeAD – Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation; KDZ – Centre for Public Administration Research; WU Vienna; Impact Hub Vienna; Caritas Austria; Austrian Energy Agency.

“Within the Professional Integration HUB, we have built strong and trust-based partnerships with our hosting partners. We are sincerely grateful to Austrian institutions and organisations for their openness and trust, and for the fact that they truly integrated Ukrainian professionals into their teams, opening the door for them to Austria’s professional environment. For us, this program is a space for mutually beneficial cooperation and for the exchange of knowledge, experience and values, creating added value for all parties involved,” — Olga Olefirova, Co-Founder of the European Centre for Freedom and Independence.

Over the course of three months, the participants not only familiarised themselves with Austrian workplace culture, but also made a contribution to their hosting organisations including through research and analysis, engagement in Austrian–Ukrainian projects and initiatives, the improvement of internal processes, and the development of recommendations. At the same time, for many of them this experience became not only a professional opportunity, but also an important step towards a sense of belonging and deeper inclusion in Austria’s professional and social environment.

“The most valuable insight I gained during the program is how connected the cultural scene is. Now I feel like a part of it,” — Anastasiia Yevstratenko, fellow at the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport.

Beyond professional development and labour market integration, the participation of Ukrainian professionals in the HUB also has a broader institutional dimension. By involving fellows in projects and initiatives related to Ukraine, the program contributes to strengthening and deepening cooperation between Austria and Ukraine, particularly in the areas of public administration, education, social policy, culture and communications. Participants act as a bridge between the two contexts: they help teams better understand Ukrainian realities, shape relevant solutions, and enhance cooperation with Ukrainian partners. At the same time, their presence within leading Austrian institutions supports a more effective response to the needs of the Ukrainian community in Austria, combining professional expertise, cultural sensitivity, and a strong understanding of the priorities of displaced Ukrainians.

“I learned that integration is not about adapting yourself to fit the environment, it is about bringing your experience, your story, and your intellectual contribution into it, — Solomiia Beska, fellow at the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure. “My expectation was simple: to have a real chance to contribute, not just observe. The HUB exceeded these expectations, it placed me exactly where my expertise could be valuable and respected.”

STUDY VISITS

The program featured seven study visits, offering direct exposure to Austria’s institutional landscape: Austria Tourism, Caritas Austria, Atelierhaus Salzamt (Linz), the City of Vienna, OeAD – Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation, KDZ – Centre for Public Administration Research, and a Book Fair visit hosted by the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

HUB 3.0 included a workshop series designed to strengthen core competencies required for integration into Austria’s professional environment.

Workshops:

• “Why Nobody Listens When It Comes to Politics — and How We Can Fix It”, Stefan Schett, Head of Communications, NEOS Vienna
• “Managing Multicultural and Cross-Functional Teams: A Comparative Analysis of Ukrainian and Austrian Work Cultures”, Lesya Krasinska, Consultant in Change and Transition Management in the Finance Sector, with extensive expertise in leading multicultural and cross-functional teams and projects
• “Blooming Through Concrete: A Personal Journey of Ukrainian Female Entrepreneurship in Austria”. A special event held in cooperation with Founders Lab of the Vienna Business Agency, featuring Olesia Kvitka, HUB 2.0 graduate who launched her own communications agency in Vienna after completing the program.

Visit to the Austrian Parliament
The Ukrainian professionals participated in a meeting with Dr. Gudrun Kugler, Member of the Austrian National Council and Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and joined a guided tour of the Parliament building.

SAMSTAG DEUTSCH CLUB

An important additional component of the Professional Integration HUB 3.0 program was the Samstag Deutsch Club — a series of weekly online sessions designed to provide practical language immersion and strengthen communication skills essential for integration into Austria’s professional environment.

Throughout the program, 17 weekly online sessions were held, featuring 17 Austrian professionals as guest speakers. In total, 56 members of the YOU!Community participated in the Club.

The format focused on real-life German language practice, typical workplace scenarios, and building confidence in professional communication. A special emphasis was placed on workplace interaction, real cases, and practical situations that Ukrainian professionals commonly encounter in Austria.

The topics covered key sectors relevant to the participants, including education, public administration, entrepreneurship, social services, corporate culture, media and communications, agriculture, as well as cultural and creative industries.

FINAL CONFERENCE

The program concluded with a final conference bringing together the HUB 3.0 alumni and their supervisors from the hosting organisations, invited guests from partner organisations, the organising team, and members of the YOU!Community. 

The event opened with a keynote by Ambassador Elisabeth Kornfeind. In her speech, she emphasized the strength, dignity, and resilience of Ukrainian women who continue their careers in a new environment and build communities of professionals, thus preserving human capital crucial for Ukraine’s future recovery.

The graduates presented the results of their internships, while the coordinators highlighted and confirmed the high level of responsibility, expertise, and meaningful contribution demonstrated by the Ukrainian professionals.

“We are really happy to be a part of the Professional Integration HUB for the second time this year. We had a highly trained and highly skilled Ukrainian professional working with us for the past three months. Solomiia is a PhD candidate. She added value to our team by conducting studies and analyses that were beneficial for the entire division and our whole team. We are also very happy that, together with our HR department, we are in the process of offering her a new contract so that she can be part of our team in the future.” — Felicitas Metz and Falko Loher, Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure.

Read more about the final conference here.

CONTINUED COOPERATION

As of now, following the results of HUB 3.0, 40% of participants have received offers for continued cooperation including contract extensions or engagement as invited experts. Participants also received recommendations from the hosting partner organisations and the European Centre for Freedom and Independence, further strengthening their positions in the Austrian labour market.

According to participant feedback, the program became not only a professional springboard, but also a factor of psychological resilience helping women restore their professional identity, benefit from community support, and expand their networks.

“The Professional Integration HUB became a starting point for me: it helped me believe in myself again, brought back the feeling of living a full life, and gave me the ability to plan for tomorrow. Doing my internship at OeAD is not only about gaining experience or exchanging ideas. It is a natural continuation of what I had already built in Ukraine. It is my growth and my path forward,” — Alina Stozhok, HUB 3.0 graduate.

YOU!COMMUNITY

Alongside the program, YOU!Community continues to actively develop as a professional network of Ukrainian women in Austria, formed on the basis of the Professional Integration HUB. Today, the community brings together more than 150 active members, including program participants, alumnae, and shortlisted candidates.

The philosophy of YOU!Community is “a community co-created by you”: members initiate events, share their expertise, act as speakers, and shape the community from within. At the same time, the platform is actively integrated into Austria’s professional environment, with Austrian experts regularly joining meetings to share practical insights and professional experience.

A dedicated focus of the community’s activities is on study visits to Austrian institutions and organisations, as well as thematic meetings and events that create space for high-quality networking and the development of professional connections.

Alongside this, each year the program team organises a dedicated networking meeting to introduce the current cohort to alumni from previous HUB rounds. This format allows new participants to hear first-hand stories of integration and professional growth, and to better understand the program’s opportunities as well as possible next steps after completing the internship. In particular, in October 2025, such a meeting brought together HUB 1.0 and HUB 2.0 alumni with participants of the third cohort. The experience of these events confirms their value as a space for peer support, the exchange of practical advice, and the strengthening of participants’ confidence in their professional pathway in Austria.

The program team will continue to develop YOU!Community as a long-term element of the Professional Integration HUB architecture, strengthening the visibility and professional opportunities of Ukrainian women in Austria.

NEXT CHAPTER

Over three years, HUB has evolved far beyond an internship program. It has become an integration ecosystem enabling institutional partnerships, knowledge exchange and long-term cooperation, and supporting both professional integration and Ukraine’s future recovery.

“The next phase marks a shift from emergency response to long-term thinking. Ukrainians in Europe are no longer only adapting — they are co-creating and shaping shared futures. This calls for new formats that support entrepreneurship, more thoughtful labour market integration, and lead to long-lasting impact.” — Yana Barinova, Director for European Policies and Ukrainian Projects, ERSTE Foundation.

Details of the next phase will be announced in the coming months.

The Professional Integration HUB program was established in 2023 to facilitate the integration of Ukrainian specialists into the European professional environment. In addition, the experience gained under the program will be a significant contribution to the development of Ukraine and its integration into the EU. The project was initiated by ERSTE Foundation and implemented by the European Centre for Freedom and Independence.

ERSTE Foundation serves as a creative workshop for ideas and innovation, a laboratory for future-oriented topics, and strategically cooperates with networks. As the main shareholder of Erste Group, ERSTE Foundation secures the independent future of one of the largest financial services providers in Central, Eastern, and South Eastern Europe. Committed to serving the common good, the private Austrian savings banks foundation believes in supporting individuals to thrive.

The European Centre for Freedom and Independence is a non-governmental organization registered by Ukrainian women in Vienna in 2022, at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The projects that the organization implements in the EU countries are related to Ukraine and are aimed at promoting its reconstruction and European integration.

Watch the video to see highlights from the Professional Integration HUB 3.0 program: