The Institutional Role of the CDTO and the System for Training Digital Leaders in Ukraine

Who CDTOs are and what they do

In 2020, a new position was introduced in the public sector — the Chief Digital Transformation Officer (CDTO), essentially the head of digital transformation. A CDTO serves as a deputy minister, a deputy head of a central executive authority, or a deputy head of an oblast military administration. This is neither an IT department head nor a technical advisor, but an executive responsible for digital transformation of the entire institution.

The role of a CDTO spans four main areas. First, strategic — defining the vision for how and why an institution undergoes digital transformation. Second, operational — overseeing specific services, platforms, and registries. Third, coordination — managing teams and liaising with other agencies and partners. Fourth, analytical — making decisions at the intersection of technological capabilities, legal constraints, and citizens’ needs.

In practice, this entails a broad range of responsibilities: from ensuring the provision of electronic services and protecting state information resources to developing citizens’ digital skills, expanding networks of administrative service centers, and implementing e-democracy tools. A CDTO coordinates relevant units, participates in drafting regulations in the areas of digital transformation and innovation, oversees the implementation of digital transformation programs and related expenditures.

In April 2025, the CDTO mandate was expanded: CDTOs are now responsible not only for digital transformation but also for driving innovation. This includes developing technology partnerships, launching pilot projects, and scaling solutions that have proven effective.

Digital leaders at the community and regional levels play a key role in the country’s digital transformation. While a CDTO shapes strategy and is responsible for policy at the level of a ministry or regional military administration, a community-level digital leader focuses on implementation: launching electronic services locally, maintaining digital infrastructure, and helping residents access public services quickly and conveniently. It is this two-tier model that enables digital transformation to become a reality not only in large cities but also in smaller communities across the country.

How many CDTOs and digital leaders does Ukraine have?

As of April 1, 2026, Ukraine has 45 CDTOs serving in central executive authorities: 14 in ministries and 33 in other central executive bodies, such as the State Migration Service, the Pension Fund, the State Border Guard Service, and the State Archival Service.

An additional 16 CDTOs (as of April 1, 2026) serve in regional military administrations. At the community and regional levels, there are 1,530 digital leaders.

The network of CDTOs at the ministry and central executive authority levels cannot expand indefinitely, as the number of institutions is limited. Instead, another layer is growing rapidly: managers and members of digital transformation teams within institutions, as well as community-level digital leaders across the country.

However, without high-quality training, even the largest network remains little more than a list of positions on an organizational chart. That is why Ukraine has established an educational infrastructure to train digital leaders.

CDTO Campus: where the state’s digital leaders are trained

In 2023, CDTO Campus was launched as a national educational initiative to train digital leaders for the public sector. It was initiated by Mykhailo Fedorov, Minister of Defense of Ukraine and formerly Minister of Digital Transformation (2019–2026), and Valeriia Ionan, Advisor to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine and Advisor to the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. The project is implemented by the East Europe Foundation with support from international donors and partners.

The first training programs were launched in January 2024. Over two years, CDTO Campus has trained more than 1,600 participants, received over 9,000 applications, and delivered more than 40 training programs with the involvement of over 150 lecturers — Ukrainian and international experts in digital governance, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.

How CDTO Campus is structured

Since 2025, CDTO Campus has operated under a faculty-based model, comprising four areas.

The GovTech Faculty is the core track for training CDTOs. It focuses on modernizing public administration through digital solutions, including service design, registries, platforms, change management, and data governance.

The AI Faculty develops practical skills in applying artificial intelligence in the public sector — from automating routine processes to supporting data-driven decision-making.

The Diia Faculty is designed for teams working within the Ministry of Digital Transformation ecosystem and reflects the specifics of managing large-scale government digital products.

In November 2025, the Cybersecurity Faculty was expanded into CISO Campus.

CISO Campus: cybersecurity as a separate priority

In 2025, Ukraine officially introduced the position of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) across all public institutions, including central executive authorities, regional military administrations, regional state administrations, and community-level authorities. On November 26, 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the procedure for appointing a CISO, including candidate requirements, vetting procedures, and a list of required certifications.

The programs are designed for cybersecurity leaders, incident response managers, and specialists from CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team), CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team), and SOC (Security Operations Center), as well as those aspiring to leadership roles in cybersecurity. The training integrates managerial, analytical, and technical competencies.

Flagship program: “Digital transformation in public governance”

The flagship program of the GovTech Faculty is “Digital Transformation in Public Administration.” The program is delivered in a blended format, combining in-person intensives with online modules. It is designed to cover the full range of competencies required of a CDTO — from leadership and strategy to practical tools for implementing change.

The first block focuses on leadership and change management. Initiatives in the public sector sometimes encounter resistance. Accordingly, the program begins not with technology, but with how to implement it: models of digital leadership, approaches to overcoming resistance, team development strategies, and the specifics of managing change in hierarchical public-sector institutions.

The second block focuses on strategic planning and public policy. A CDTO makes decisions in line with legislative requirements, interagency priorities, and government strategies. This block covers the institutional architecture of public administration in Ukraine, Lean methodology for the public sector, and the full strategic planning cycle — from defining performance indicators to developing a digital transformation roadmap.

The third block focuses on tools and technologies. Participants study state registries and their integration through platforms such as Diia, Trembita, and e-Data; the regulation of public procurement for digital projects; and project management methodologies, including Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid approaches. The block concludes with a practicum in which participants design the digital transformation of a specific process within their institution.

A dedicated module focuses on the regulatory environment — Ukrainian legislation in the area of digital transformation and key European standards such as eIDAS, GDPR, and NIS2. This is what distinguishes the public sector from business: every digital solution is implemented within a legislative framework.

The block on artificial intelligence in public governance approaches AI not as a trend, but as a managerial challenge. Participants analyze where and how AI can be applied in the public sector, while also addressing risks, including algorithmic bias, transparency requirements, data governance issues, and legal constraints.

The program also covers cybersecurity — the development of an information security management system in line with ISO 27001, incident response, and risk management; data management — including data governance, open data, and visualization tools such as Power BI and Qlik; and public communications and negotiations — how to advance digital initiatives in an interagency environment.

The program concludes with a block on government relations (GR) and engagement with donors: how grant programs operate and how to pitch digital projects to international partners. For Ukraine, where a significant share of digital initiatives is implemented with donor support, this is a practical necessity.

How to become a CDTO Campus student

CDTO Campus is not a closed program limited to current civil servants. Training is open to a wide range of applicants, and selection is conducted on a competitive basis.

Programs are open to individuals seeking to contribute to digital transformation of the government; early-career professionals entering the public sector; experienced digital transformation professionals and their teams; as well as specialists from IT, business, and the civic sector considering a transition to public service.

All programs are free of charge and are funded by international donors and project partners. Upon completion, participants receive career recommendations that support their employment in key digital transformation roles. Networking is an additional benefit: the programs provide direct engagement with the country’s digital leaders and opportunities to expand professional connections across the public sector.

What graduates have changed in their institutions

The most accurate measure of an educational initiative is measurable change in the institutions where its graduates work. A few examples:

One million service members submitted leave requests, certificates, and transfers on paper, which was extremely difficult under active combat conditions. Roman Zahorodnii, Project Lead for Army+ at CDTO Campus, developed the concept for a digital military ID, which serves as the basis for an updated version of the application. As of January 2026, Army+ has recorded more than 1.2 million approved online requests and 55,000 digital transfers between units, saving UAH 500 million for service members.

Obtaining a certificate of no criminal record or a firearms permit from the Ministry of Internal Affairs required an in-person visit, queuing, and several days of processing time. Alla Lytvyniuk from the Ministry’s state enterprise, INFOTECH, studied at CDTO Campus and, during the program, developed the architecture of a digital one-stop shop for the ministry’s services. The result: 350,000 users; a reduction in processing time for certificates of no criminal record from several days to a few minutes for 80% of requests; and a 30% decrease in in-person visits to the ministry.

Public digital services are often targeted by adversaries and must therefore be highly secure. Bohdan Korzhynskyi, leading the Red Team at the state enterprise Diia, completed training in offensive cybersecurity at CDTO Campus and transformed his team’s approach: security testing is now a regular part of the product lifecycle. Critical vulnerabilities are identified prior to public launch.

After completing her studies at CDTO Campus, Dariia Arbitman from the Khmelnytskyi Regional Military Administration conducted a comprehensive information security audit, developed a cyber resilience roadmap, and implemented an interdepartmental security management model. The region shifted from reactive incident response to a systematic, proactive approach.

CDTO Campus participants are transforming how the state serves citizens, the military, and businesses. Join them if you want to contribute to change in the country.