The international educational group Cambridge University Press & Assessment has announced Oleksandr Zhuk, a computer science teacher at Zaporizhzhia Special Comprehensive Boarding School «Dzherelo», as the regional winner of the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards 2025 in Europe. He was chosen by judges from among 5,000 candidates from 101 countries around the world.
The international educational group Cambridge University Press & Assessment has announced Oleksandr Zhuk, a computer science teacher at Zaporizhzhia Special Comprehensive Boarding School «Dzherelo», as the regional winner of the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards 2025 in Europe. He was chosen by judges from among 5,000 candidates from 101 countries around the world.
As noted in the press release, Zhuk was selected for his innovative use of technology to promote the success of his students, becoming the first Ukrainian teacher to be recognized as a regional winner in the seven-year history of the competition.
Oleksandr Zhuk is one of nine regional winners of the global Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards, which recognises outstanding educators from around the world. For his victory, he will receive a set of books for his class worth £500 and an honorary trophy. He will also take part in the awards ceremony and will receive a mention in the «Acknowledgements» section of a number of new Cambridge textbooks, which will be available from November 2025.
Oleksandr Zhuk has been teaching for 16 years and specializes in applying science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) to help children with special educational needs reach their potential. In 2020, the Varkey Foundation, a charity that works to improve education standards for children from low-income families around the world, included Oleksandr in the list of 50 nominees for the Global Teacher Prize.
«This recognition is a great honor for me. But the real reward has always been the joy and progress I see in my students every day. Working with children who face unique challenges proves that with enough support and faith, every child is capable of the incredible. This award is not just mine — it belongs to my students, their families, and the entire educational community of Ukraine, which continues to believe in the power of inclusive, meaningful education,» says Oleksandr Zhuk.
Voting for the 10 regional winners nominated for the title of global winner of the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards 2025 is open on the competition website until April 30; anyone can vote for Oleksandr Zhuk. The winner will be announced on May 21, 2025.
«At Cambridge, we are inspired by the stories of teachers who surpass themselves and exceed expectations, not for the sake of recognition, but because they believe in the power of education to transform lives. In an industry where artificial intelligence is at the forefront, it is heartening to see the warmth and humanity that this year’s winners bring to their classrooms… I congratulate Oleksandr on his outstanding achievements, which I am sure will inspire teachers and students across Europe,» said Rod Smith, Managing Director of International Education.
Previously, dev.ua spoke with several high school teachers about the use of ChatGPT by their students.
«It is best to formulate topics in such a way that the child needs to add something personal to the answer, that is, related to their own experience. In order for artificial intelligence, the same ChatGPT, to provide an answer with the student’s own personal experience, they need to prepare for this. In particular, they need to think about what they need to include in their answer when formulating the request,» said teacher Mykola Popadiuk, who became a semi-finalist of the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine 2024
