Internationalization of higher education in tumultuous times: transformative powers and problems in embattled Ukraine

Contemporary crisis management in Ukraine's higher education system: a case study from the crises of the pandemic and the invasion

“…In particular the Soviet legacy has left Ukraine with what Kulyk (2022) refers to as "rather strong institutionalization", thus affirming in the Ukrainian context Kowalczuk-Wale ˛dziak et al's (2022) broader diagnosis of the Central and Eastern European region as a whole we cited earlier: a strict sense of bureaucratic control fastidiously upheld and maintained by post-Soviet, national governing bodies over educational institutions, educators and students. However, this lasting sense of control not only exists on a bureaucratic level, but in terms of perceived education and research quality: for instance, in terms of forming working relationships with universities outwith Ukraine, Oleksiyenko et al (2022) argue that "[s]truggling with Soviet legacies fueling mediocrity, Ukrainian universities [have been] unable to develop reputable partnerships in international research, or improve their university rankings". The Institute's staff face a lingering fear that regulations will be enforced in an unpredictable and punitive manner (e.g.…”

The educational process of Ukrainian university students following the full-scale Russian invasion

“…However, the invasion changed everything dramatically. Any mention of previous or potential relations with Russia became a source of pain, resentment and outrage; at the same time, due to migration, the rigid bureaucracy disintegrated, while connections with Western academics significantly increased (Oleksiyenko et al, 2023). The use of the Russian language is frowned upon, and university teachers are forced to search for sources in Ukrainian or English.…”