Education provision and academic mobility increase among students of National University of Life and Environmental Sciences (Ukraine) in conditions of war

Abstract

The article is devoted to problems of education in armed conflicts, namely, organization of training and development of mechanisms to protect education in emergencies and hostilities. The article also pays special attention to academic mobility increase of students of Ukraine’s higher education institutions in general and the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine in particular, who were forced to leave their place of permanent residence in the state. It is concluded that in order to continue education in conditions of war, there is a variation of formats, which educators can consider in accordance with the situation in a particular region. Continuity of education means providing it in a different way; this means that students will have access to learning process, despite the interruption of the traditional learning process. Alternative education methods may include non-formal education, intensification of training sessions, and organization of temporary places for training. The use of distance learning methods is important. The authors emphasize that it is the continuity of education that is crucial to support the political, socio-economic, cultural and scientific life of society, especially in conditions of war. For the Ukrainian educational system this challenge has become a kind of stimulus, which opened new opportunities and a catalyst for long-overdue modernization changes in education. The conducted research does not exhaust all the features and challenges that education is forced to face under conditions of war; the issue of the continuity of education at all levels in wartime conditions requires further research, in particular, the development and introduction of special training courses for managers, teachers, academic staff, scientists to ensure continuity of education in wartime conditions. Assistance to victims of armed conflicts (children in particular) and the development of psycho-pedagogical practices, psychosocial support and psychosocial methods aimed at supporting students remain equally important.