Rethinking Internationalization of Higher Education in the Times of War: The Case of Embattled Ukraine

(For the panel “Academia in Times of Crises”) Anatoly Oleksiyenko The Education University of Hong Kong Wars and conflicts undermine the internationalization purposes of higher education. Disrupted or discontinued cross-border partnerships and mobility, restricted or censored curricula and research projects, and the abandonment of sensitive topics and discussions all degrade the learning environment and stifle inquiry on campuses. Sustaining a positive impact created by crisis-stricken internationalization agendas can be difficult in the absence of high ethical norms and compelling reasons for engagement and collaboration. As the conflict escalates, intellectual stakeholders face increasingly complex dilemmas. Scholars and students have to navigate the treacherous landscape of conflicting ideologies, loyalties, and interests, raising difficult questions about their roles, responsibilities, and allegiances. This presentation examines the case of Ukrainian universities affected by the Russian invasion during 2014-2025, to explore the impacts generated by changing internationalization landscapes and embattled campuses. The study draws on interviews and survey responses of 42 participants from different venues of responsibilities in the Ukrainian academe. The participants reflect on the internationalization transformations before and after the Russian invasion of 2022. They share their insights on dilemmas faced by senior administrators, faculty members and students in restructuring their commitments and budgets, while moving across the territory of Ukraine (to escape occupation as well as the systematic assault of missiles and drones targeting civilian and educational places) as well as negotiating their spaces and roles in the European donor countries facilitating refuge for female academics and their children. The study participants share their transformative experiences and insights regarding the challenges of crisis management and sustainability while also questioning the institutional abilities to confront the Soviet-styled internationalization legacy in environments lacking innovative practices and ambitions. In the context of declining resources for international collaboration and exchange, the participants discuss the growing importance of transnational solidarity and intellectual leadership in sustaining higher quality and more inclusive cross-border learning. The presented paper advances the concept of crisis-stricken internationalization in higher education by examining political, social, educational and technological forces. Concurrently, it elaborates on the limitations of knowledge in the field, affected by the geopolitics of transnational academic solidarity and capital-making. While research in this domain recognizes the importance of negotiated peaceful spaces and progressive learning within interculturally-minded campuses and communities, it also underestimates the power of allegiances created by the previous phases of internationalization in higher education. The concluding part of this paper argues that the transformative forces begin to develop hybrid interpretations when internationalization strategies overlook the complexity of legacies and avoid the conundrums of entrenched discourses in the field. The study suggests a deeper engagement with comparative aspects of internationalization in various war and conflict zones to fathom aspirations, approaches and challenges in reframing cross-border research and teaching.