Studies in Comparative Education

LANGUAGE AS AN INDICATOR OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION

Oleksandra Borysenko , Oksana Cheberyako — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This article examines the growing role of English as an indicator of cross-border cooperation. The language is a powerful tool for communication, exchange of information and ideas, as well as for establishing connections and understanding between people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. In the context of globalisation and Ukraine's integration into the global economic space, learning ESP is becoming not just an advantage, but an urgent need for professionals in any field. This article analyses the level of English proficiency according to the EF EPI. But it is important to note that it measures only a certain segment of the population (adults who took the test) and may not reflect the level of English proficiency in specific professional areas, such as the one you are focusing on.

TRAUMA INFORMED FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Yevhen Plotnikov — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The article is devoted to the transformation of educational systems, which has become a prominent feature of our time, requires the use of sometimes unusual mechanisms for implementing daily educational practices. The problem of continuous professional development of school teachers is no exception. The professional development of a foreign language teacher is a complex, multidimensional process that usually aims to introduce qualitative changes in the general and professional competences of a specialist. Such development is conditioned not only by certain personal characteristics of a person, his/her intellectual level and professional experience, but also by the wider social and educational context.

SCHOLARSHIP AND PRESSURES OF LEGACY, POLITICS, AND WAR: EXPERIENCES OF UKRAINIAN HISTORIANS

Ielysaveta Shchepetylnykova — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Russia’s hybrid war against Ukraine has combined missile and military assaults with disinformation about Ukrainian history, culture, and traditions. However, scholarship evaded making sense of the challenges faced by Ukrainian historians struggling to overcome the Soviet legacy of ideological indoctrination at a time when their country is fighting for freedom and independence. This study investigated conceptualizations of challenges historians face in their epistemic domains and their roles and responsibilities in the de-Sovietization of their intellectual communities and society at large. Analysis of interviews and documents suggests that the Soviet legacy of dogmatism and binary thinking continues influencing knowledge production among scholars fearful of stepping out of their self-censorship cages even after the door has been open. The abolition of state ideology in independent Ukraine encouraged Soviet-trained scholars to re-orient from Marxism to ethno-national paradigm. Nevertheless, their peers have challenged this binary thinking. Tensions rise between dogma-oriented scholars and their counterparts who strive to speak the truth about history, which is nuanced, unsettling, and never final. This task becomes increasingly challenging in the context of Russia’s genocidal war that weaponizes history to justify its crimes. Social pressure encourages scholars to produce counterpropaganda narratives limiting their academic freedom and opportunities for critical inquiry.

THE LANDSCAPE OF HIGHER EDUCATION INTERNATIONALIZATION IN FINLAND

Liudmyla Zagoruiko — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The paper contributes to the defining of peculiarities of higher education internationalization in Finland. The issue was revealed from different angles, namely, teaching methodologies, research practices, and external engagement.

The key areas of the internationalisation strategy (2015) have been described in five objectives, namely, international higher education community, increasing quality and attractiveness, exporting knowledge, supporting a multicultural society and global responsibility. A new international higher education and research policy for Finland (2017-2025), titled “Better together for a better world” has been analised withing the crusial recommendations on implementation of policies to promote internationalization. The forum’s paper “Vision for strengthening the international dimension of Finnish higher education and research by 2035” was analysed. It was stated that the “Vision” viewed Finland as the socialty, economically and politically developed country with a strong focus on sustainable development challenges and cooperation. The options proposed by the Finnish National Agency for Education to fund internationalisation of higher education have been investigated. The options contained different possibilities to be involved into EDUFI traineeships, Scholarship Programmes for Doctoral-level studies and research in Finland, Creative Europe (2021–2027), Finnish language and culture studies in universities outside Finland and Civil Servant Exchange Programme. All the mentioned options stimulate higher education internationalisation via cooperation with different stakeholders.

After studied official papers and literature sources it could be concluded that higher education internationalisation in Finland is an integral component of the mission for all Finnish higher education institutions. Minisrty of Education and Culture and Finnish National Agency for Education suppors, coordinate and monitor the internationalisation process within the country.

WAR … EDUCATION: COMPLEX SYNTAX OR PREPOSITIONS DO MATTER

Oksana Zabolotna — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0200

On May 17, the Studies in Comparative Education Editor-in-Chief and the UERA President prof. Oksana Zabolotna gave a CERC talk (CERC stands for Comparative Education Research Center of the University of Hong Kong) as part of the cycle of Post-Soviet Studies with Anatoly V. Oleksiyenko.

The talk drew the attention of people from different countries: China, Indonesia, Lithuania, Poland, and others. The talk concerned the following ideas:

The words 'war' and 'education' are abstract notions, but if connected by different prepositions, they acquire real meaning and require action to save humanity. The presenter looked at different prepositions that might connect the words ‘war’ and ‘education’ and reinforced the phrase with examples from Ukrainian higher education during the current Russian-Ukrainian war.