University without Walls: Experience of Berdyansk State Pedagogical University during the war

Abstract

This study presents the experience of managing Berdyansk State Pedagogical University in the first year of a full-scale war. The purpose is to analyze the impact of management decisions on the performance indicators of the university in the conditions of temporary occupation and relocation to a new place. The relocation of Berdyansk State Pedagogical University (BSPU) to a safer territory enabled the resumption of educational activities in May 2022, after 53 days of functioning under occupation by russian troops. University staff decreased by 13%, with 57% moving to Ukraine-controlled territories and 43% remaining in the occupied zone. In addition, the student contingent decreased by 15%. The university’s scientific activity during the war decreased for only 9% in publication activity, and funding for science in 2023 increased by 379% compared to 2021. The university continued its third mission of social cooperation by providing humanitarian and psychological assistance and documenting the testimonies of people affected by the occupation. The university community currently exists in a virtual format, with staff and students in different parts of Ukraine and the world. The university must look to the future and overcome existing problems, such as preserving academic potential and student contingent, restoring electronic systems, and continuing pedagogical education.