Scientific and Educational Projects

Project number: 610133
Project name: Academic Response to Hybrid Threats – WARN
Project acronym: WARN
Call: 610133-EPP-1-2019-1-FI-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP
Topic: Erasmus+ Capacity Building Project 610133-EPP-1-2019-1-FI-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

Web site of the Project: https://warn-erasmus.eu/

Project duration: November 15, 2019 – November 14, 2024

Coordinator at NUOA: Eduard Balashov, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, eduard.balashov@oa.edu.ua

The new hybrid threats challenge the world, and Ukraine in particular, on every level:- new threats result to unknown and dangerous vulnerabilities of the societies- currently societies lack sufficient knowledge and skills to cope with new threats- present academic curricula do not even remotely prepare to complex hybrid threats.- Ukrainian state officials, regional administrations and ministries dealing with reality of hybrid war, are lacking the knowledge and skills to recognize, classify and counter hybrid threats with required efficiency. The analysis of Ukrainian curricula in fields of business and administration, information and communication technologies, social and behavioral science, arts, education, journalism and information showed that current curricula tend to be discipline based and do not address hybrid challenges adequately. The project aims to renew the above listed curricula by introducing unique content that builds awareness of hybrid threats and innovative gamified teaching methods that provide skills and competences to tackle complex threats proactively. The upgraded contents, based on newest EU partner curricula, together with new gamified teaching methods based on AI-inspired adversarial learning, will be used both in MSc degree education and in LLL to train “positive change agents” in diverse professional fields. The change agents will learn to adapt proactively to new complex, hybrid challenges, and to disseminate their knowledge to the society. International community of educators and alumnae (WARN network) will be created to guarantee the sustainable development of the educational content, teaching methods and dissemination after the project. The project will link to diverse stakeholders (ministries, state officials, local authorities, companies) for developing the content and to create real life scenarios as teaching materials for both degree education and LLL intensive courses, and for training them to counter hybrid threats.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• To fill the security skills gap across various professional domains to increase civic resilience to hybrid threats in Ukraine;
• To adapt study programs in 7 fields of study and to create LLL course on Countering hybrid threats;
• To pilot the adapted study programs and LLL courses;
• To create a trans sectoral environment devoted to countering hybrid threats;

Project number: 101081342
Project name: Self-Regulated Studies of Hybrid Threats and European Security
Project acronym: EUROHYBSEC
Call: ERASMUS-JMO-2022-HEI-TCH-RSCH
Topic: ERASMUS-JMO-2022-MODULE

Web site of the Project: https://eurohybsec.oa.edu.ua/

Project duration: November 1, 2023 – November 1, 2025

Coordinator: Eduard Balashov, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, eduard.balashov@oa.edu.ua

The National University of Ostroh Academy is the first Ukrainian public university, which established the educational program “National security”. The aim of this program is to prepare the new generation of experts in the sphere of security studies for think tanks, public administration, NGOs, and the private sector. This is a kind of mission of NUOA that is very important in situations of hybrid aggression from russia.
The project's aim is to promote European principles of building a strong and secure order by using new forms and methods of communications and to create a clear vision of the European security system for target audiences.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• to raise awareness of the target audience in the field of European security studies, of the EU and the EU-Ukraine relations in the sphere of security;
• to initiate active public debate on European security issues and security policy at local, regional and national levels;
• to involve the academic community, civil society, local authorities, and the representatives of institutions, interested in the sustainable development of Ukraine, based on European values, that will ensure European standards of living and decent place of Ukraine in the world;
• to coordinate partner cooperation in informing the society on European integration of Ukraine between authorities at the regional level, NGOs, and other interested institutions.

Project number: -
Project name: REACT – Resilience and Adaptive Capability in Training: Higher Educational Institutions in Ukraine In Light of the Russian Invasion
Project acronym: REACT
Call: SI Baltic Sea Neighbourhood Programme – special call for Ukraine, 2023
Topic: Support for PhD students and younger researchers

Web site of the Project: -

Project duration: January, 2024 – December, 2024

Coordinator: Eduard Balashov, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, eduard.balashov@oa.edu.ua

Ukraine needs a competent cadre of young researchers who can use rapid ethnographic assessment methods (REAP)  to quickly gain information on relevant social issues, whereas its senior scholars are under double strain to continue their teaching while adapting to conditions of war. Our project aims to relieve that burden by providing young Ukrainian scholars with practical training in REAP, taking them through a short practical project to gain experience in the field, and aiding them with publications of the results afterwards.

Additionally, the data intended to be gathered as part of the project (what adaptations Ukrainian institutions had to make/challenges they faced in continued operations under conditions of wartime) could be directly useful to Ukrainian and Swedish institutions of higher education both – Ukraine for a more systematized review of what has worked so far, and Sweden for potential preparations for crisis scenarios.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• to conduct a teaching program/workshop that teaches rapid assessment methods of fieldwork and allows the researchers to test it out in a controlled environment and with feedback from more seasoned colleagues;
• To conduct a pilot study where young scholars could test out the data collection and analysis processes they learned under the guidance of senior colleagues;
• To mentor the young scholars in publishing in Western journals by providing guidance on orientation among journals and feedback on drafts;

Project number: Dnr 2023-04097-01
Project name: Foreign Veterans, PTSD and Moral Injury
Project acronym: -
Call: Research Project in Collaboration with the Swedish Defence University
Topic: PTSD and Moral Injury

Web site of the Project: -

Project duration: October 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024

Coordinator: Eduard Balashov, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, eduard.balashov@oa.edu.ua

Research on mental health issues, including moral distress/trauma related to stressful situations and military operations. The results of the project are expected to provide valuable information on how to prepare for future military conflicts and war. 

The specific objectives of the project are:

• to study veterans in both Sweden and Ukraine and compare the results in both countries;
• to test existing instruments (moral distress/trauma) in the Swedish and Ukrainian context;

Project number: 0123U101555
Project name: Social and psychological rehabilitation of veterans and persons who suffered from military actions through the formation of metacognitive monitoring
Project acronym: -
Call: Ministry of the Education and Science of Ukraine, Decree No. 232 dated 03.03.2023

Topic: Fundamental scientific research on the most important problems development of scientific and technical, socio-economic, socio-political, human potential

Web site of the Project: -

Project duration: February 1, 2023 – December 31, 2025

Coordinator: Ihor Pasichnyk, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, oa@oa.edu.ua

The specific objectives of the project are:

• conducting a study of the process of social and psychological rehabilitation of persons who participated in or suffered from the military actions, by forming metacognitive monitoring for identifying its effective components, their connections with the effectiveness of the process of psychological recovery and psychotherapy; 
• studying the influence of the characteristics of personal qualities, cognitive, individual and psychological features on this process

Project number: 101084973
Project name: Civil society in conflict resolution process: the EU experience for Ukraine
Project acronym: EURoCoRP
Call: ERASMUS-JMO-2022-HEI-TCH-RSCH
Topic: ERASMUS-JMO-2022-MODULE

Web-site of the Project: https://eurocorp.oa.edu.ua 

Project duration: 01 November 2022 – 31 October 2025

Coordinator: Olena Shershnova, Ass. Prof., olena.shershniova@oa.edu.ua

This Project aims to promote the EU values of civil society in the conflict resolution process and increase awareness about the present conflicts hybrid type.

Specific objectives are:

• to activate discussions about current conflicts hybrid type between the academic world and broad audiences, especially media, local policymakers, representatives of amalgamated communities of Rivne and Khmelnytskyi by providing three roundtables with EU speakers;
• to remote excellence in teaching and research in the field of EU studies worldwide by preparation of 3 courses “Hybrid conflicts as a threat to security systems,” “Activism in cyberspace as a hybrid threats counter,” and “Civil society in resolving modern conflicts” (15 ECTS) for not less than 75 BA students;
• to generate knowledge about civil society in the field of conflict resolution process through research activities in this field by preparing 2 peer-reviewed articles;
• to strengthen the role of the EU as a political actor in the conflict resolution process by providing 10 planned project events, especially in Three International Conferences “The problem of cultural identity in the situation of contemporary dialogue of cultures” and the International Conference “Civil society in conflict resolution process: the EU experience for Ukraine” with EU speakers (not less than 200 people will take part);
• to build a stronger project team, who receive the ability to adapt EU experience at local and regional levels for sustainable development of project deliverables, as well as for future ideas and plans;
• to increase the number of information products on the topic of civil society in the conflict resolution process in the project implementation process by creating 3 didactic materials;
• to provide information dissemination and promotion of project activities and results among the citizens of Ukraine by spreading 3 types of this Project’s deliverables (website, MOOC and Textbook) to a wider audience.

Project number: 101127113
Project name: Studies of Principles and Values of European Politics from Pericles to Modern Times
Project acronym: POLIS
Call: ERASMUS-JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH
Topic: ERASMUS-JMO-2023-MODULE

Web site of the Project: https://eupolis.oa.edu.ua 

Project duration: 01 November 2023 – 31 October 2026

Coordinator: Dmytro Shevchuk, Doctor of Science, Professor, dmytro.shevchuk@oa.edu.ua

European politics is based on the solid principles and values created throughout history. That’s why we decided to investigate and present these values and principles within the Jean Monnet Module from the time of Pericles to current EU policies. Political values play a significant role in creating the European political order. The EU institutions use values to bind a European community together and justify political actions. On the other hand, political values and principles present the foundations of EU identity.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• to develop and implement in the educational process a module dedicated to the studies of principles and values of European politics, which will allow students to get acquainted with the main principles, concepts, and practical cases;
• to actualize the problem of European politics in scientific research of the European Union and its policy to ensure the European identity of Ukrainian peoples and create space for dialogue about EU integration of Ukraine;
• to popularize European values to form the political culture of Ukraine based on European principles, which will provide solutions to the problems of Ukrainian society and strengthen the development of democratic institutions.

The present Jean Monnet Module includes 3 teaching courses for students (“Introduction to European Politics: origins, principles, values”, “Policies of the European Union”, “European politics for future: lessons to Ukraine”); 3 didactic materials for the courses and 1 informational guide “The political ‘alphabet’ of EU”; website “POLIS: Studies of principles and values of European politics from Pericles to modern times”; podcast “POLIS: principles and values of European politics from Pericles to modern times”; 2 peer-reviewed articles, based on research made in this project; 3 international conferences, dedicated to the issues of European politics, EU policies, Ukrainian political culture, and modern challenges; 3 panel discussions with experts from Ukraine and EU countries; workshop about EU policies for public authorities, representatives of local self-government institutions, journalists and media experts.

Project number: 101126800
Project name: European Studies of Intercultural Communication: the EU experience for Ukraine
Project acronym: EuCultCom
Call: ERASMUS-JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH
Topic: ERASMUS-JMO-2023-MODULE

Web site of the Project: https://eucom.oa.edu.ua 

Project duration: 01 November 2023 – 31 October 2026

Coordinator: Mariia Petrushkevych, Doctor of Science, Professor, mariia.petrushkevych@oa.edu.ua

This Project aims to promote the EU values and principles of intercultural communication and dialogue between cultures. It is also focused on the spread of European experience in Ukraine in the context of European integration aspirations and the development of a society with a democratic political culture.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• to develop and implement in the educational process a module on the issues of European studies of intercultural communication, which will allow students to get acquainted with the main principles, concepts, and practical cases.
• to actualize the problem of intercultural communication in scientific research of the European Union and its policy to ensure peoples’ identity and create space for dialogue between cultures and communities in Europe.
• to popularize European values and to form the political culture of Ukraine based on the European principles of intercultural communication, which will provide solutions to the problems of Ukrainian society, which is multicultural in nature.
• promote the European integration of Ukraine.

The structure of the module consists of different types of project activities:

• 3 teaching courses for students of “Journalism”, “Political Studies”, “Cultural Studies”, “European Studies”, “International Relations”, “Regional Studies”.;
• a handbook “Introduction to European Studies of intercultural communication”,
• web site “EuCultCom: European Studies of Intercultural Communication: the EU experience for Ukraine”,
• MOOC “European Studies of intercultural communication”;
• 2 peer-reviewed articles;
• 3 international conferences dedicated to the problem of intercultural communication for scholars, public administration, and representatives of Ukrainian media, a roundtable for representatives of public administration, NGO activists, students, academic staff, and researchers.
• 3 roundtables with experts from Ukraine and EU countries. 1 workshop for journalists and media experts.

Project number: 11157
Project name: An Ostroh Academy-University of St Andrews Partnership for Advancing the Public Humanities
Call: the UK-Ukraine Twinning Initiative
Topic: The UK-Ukraine R&I Twinning Grants Scheme

Project duration: 22 November 2022 – 31 December 2023

Coordinator: Maksym Karpovets, Ph.D., Associate Professor, maksym.karpovets@oa.edu.ua

The project uses a programme of fellowships and workshops for scholars in the humanities and social sciences to strengthen collaborative links between the University of St Andrews and Ostroh Academy. Building on synergies between the research institutions that have been established across university departments and disciplines, this initiative is designed to facilitate the creation of a dynamic and durable interdisciplinary research community that will use its interconnected expertise to advance the public humanities and build cultural resilience, contributing to the task of building a sustainable, equitable future in Ukraine.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• to develop a supportive environment for working with Ukrainian colleagues, including administrative support and improved bureaucratic procedures, and enhanced Ukraine-focused research and teaching; 
• to enhance its crisis response procedures, putting the current war in a broader geopolitical context and enabling future planning; 
• To give an access to mentorship and training opportunities for the strengthening (and in some cases re-building) of vigorous research and teaching programmes; 
• To provide an access to St Andrews University libraries, research and innovation services and the global office, facilities and networks, research support and design, publication and dissemination of findings, and shared strategies and practice for engaging and influencing policy makers.

The results of the project are:

Ukrainian residential fellows (Maksym Karpovets, Zoia Stoliar, Nataliia Kulesha, Zoriana Hodunok, and Anastasiia Kheleniuk) from the National University of Ostroh Academy visited the University of St. Andrews in May-June 2023. During their stay at the university, they implemented several important tasks set in the grant project. The researchers met with teachers and administrative staff of the university, in particular Nicki Hitchcott (Head of the School of Modern Languages), David Donaldson (Professor in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience), Paula Miles (Senior Lecturer and the Director of Teaching for the School of Psychology & Neuroscience), Katie Eagleton (Director of Libraries and Museums). Ukrainian researchers and colleagues from St. Andrews discussed the main challenges in humanities, librarianship, and museums. They considered the perspective of the cultural and educational development of Ukraine during/after the war. 

The critical part of the project was interviewing Ukrainians who were forced to relocate during the war. In particular, Nataliia Kulesha and Zoriana Hodunok interviewed 12 Ukrainians in different cities of Scotland, namely St. Andrews, Edinburgh, and Dundee. The researchers also participated in three workshops (Durham, St. Andrews, Lviv) on cultural memory, public history, and urban history. They discussed crucial cultural resistance issues with colleagues from academia and the public (for example, from the miners’ union). Maksym Karpovets and Anastasiia Kheleniuk visited public museums in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee, studying the cultural heritage of Scotland, as well as the specifics of exhibition organizations. The results of observations and discussions will be used for further joint projects between universities.

As for Ukrainian non-residential fellows, they worked on their research within the framework of scholarship support: Eduard Balashov investigated the issues of intercultural communication and cooperation within the war; Khrystyna Karpovets learned the cultural aspects of manipulation within the framework of communicative linguistics; Yuliia Kovalchuk continued her work in representing linguistic stereotypes in English and German linguistic cultures; Bohdan Novak explored ties between the Crimean Khanate and the Caucasus region. For more effective work, a separate office for four scientists was created in the space of the Ostroh Academy, which will also allow young researchers and postgraduate students to work more effectively. Also, a new educational space was established for primary school students, for whom a project on cultural resistance is planned in terms of Ukrainian cultural heritage, media literacy, and psychological stability. 

Some of residential and non-residential scholars visited Center for Urban History in Lviv, where they discussed memory issues with Ukrainian and Scottish colleagues. This workshop “Public History in the Context of War: Rethinking Approaches and Formats” became a landmark event for discussing issues of memory preservation in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. At the same time, it was a platform for establishing cooperation with the colleagues of the former Mariupol Museum, scholars from Odesa and Kyiv.

Project number: 101085107
Project name: Human Rights in the EU
Project acronym: HREU
Call: ERASMUS-JMO-2022-HEI-TCH-RSCH
Topic: ERASMUS-JMO-2022-MODULE

Web site of the Project: https://hreu.oa.edu.ua/ 

Project duration: 01 November 2022 – 31 October 2025

Coordinator: Olha Balatska, PhD (Legal Science), Associate Professor, olha.balatska@oa.edu.ua

The Jean Monnet Module “Human rights in the EU” aims to explore and enhance knowledge of fundamental human rights and freedoms in the EU and to raise awareness of the role of EU institutions in developing the relevant legal framework. The practical realization of human rights affects the daily lives of all citizens and the protection and promotion of these rights are central to public institutions. These challenges require the university to incorporate the study of human rights in the EU into the educational system, to inform a wide audience of human rights in the EU, EU citizenship as a unique legal status, and to disseminate their application and practical use in Ukraine. Ensuring that the target groups learn and understand fundamental human rights and freedoms in the EU, EU citizenship, EU case law will be implemented through three training courses. Creating a platform for debate and interaction between academics, legal professionals, and active civil society to support the protection of human rights and uphold EU democratic values will be realized through the creation of a website of project and Telegram-bot. Dissemination of key EU human rights issues, informing the wider audience, and promoting EU law standards and values in the legal system of Ukraine and EU member states will be realized through launching The International Forum Human, The National Debate Competition, Alumni talks and preparation of academic articles. Consolidation and cooperation in the creation of best practices for the implementation of human rights in the EU between the academic community, lawyers, NGOs and other interested institutions will be implemented through the development of the casebook “Human rights in the EU”. Using the project results will contribute to the reform of higher education, particularly in the context of the training of lawyers, and improve the visibility of what the European Union stands for.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• Ensure learning and understanding of the target audience in the field of fundamental human rights and freedoms in EU, EU citizenship, EU case law, based on new teaching technologies and visions.
• Create a platform for debates and synergies between the academic community, representatives of legal professionals, and active civil society to uphold human rights protection and support democratic EU values.
• Spread the main issues about EU fundamental human rights by informing a wide audience about their EU citizenship rights, promoting EU law standards and values in the legal system of Ukraine and EU member states.
• Consolidation and collaboration in creating the best practices of implementation exercising EU human rights between the academic community, legal professionals, NGOs, and other interested institutions.

There are 4 types of project activities that different indicators could analyze for indication of achieving project goals and their impact:

• 3 teaching courses: “Fundamental human rights and freedoms in the EU” for students of such educational programs as “Law”, “Politology”, “National security”, “International Relations”, “Regional Studies”; “EU Citizenship Rights: case studies” for students of such educational programs as “Law”, “Politology”, “National security”, “International Relations”, “Regional Studies”, students who study at the university from different regions of Ukraine; Practical Course “Human rights in action” for legal professionals, teachers, scientists, representatives of public administration, NGO’s activists, students, academic staff, researchers.
• Casebook “Human rights in the EU”, Report of Alumni Talks meetings “The implementation of EU human rights and values», MOOC “EU human rights education studies ”, Website: “Human rights in the EU”, Telegram-bot EU values&rights, didactic materials of courses, project report.
• The International Forum “Human rights, democracy and the rule of law: interaction in the EU”, The National Debate Competition “EU citizens rights across borders”, Alumni talks “Human rights matters”;
• 2 peer-reviewed articles based on research carried out as part of the project.

Project number: 101127578
Project name: Hub of the EU solutions
Project acronym: HEUS
Call: ERASMUS-JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH
Topic: ERASMUS-JMO-2023-COE

Web site of the Project: https://heus-portal.oa.edu.ua/ 

Project duration: 01 September 2023 – 31 August 2026

Coordinator: Olha Balatska, PhD (Legal Science), Associate Professor, olha.balatska@oa.edu.ua

The overall goal of this educational project HEUS is to establish a multi-functional center that promotes modern education, expertise and leadership in European solutions, encourages interaction between education, business, government, and civil society in Ukraine, and bring the EU closer to the wide audience. The project aims to achieve this goal by offering a wide range of educational, scientific, analytical, information, and technological activities and solutions to a variety of target groups, including students, teachers, lecturers, researchers, legal professionals, diplomats, policy-makers, civil servants, and others. The HEUS will be organized in the format of clusters, which together will create a multifunctional and transnational, interdisciplinary and innovative space of the center. The clusters start up an innovative training hub for teaching activities, and advanced training of the target audience in the field of EU studies. It will increase a proper understanding of the structure and interpretation of EU law and its application, EU security, EU digital issues, based on new teaching technologies and visions. This center would also serve as the marketplace portal of expertise, research, and data analytics regarding European Union-Ukraine partnerships with useful EU resources, consultations, legal solutions, decisions, and expertise (EU Digests, EU policy papers, EU law compliance reports, practical checklists, guides etc.) in EU-related issues within Ukraine for both local and national stakeholders. The hub will ensure that EU solutions, resources, and materials are updated, improved, and implemented through unique means of information technology, digitalization, security measures, practical application, and implementation between Ukrainian and international partners. It is oriented to a wide audience.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• support teaching and research in the field of European Union studies worldwide;
• promoting active European citizenship and values and addressing the role of the EU in a globalized world, raising awareness of the EU and inclusion, and people-to-people dialogue;
• aiming to act as a vector of public diplomacy towards third countries, promoting EU values and improving the visibility of what the European Union stands for and what it intends to achieve.

The hub is organized in the format of clusters, which together create a multifunctional, interdisciplinary, and innovative space of the center. The hub have 4 clusters: “Law and soft skills”, “Security and information”, “Start-up and digitalization”, and “Openness and expertise”. Each cluster includes specific tasks and various types of project activities that different indicators could analyze for indication of achieving project goals and their impact. 

Each cluster of the Center “HEUS” consists of tasks with components of certain project activities, that complete each other and their realization is correlated with a project budget:

• Learning component is linked to the hub capacity-building through teaching courses, certified training programs, advanced training, academic mobility teaching and training programs, internships, workshops, camps for students and youth usually not covered by EU studies;
• Didactic component complements to prepare training materials, particularly handbooks with the curricula, didactic materials and learning recommendations concerning the module courses, Handbook “EU useful tips for educators”, “The EU terminological guide for Ukrainians”, and The Report of Summit “EU challenges and solutions”. The project aims to renew the curricula by introducing unique content that builds awareness of european studies and innovative gamified teaching methods that provide skills and competences to tackle threats proactively and make solutions;
• Research component includes the individual research activities of senior research fellows. They are related to scientific research, testing of results and solutions on topical issues of European integration, EU law, case law of the EU Court of Justice, international security, threats, digitalization, and data analytics.
• Event component associated with conducting of the International Forum “EU-Ukraine relations in the face global challenges”, International panel discussion “EU-NATO and Ukrainian status quo”, Law-Business Case Study Competition, EU Pitch “New startup generation”, EU model “Digital Europe: challenges and solutions”, EU Networking Café, EU Marathon “Choose a career with EU”, Summit “EU challenges and solutions”, ProjectCHEK. Additional tasks and outcomes will be printed/electronic materials as results of conducting above mentioned events;
• Promotion component aims to disseminate information about all activities, the process of teaching/training/research/analytics/expertise and significant events. Also a Portal “EU Solutions for business and citizens” will provide open access to materials and resources. Creating Series of podcasts “Ukraine-EU: Stronger together” will provide distance-learning and self-learning for a wide audience. Mobile app “EU SoluHUB” will provide EU one-stop-shop solutions and resources for mobile devices for wide audience;
• Expertise component aims to promote information and data analytics in the form of ready-made expertises in Law & Skills (EU law compliance reports), Security &Information (EU Digest), Startup & Digital (EU Policy papers). Also the project will provide expertise and analytics on request from portal users.