Stories

Studying during wartime: daily reality in Odessa.

Despite the war, Ukrainian universities continue to function and try to adapt to the difficult conditions, introducing innovative educational approaches, and strengthening international cooperation. Even during war, Ukraine’s higher education system remains resilient. One of the institutions is Odessa National Economic University, partner of the U!REKA University Alliance. At the start of the new academic year, they are facing another hard period. We asked some lecturers and students how they cope with this.
Despite the war, Odessa National Economic University continues to function and tries to adapt to the difficult conditions, introducing innovative educational approaches, and strengthening international cooperation.

Small reminder: the war in Ukraine did not start with the Russian invasion in 2022, but with the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014 and the military conflict that arose during that period in the Donbas, the regions bordering Russia. The fightings after the invasion caused massive destruction, forcing millions of people to flee their homes.

Higher education has also been heavily affected: universities in occupied areas were evacuated, and many campuses were damaged or destroyed: 4139 education institutions have suffered bombings – 394 of which are completely destroyed and 3745 seriously damaged.

Alarms

At Odessa National Economic University, the material damage caused by the war has so far been limited to broken windows following a bomb strike on a nearby building. Nevertheless, there are a lot of alarms, sometimes several a day, says Krystyna Tarasova (Associate Professor of the Marketing Department, Assistant to the Rector): “The alarms, even if there are no bombings, have a profound impact on our education: every time we all need to hide in our bomb shelters – every building is equipped with shelters – which takes at least 20 minutes, but often we lose close to an hour of our education time. And this time is needed, because it’s very difficult to postpone lessons since many of our students are working students, given the difficult economic situation associated with the war. Continuing the lessons in the shelters is mostly not possible, partly because our shelters are also open for citizens.”

So far, damage to ONEU buildings remained limited, although neighbouring buildings have been severly hit.

Apart from the alarms, the Odessa university faces electricity blackouts quite often. Therefore, electricity generators are installed and are used for essential academic events, such as dissertation defenses and important meetings.

There was a shift from traditional classes to remote online education. The  COVID-19 pandemic gave universities valuable experience in online learning. When the war began in 2022, this digital foundation allowed institutions to continue teaching, despite unprecedented challenges. Nevertheless, the internet connections are unstable, so it didn’t/doesn’t always work out smoothly. By consequence students get more assignments for which they don’t need computers.

Mental health

Many Ukrainian students combine their studies with work or volunteer work, service in territorial defense, or forced displacement. Volunteering and mobilization often lead to interruptions in the learning process and time pressure.

“But this does not mean we change the time frame of the study programmes”, says Svitlana Manzhula (Associate Professor of the Economic Cybernetics and Information Technologies Department). “We obviously take into account the tough circumstances, but we do not offer students more time flexibility to get their degree because of the war. Although the success rate is slightly lower, the difference with the pre-war period is limited.”

 

“Despite the difficulties, students remain enthusiastic. Sometimes their resilience is an inspiration.”

 

Natalia Nianchuk, Associate Professor of the Banking Department

​

“Despite the difficulties, students remain enthusiastic. Sometimes their resilience is an inspiration”,  Natalia Nianchuk, Associate Professor of the Banking Department adds.
Nevertheless the students’ mental health has been heavily affected: studies report increased levels of anxiety, depression, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress amongst young people in higher education.
“For many students, the emotional aspect is the hardest part”, explains Zlata, student at ONEU. “Luckily, we get a lot of support from the lecturers. The campus became a kind of mental back-up and the process of education a way of surviving.”
The students and lecturers are developing resilience mechanisms: peer social support, finding meaning in volunteering,…  The Odessa National Economic University provides psychosocial support initiatives to help mitigate the negative effects.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that since Russia’s major invasion in 2022, many students – and their families – have fled abroad. Officially, almost seven million people fled the country, but probably this is an underestimation. Amongst them, a lot of students: in the academic year 2023-2024, 115.000 Ukrainians were studying abroad (mainly in Europe, USA, Australia, Canada,…), compared to 21.000 in 2008-2009, an evolution which represents an increase from 2 to 11 per cent of the total student population in Ukraine.
At the same time, more than 5000 scientists left Ukraine after the invasion. International projects and scholarship programs help them continue their research activities. 

 

“Balancing international mobility with strategies to encourage students and researchers to return and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery remains a crucial priority.”

European and global universities have offered strong support to Ukraine through exchange programs, scholarships, and hosting displaced students, ensuring their education could continue despite the war. These initiatives not only provide safety and academic stability but also create valuable international opportunities for Ukrainian youth. At the same time, Ukraine has accelerated its integration into European higher education structures.

Brain drain

This situation, of course, carries the risk of a brain drain. The lecturers of Odessa National Economic University do not see this happening that quickly: most students, researchers and lecturers abroad are still affiliated with Odessa University, and a lot of them claim they will return once the war is over.

Nevertheless, balancing international mobility with strategies to encourage students and researchers to return and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery remains a crucial priority.

In this context, U!REKA European University can play a crucial role. Odessa National Economic University (ONEU) was invited to join the U!REKA alliance to develop cooperation in difficult times. Liliia Zherdetska (Head of the Banking Department) is convinced that joining the U!REKA-network provides ONEU with invaluable support: “It has a lot of potential, from knowledge exchange and joint projects to opportunities for students and staff mobility. At the same time, ONEU offers its partners the unique perspective of a university operating under crisis conditions, contributing to shared research and practice on resilience and social responsibility. Together with U!REKA, ONEU aims to turn challenges into opportunities for mutual growth and stronger European integration.”

The remarkable combination of resilience, innovation, and willingness to collaborate and adapt to difficult circumstances ensures that ONEU is able to continue to function and evolve. “The war makes things difficult for us, but in term of organisation, we got used to cope with it”, says Liliia. “But what I never get used to is the wall with the war victims and the flowers I walk by daily on my way to the campus.”