Internationalization Policy, Opportunities, and Digital Support for Higher Education: Perspectives on Ukraine
Published online on March 24, 2026
Abstract
["European Journal of Education, Volume 61, Issue 2, June 2026. ", "\nABSTRACT\nThe article discusses the unique aspects of internationalization processes in Ukrainian educational institutions under the current martial law. The article aims to identify internationalization opportunities and challenges for the Ukrainian education and academic system and define the needs that can be addressed through digital support. To achieve this, the study employs a mixed‐methods approach, including the analysis of a survey regarding the use of digital tools by 94 Ukrainian educators and PhD students. The research is guided by the “Crisis‐Informed Digital Internationalization” (CIDI) conceptual framework to evaluate digital infrastructure and agency. During the research, it was discovered that internationalization today depends on the digitalisation of educational institutions and, therefore, opens new opportunities and prospects for creating conditions for students and teachers. The findings demonstrated that the most frequently used digital tools by students are Google Drive, Google Classroom, and Google Meet. Conversely, applications such as Zoom, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are utilized less frequently for routine tasks. Statistical analysis further revealed a strong correlation between self‐reported digital competence and the effective integration of AI tools for international research collaboration. Thus, based on the results obtained, the authors present their vision of digital support for internationalization processes in higher education institutions. The study implies that Ukrainian HEIs should prioritize virtual mobility and AI‐driven support to maintain global academic presence. The paper concludes that digital resilience serves as a foundational mechanism for maintaining academic continuity during geopolitical crises.\n"]