University Resilience Strategy Amid Armed Conflict

Abstract

The article summarizes insights into the functioning of the People’s Ukrainian Academy (a small private university located in the front-line city of Kharkiv) during wartime, examining how resilient Ukrainian universities have proven to be, whether they have the capacity to maintain educational continuity and quality in an emergency, and whether they are able to emerge stronger from adversity, empowered by recent decision-making experience, agile management, and established social and professional connections. The paper addresses the concept of resilience, distinguishing individual resilience from institutional resilience, which is defined as an institution’s capacity to endure the toughest challenges in a way that maximizes opportunities and minimizes negative impacts. It advances the hypothesis that institutional resilience is not an invariable feature of an organization, but rather a complex strategy and the capacity to execute this strategy through its system of decision-making, interdepartmental interaction, agility and adaptability, corporate culture, trust-building, and various networks. Applying the case-study research method, the authors review the steps taken by PUA in response to wartime challenges and analyze the results achieved. Based on an examination of the Academy’s operations during the war, as well as documents available on its website and an accreditation panel report, the authors draw conclusions about the major pillars of the university’s strategy that contribute significantly to its resilience. The paper also substantiates the logical assumption that an educational institution’s resilience positively influences the individual resilience of its staff, teachers, students, and even a broader circle of stakeholders.