Transformation of the Role of Student Self Government in Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions under the Conditions of Full Scale War in Ukraine

Abstract

The relevance of studying the role of student self‑government during wartime is determined by the need to rethink its functions: from the traditional "solving issues of study and everyday life" to fulfilling the mission of a volunteer hub and guarantor of students' rights under extreme conditions. Exploring how student bodies combine support for the educational process with civic engagement helps overcome community inertia and shape a new leadership model capable of responding to global challenges. Purpose. To provide a comprehensive justification and develop conceptual foundations for the transformation of student self‑government in Ukrainian higher education institutions under wartime conditions. Methods. The research is based on a systemic approach that views self‑government as a dynamic element of the university ecosystem. Structural‑functional analysis was applied to identify new areas of responsibility and contradictions in interaction with administration; content analysis of legal acts and analytical reports revealed challenges to academic freedom and institutional autonomy; modeling was used to design a prospective concept of professionalization integrating digital democracy tools and international partnership. Results. It was proven that the war radically transformed student agency, turning self‑government bodies into centers of crisis management and civil protection. Volunteering became a form of non‑formal education fostering leadership competencies and social responsibility. Under distance learning, self‑government plays a critical role as an "information mediator," ensuring cohesion of a dispersed student community. At the same time, systemic challenges intensified: formalism in quality assurance, administrative pressure, and burnout of leaders. The need for an "institutional mediation" model was substantiated, where students act as analytical partners of administration, using monitoring and feedback tools. Conclusions. The transformation of student self‑government under martial law confirmed its viability as a democratic institution capable of functioning in crisis situations. The proposed model of professionalization, based on digitalization of procedures (E‑Democracy) and integration into the European educational space, redefines student bodies from service structures into full‑fledged actors of strategic planning. Such partnership is identified as a key condition for democratizing university life and ensuring high standards of education amid global transformations.