Olena Melnyk

Every year, the problem of the third mission of a university is popularized in scientific discourse. The social responsibility of higher education institutions in the conditions of the war between russia and Ukraine and the post-war period is to overcome the multidirectional tasks of higher education, concentrate and strengthen efforts to implement social projects, expand directions for the development of interaction between universities and territorial communities, improve the quality of research to restore the state economy and its development. Therefore, there is a need to rethink the ways of direct and indirect influence on society, the country in particular. The purpose of this paper is to determine the level of awareness and readiness for interaction between the university and the community. The study was conducted from January to June 2020 with the participation of 1,050 respondents from 25 regions of Ukraine. According to the conducted survey, the majority of respondents believe that universities should contribute to the development of the community and note the mutual benefit of university-community interaction for universities and local communities. However, the survey results also showed a low participation experience combined with the willingness to participate in activities offered by higher education institutions. Due to the full-scale war, which fundamentally changed the conditions and affected the efficiency of both universities and most communities, the choice of a community involvement model within the third mission of a university, taking into account the pre-war readiness of universities for a productive community and modern military challenges, remains relevant.

Acknowledgment
This contribution is prepared in the framework of the realization the Erasmus+ KA 2 CBHE project “Universities-Communities: Strengthening Cooperation” (Grant Agreement 101083077) and with the support and funding under Researchers at Risk Fellowships Programme led by the British Academy in partnership with the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society and Council for At-Risks Academics (CARA). The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

The internationalization of higher education has become a key trend and response to the growth of globalization and online learning. After the start of the Russian war in Ukraine, Ukrainian higher education underwent significant destruction. Ukrainian HEIs have been significantly losing their capacity for development. Loss of human capital, including educational losses, becomes more relevant from the perspective of further sector development.
This paper explores the intersection of DDP implementation and the implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), focusing on faculty members’ experiences within the Twinning Initiative framework. By investigating faculty members’ perceptions of quality assurance gaps and examining the impact of DDPs on the integration of SDGs, the study provides insights into how these programs contribute to advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in higher education. This study employed semi-structured interviews. Interviewees were selected from the academic staff of five of the six Ukrainian universities involved in DDPs. Nine interviews were conducted in the period from April 2024 to June 2024. All interviewees represent the double-degree staff from different roles.
Despite some differences between the procedures, the principles of internal quality assurance in Ukrainian universities correspond to those of their British partners. The findings show that implementing DDP promotes “learning by doing” for teaching staff, encouraging curriculum innovation and professional development. This study highlights the potential of DDP to stimulate the implementation of ESD principles in higher education and suggests directions for future research, particularly in war-affected regions.

Acknowledgment
This contribution is prepared with the support and funding under Researchers at Risk Fellowships Programme led by the British Academy in partnership with the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society and Council for At-Risks Academics (CARA), and in the framework of the realization the Erasmus+ KA 2 CBHE project “Universities-Communities: Strengthening Cooperation” (Grant Agreement 101083077), and Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence “EU Studies of Social Innovations in Education” (ESSIE) – 101085552 – ERASMUS-JMO-2022-COE.
The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents that reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.