Papers by Anatoly Oleksiyenko
Campus crisis management remains an understudied topic in the context of COVID‐affected higher ed... more Campus crisis management remains an understudied topic in the context of COVID‐affected higher education. In this paper, we contrasted the ability to tame the wicked problems brought by the pandemic of COVID‐19 in private and public universities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, India, Kazakhstan, Uganda, and Ukraine. The cross‐country analysis and diversity of institutional types allowed us to consider a wide range of challenges faced by academic leaders and their institutions during the global pandemic. By drawing on institutional policy reviews and interviews with university administrators, we have examined tensions between the human and institutional agencies on these crisis‐stricken campuses given differing institutional coupling, sizes, resources, and missions. The focus on agential co‐dependencies and institutional coupling lays the ground for conceptualizing campus crisis management as a culturally specific construct in the context of higher education affected by the global pandemic.
This editorial presents the special issue on challenges of academic freedom in Europe, predominan... more This editorial presents the special issue on challenges of academic freedom in Europe, predominantly in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The volume provides a novel empirical stream of research, urging scholars to face the emerging discourse and problems of academic freedom in the contemporary higher education systems that were largely overlooked in the analyses dominated by the West‐oriented global neoliberalism following the collapse of the USSR. Acknowledging collision and collusion between global competition for excellence and predomination of national interests, we propose to re‐conceptualize the premises and prospects of academic freedom in the discourse of global higher education. We advance the idea of a post‐Humboldtian university, assuming that modern universities are increasingly influenced by the geopolitical imperatives that depreciate academic freedom. The special issue exemplifies these concerns by detailed analyses in such contexts as Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Georgia, and a comparative analysis across Great Britain and continental Europe.
Intellectual leadership is on its deathbed in precarious colleges and universities affected by co... more Intellectual leadership is on its deathbed in precarious colleges and universities affected by corporate cultures that ‘trump human dignity, healthy relationships and civic engagement’ (Oleksiyenko and Tierney, 2018). Unable to reconcile moral and intellectual dilemmas resulting from excessive managerialism and performative surveillance, many professors abide by corporate logic, instead of boldly standing up against fraudulence and lack of integrity in the academe (Vican, Friedman and Andreasen, 2020). One particular factor contributing to the death of intellectualism in such contexts is a failure of professors to take on leadership in order to refine moral orientations and obligations institutionally and socially (Macfarlane, 2013). Escapes from these responsibilities have created bureaucratic ‘iron cages’ that punish profitless thinking and spearhead precarity and vulnerability (Oleksiyenko, 2018). Intellectual leadership in higher education is often presented as a championship of factory-like productivity and narcissistic positioning, rather than resistance to corporate maltreatment. As precarious universities increasingly generate dehumanizing agendas and ethically challenging institutional behaviours that affect the lives and futures of new generations of scholars and students, questions about the nature and aims of intellectual leadership loom larger.
For almost three decades, scholars sought to understand the transformations of higher education s... more For almost three decades, scholars sought to understand the transformations of higher education systems previously subjected to totalitarian Soviet control. Early attempts to investigate post-Soviet reforms provided limited explanations of the chaotic and challenging nature of these transformations, inducing a valid critique of the dominant interpretation of the post-Soviet changes as a unidirectional transition from the party/state-dominated model to a Western market-oriented system. The processes of deconstructing the Soviet legacy have remained under-studied, while post-Soviet research in education largely accepts the legitimization and even reintegration of the past. By drawing on existing theoretical and empirical scholarship, this article explains why a new conceptualization of de-Sovietization is needed in higher education research and why the processes of reenvisioning values, practices, and institutions in the post-Soviet education and research are necessary to promote critical inquiry, academic freedom, and scholars' agential responsibilities.
Internationalization is known to enhance university capacities in cross-border learning and encou... more Internationalization is known to enhance university capacities in cross-border learning and encourage institutional transformations for improved quality of scholarship and education. Studies on internationalization of research and teaching are, however, under-problematized with regard to asymmetries that pervade different collaborating systems and cultures. This paper addresses this gap by elucidating asymmetries in the Greater Bay Area of China (GBA), which is dealing with differences in legacies and experiences of internationalization in university research and teaching. At a time when the governments in the three constituent juris- dictions of GBA—Guangdong Province, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), and Macao SAR—encourage universities to collaborate across jurisdictional borders, this study applies a bibliographic analysis to shed light on asymmetries and mitigation strategies in internationalization of research and teaching.
Communicating the means and ends of internationalization can be daunting amidst competing agendas... more Communicating the means and ends of internationalization can be daunting amidst competing agendas in higher education. This paper examines how elite global journals in social sciences deal with discursive dilemmas while addressing geopolitical agendas in the internationalization of post-Soviet higher education. In particular, this paper seeks to understand how the "prestige economy" agencies have shaped explanations of problems of the Soviet legacy in disparate national contexts of post-Soviet higher education. Under the growing resurgence of Russian imperialism, the study delves into claims and concerns of social scientists from post-Soviet republics, who remain on the periphery of the global "prestige economy," as well as in the subaltern position to the geopolitical agendas championed by the Russian government. While examining the research on geopolitics in the internationalization of divergent systems and institutions of higher education in the region, the paper also tries to shape a more nuanced analysis of the under-investigated tensions within the post-Soviet world.
Precarity of the Ukrainian professoriate is a lacuna in the higher education literature. There wa... more Precarity of the Ukrainian professoriate is a lacuna in the higher education literature. There was no research on this subject before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, no investigations have been conducted on how university professors handle the hardships of teaching in wartime. This study tries to understand the phenomenon of precarity, as it is experienced by Ukrainian educators affected by the brutal invasion and ensuing dehumanization. The study explores the following questions: What do post-Soviet educators learn from precarity and hostile environments that undermine their individual and professional dignity? How do they manage the security deficit in their academic and living environments? By presenting insights from thirty-nine interviews, this paper elaborates on the phenomenon of precarity among university educators who are urged to redefine themselves, reinstate their academic identity, and salvage their teaching careers in the context of war.
This chapter examines the origins of the Soviet style university administration, and the reverber... more This chapter examines the origins of the Soviet style university administration, and the reverberations of its practices in the global context of higher education. While the Soviet managerialism of the 20 th century differs from its successor, 21 st century neoliberal managerialism, features that are common to them, including corporate surveillance, ideological hegemony, and freedom suppression, find fertile ground in societies and universities that are prone to an authoritarian style of governance. In post-Soviet contexts, managerialism has unique cultural characteristics that combine colonial and anti-intellectual legacies, making it particularly appealing to corporate powers cultivating the norms of exploitative capitalism in academia. Critical inquiry into university transformations spearheaded by the Soviet characteristics of managerialism is sorely lacking. This paper calls for rethinking the cultural and political legacies of higher learning in a world challenged by undemocratic and revanchist forces.
Previous research has conceptualized and investigated internationalization of higher education in... more Previous research has conceptualized and investigated internationalization of higher education in relatively stable and peaceful environments. Studies on internationalization in the context of war are largely absent. Using interviews and survey responses from Ukrainian professors and administrators affected by the Russian invasion of 2014-2022, this paper reexamines the premises of internationalization, and outlines key dilemmas facing universities in times of existential crisis. The study reveals that the transformative powers of crisis-driven internationalization redefine ontological and axiological foundations of universities. University stakeholders readjust their responsibilities to reduce human vulnerability, while international solidarity helps them mitigate fragility in the war-affected academia.
Internationalization creates transformative powers in HE when axiological and cultural per- spect... more Internationalization creates transformative powers in HE when axiological and cultural per- spectives are prioritized over the utilitarian concerns. However, the latter often appear to be at- tractive and influential for both teachers and students seeking to achieve benefit from the internationalization of HE. In the times of crises, however, the problems and perspectives of public good become particularly prominent and tend to guide cross-border collaborations and learning processes (A Oleksiyenko et al., 2021a; AV Oleksiyenko et al., 2021b; Phan, 2017). At the same time, internationalization and international student mobility are not yet for everyone, as reminded by the conversation presented in the beginning of this Editorial between one of us (Phan Le Ha) and Pen Dina, a colleague from Cambodia. Hence, transformation ought to be conceptualized and discussed with complexity and from critical angles as well. We propose that more attention be paid to the relationships of internationalization, inter-Asian mobilities, capacity building, and trans- formation in HE contexts and settings across Asia and beyond.
This chapter sheds light on the intricacies of higher education reforms in Ukraine-the country th... more This chapter sheds light on the intricacies of higher education reforms in Ukraine-the country that captured world attention in 2014 by standing up to the tyranny of Russian neoimperialism and illiberalism. As a post-Soviet society fighting the Soviet legacy, Ukraine had struggled to redesign its universities to strengthen democracy and open society despite the 2014 Revolution of Dignity urging for accelerated reforms. Alas, the desired transformations required cardinal shifts in understanding the concepts and practices of institutional autonomy, academic freedom, and academic excellence-the western terms that were regarded as alien or adversarial in the Soviet discourse. This paper elaborates on the challenges faced by Ukrainian academics in de-constructing the Soviet legacy, establishing strategic international partnerships, and expanding the scope of European integration in order to enhance critical thinking and advance post-colonial liberation on the path to building academic excellence.
International education is argued to create better opportunities for higher learning if universit... more International education is argued to create better opportunities for higher learning if university program designers engage both personal and collective agency in studies of foreign languages and societies (Oleksiyenko and Shchepetylnykova, 2021), and thus increase students' chances for greater engagement with alternative learning styles and contexts (Li, 2014; Phuong-Mai, et al., 2005). Yet, achieving a highly efficient design for cross-cultural learning is a challenge when courses prioritise technical competencies over cultural ones (Evans et al. 2009). For students holding different cultural legacies, it may not be easy to develop a common agency and authority structure in international exchange and collaboration (Mittelmeier, Rienties, Tempelaar, & Whitelock, 2018). While students may be asked to pursue joint agency in crosscultural explorations, their personal achievements are still viewed as more important than the collaborative outcomes in an academic course (Chapman & Pyvis, 2005).
The Soviet legacy has kept Georgian universities relegated to a peripheral status regionally and ... more The Soviet legacy has kept Georgian universities relegated to a peripheral status regionally and globally. In the post-Soviet era, some Georgian intellectuals sought opportunities to enhance creativity, openness and international collaboration at their universities for European Union integration; however, others nurtured nostalgia for unchallenged authority and hierarchy within the bounds of a tightly controlled and insular academia. These two forces give rise to important questions about the agency of professors in effecting change that would enhance local engagement with the European and global networks of science and development. This article presents insights from seasoned Georgian professors, who share their experience of the Soviet legacy and struggles in creating an open and innovative academic profession in independent Georgia. The research engages the concept of de-Sovietisation as a transformational strategy and examines the challenges of using this strategy to enhance academic engagement in the global domains of knowledge-making.
This paper conceptualizes intellectual dissent as a galvanizer of academic freedom in a post-tota... more This paper conceptualizes intellectual dissent as a galvanizer of academic freedom in a post-totalitarian academia that is moving toward democratization. Drawing on the case of Ukraine, the analytical narrative describes difficulties in overcoming legacies in universities emerging from repressive rule that discouraged creativity, initiative, and critical inquiry, and having to envisage a transition to democratic governance in the context of neoliberal geopolitics. The case analysis suggests that intellectual dissent is essential but limited in its ability to establish the praxis of academic freedom under increasing control by oligarchic governments and a self-serving bureaucracy. By exploring interdependencies between intellectual dissent and academic freedom, this paper lays ground for an analytical framework that can be helpful in rethinking the prospects of universities at the crossroads of authoritarianism and democracy.
Regional innovation is increasingly dependent on learning from modernization-driven jurisdictions... more Regional innovation is increasingly dependent on learning from modernization-driven jurisdictions (Caniëls and van den Bosch, Pap Reg Sci 90:271–285, 2011; Schulte, Nordic J Stud Educ Policy:1–13, 2018), and the Province of Guangdong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and Macau Special Administrative Region of China in various ways succeeded to employ experiences and links from advanced economic and education agencies across the globe (Fu, Oxf Dev Stud 36:89–110, 2008; Henning and Ulrike, Asian J Technol Innov 17:101–128, 2009; Cai and Liu, Sci Public Policy 42:1–15, 2014). In this chapter, we are examining how policy alignments oriented at globally-competitive performers have been contributing to innovation and how alignment of economic and education agendas has been driving the emergence of a Greater Bay Area of China (GBAC). In particular, we analyse cross-jurisdictional dynamics seeking to reinforce cumulative advantages for universities in the region. Concurrently, we outline a range of challenges faced by political, economic and education stakeholders in various jurisdictions at times when they are forced for harmonization of policies and agendas.
Research in Comparative and International Education, 2021
A major cluster of economic engines that have changed Asian higher education, Hong Kong, Singapor... more A major cluster of economic engines that have changed Asian higher education, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan have all developed high-income societies as well as world-class universities which linked local "knowledge economies" to global science and created hubs for international collaborations and mobility. However, there has been limited analysis of interdependencies between the rise of world-class universities and changes in the flows of international talent. This paper elaborates on the concept of higher education internationalization that aims at enhancing geopolitical equity in global mobility and re-positioning local students for improved access to the world-class excellence. The paper compares key themes and patterns that define the Tiger societies' unique positions in the field of global higher education.
In the online community of global higher education, idiosyncrasy and sociality are mutually reinf... more In the online community of global higher education, idiosyncrasy and sociality are mutually reinforcing forces that shape the cognitive aspirations and anxieties of students, teachers, administrators, and other players who are pulled together and apart by social problems and competing demands. During the global crisis caused by COVID-19, idiosyncrasy prevailed, in part owing to growing disagreements on the value of various strategies for disease containment, mandatory measures to prevent outbreaks, and social responses to the pandemic. Living in a politicized and increasingly polarized environment, where consensus was lacking on whether protecting public health should come ahead of opening the economy, implied numerous tensions for local and international learners alike. This chapter employs virtual autoethnography to provide a self-reflexive perspective on being a citizen and an academic operating during pandemic-driven lockdown in globally interconnected cyberspace, which can act as a sanctuary but also as a space where pandemonium is created by the emotional tribulations and conflicting messages of disparate local and international actors. With an analytical approach to autoethnography contributing to the discourse on stress and anxiety in global higher education, this chapter calls for deeper engagement with idiosyncrasy to enable a better understanding of the diverse and conflicting narratives and memories that shape our increasingly cyber-bound societies.
The concept of a 'displaced academic', which previously appeared in the analysis of the WWII-rela... more The concept of a 'displaced academic', which previously appeared in the analysis of the WWII-related forced migration from the Nazi-occupied Europe, has resurfaced in Ukraine's higher education after Russia's annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas in 2014. We reexamine the relevance and interpretations of this concept in embattled Ukraine. Having interviewed 12 academics who fled the invaded territory, we seek to advance the theory of academic vulnerability in the context of geopolitical and cross-cultural divergences in the discordant post-Soviet space. Distinguished by its contextual analysis, this paper also expands the reader's understanding of forced migration in a disintegrating higher education space.
The academic profession in Cambodia has been under growing pressure to pursue excellence in highe... more The academic profession in Cambodia has been under growing pressure to pursue excellence in higher education. Nonetheless, various interpretations of what constitutes excellence persist across the public and private sectors, as lecturers follow disparate goals in teaching and research at various jobs and institutions. For many, the diversity of perspectives creates ambiguity and unclear directions for translating academic excellence into quality contribution to social development in the country. This paper illustrates how multiple interpretations and concerns create challenges, inhibiting progress of the Cambodian academic profession and society at large. Qualitative data from national policy papers, personal observations, focus group and expert interviews, were engaged to shed light on the intricacies of competing priorities, and the deficiencies of institutional and systemic support for the scholarly aspirations of the local faculty. The findings in this paper indicate that the lecturers’ limited capacity for intellectually-stimulating scholarship is often coupled with their own hesitation about committing themselves to inquiry-oriented academic work. This study argues that policies on advancing academic excellence can be effective only when the quest for excellence in service is well-matched with enhanced quality of intellectual engagement.
This paper examines contested meanings of international student mobility in Hong Kong and Taiwan.... more This paper examines contested meanings of international student mobility in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The study tries to understand why policy makers and university managers find it difficult to diversify student bodies in these jurisdictions. In particular, problems with the conceptualisation of international student mobility are discussed. In practical terms, the paper delineates key boosters and barriers for inbound flows which received little attention in the previous literature that primarily focused on the outbound mobility. Finally, the researchers discuss important policy leverages that could enhance the value of engagement of international students in transcultural learning.
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Papers by Anatoly Oleksiyenko