Perspectives on Academic Freedom in the Context of Transformation (insights Ukraine and Germany)

The article examines the current state of academic freedom in Ukraine and Germany in the context of their historical, social, and political challenges. Particular attention is paid to the impact of the Soviet legacy, bureaucracy, financial constraints, and the full-scale war in Ukraine on the functioning of educational and scientific institutions. The key aspects that define academic freedom are analyzed, including institutional autonomy, freedom of teaching, research, democratization of university culture, and international cooperation. The scientific novelty of the paper lies in identifying the interrelationships between the challenges of the post-Soviet legacy, structural barriers, the impact of war, and the prospects for international integration to strengthen academic freedom. The authors rely on the results of a thematic analysis of the discussion panel “Perspectives on Academic Freedom” held within the framework of the international conference “Open Science and Innovation in Ukraine 2024” (OSICU2024) and the German Year of Science 2024 - Academic Freedom initiative. The article identifies eight key thematic categories: academic freedom and autonomy, post-Soviet challenges, freedom of speech and censorship, funding and resource allocation, structural barriers, the impact of war on the academic environment, cultural and democratic development, and international cooperation. In each of these areas, the main challenges faced by Ukrainian and German universities are revealed and ways to address them are suggested. Considerable attention is paid to the issues of financial autonomy, which is the basis for the realization of academic freedom. The article discusses the need to increase basic state funding in Ukraine and to reform grant mechanisms in Germany. It is pointed out that international cooperation can play a crucial role in overcoming the challenges of war, involving Ukrainian scientists in the global academic community, and implementing best practices in university management. In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of developing democratic approaches to university governance and fostering a culture of openness and critical thinking. The results of the study offer recommendations for strengthening institutional autonomy, reducing bureaucracy, increasing the financial sustainability of universities, and ensuring academic freedom in the face of global and local challenges. The article contributes to the theoretical and practical understanding of the ways of transformation of the Ukrainian higher education system and its integration into the European educational space..