Institutional Preconditions for Effective Formation of Officers' International Communication Readiness in Ukrainian Higher Military Education Institutions

The article explores the institutional preconditions for the formation of international communication (IC) readiness among officer cadets in Ukrainian higher military educational institutions (HMEIs). The urgency of IC competence is growing in light of Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration, NATO interoperability standards, and involvement in multinational defence cooperation. Objective. This article seeks to examine institutional preconditions by triangulating insights from recent Ukrainian dissertations, theoretical scholarship, and author’s empirical data collected through instructor surveys. The purpose is to identify and substantiate the institutional preconditions necessary for the effective formation of IC readiness among officer cadets in Ukrainian HMEIs. Methods. The methodology is based on document analysis, thematic coding of dissertation content (2018–2024), and empirical findings from an academic staff survey conducted in 2024. The article offers a fourfold classification of institutional preconditions: normative-regulatory, organisational-structural, technological-pedagogical, and value-motivational. Results. The study found that despite normative clarity at the policy level, implementation across HMEIs is inconsistent. Organizational structures often lack cross-departmental coordination. Simulation-based training, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) methods, and blended learning environments are used sporadically. The motivational domain, influenced by cadets’ attitudes, intercultural openness, and institutional culture, remains the least formalized yet critically influential. Educational barriers reported by instructors include the absence of diagnostic tools, limited access to NATO-standard resources, and insufficient integration of language and tactical content. Conclusions. The article concludes with practice-oriented recommendations for institutional reform, including the development of diagnostic instruments, unified governance mechanisms, and pilot modules combining language training with mission-oriented disciplines. The study contributes to the academic and applied discourse on defence education transformation, offering a roadmap for embedding IC competence into Ukraine’s military education system.