INTEGRATION WITHOUT MIGRATION: THE ROLE OF EUROPEAN-ORIENTED EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION NARRATIVES IN YOUTH RETENTION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article investigates the role of European-oriented education and communication narratives as mechanisms of youth retention in Ukraine under conditions of socio-economic instability, war-related uncertainty, and increasing educational migration. The study is based on the results of a survey conducted among participants of the educational module “European Strategies,” implemented within the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet project “EU Strategies for Competitiveness, Growth and Prosperity” (EUSTRAT) at Alfred Nobel University during 2022–2025.

The research aims to identify key communication triggers influencing educational and migration-related decision-making among young people and to determine how European-oriented educational programs contribute to reducing migration intentions. The methodological framework combines quantitative and qualitative approaches, including statistical analysis of survey responses and interpretation of open-ended answers.

The findings demonstrate that contemporary education performs functions that extend beyond knowledge transfer and increasingly acts as a mechanism shaping behavioral intentions, trust, identity, and perceptions of future opportunities. The study identifies the most influential communication triggers affecting educational choice, including narratives of the digital future, European integration, and Ukraine’s recovery through the implementation of European experience. In particular, the highest level of interest among respondents was related to topics of digital transformation of business and society, EU development strategies, post-war recovery of Ukraine, and European integration processes.

The article argues that European-oriented educational programs contribute to the formation of a model of “integration without migration,” under which students gain access to European values, competencies, and educational standards while remaining in Ukraine. The results indicate that universities increasingly function not only as educational institutions but also as communication platforms and social stabilizers that reduce uncertainty, strengthen trust, and create perceptions of future self-realization within the country.

The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of applying its findings to the development of communication strategies for higher education institutions aimed at increasing the attractiveness of education in Ukraine, strengthening youth engagement, and reducing migration intentions. Particular attention is devoted to the role of Erasmus+ Jean Monnet projects in supporting “internationalization at home” and promoting European-oriented educational narratives.

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